USGS Water-Year Summary 2024

10350340 Truckee River Near Tracy, NV

LOCATION - Lat 39°33'24", long 119°33'08" referenced to North American Datum of 1927, in NW 1/4 NE 1/4 SE 1/4 sec.31, T.20 N., R.22 E., Washoe County, NV, Hydrologic Unit 16050102, on left bank, upstream side of bridge, 1.5 mi upstream from Tracy powerplant, 11.5 mi east of Sparks and at mi 42.75 upstream from Marble Bluff Dam.

DRAINAGE AREA - 1,580 mi².

SURFACE-WATER RECORDS

PERIOD OF RECORD - Jun. 1997 to current year.

GAGE - Water-stage recorder. Datum of gage is 4254.84 NAVD of 1988. The NAVD of 1988 datum was determined by a level 1 GNSS survey (Reference Frame NAD_83 (2011) (EPOCH:2010.0000), GEOID12A) by USGS on October 16, 2014 and tied to RM1. Prior to October 12, 2014, the datum of gage was 4,300 ft above National Geodetic Vertical Datum of 1929, as determined via topographic map by USGS on March 11, 1998. Replaces gage (10350400) Truckee River below Tracy, operated 1.5 mi downstream and destroyed in Jan. 1997 flood. Low flows not equivalent due to diversions between sites.

REMARKS - Flow regulated by Lake Tahoe (station 10337000), Martis Creek Lake (station 10339380), Prosser Creek (station 10340300), Stampede (station 10344300) and Boca (station 10344490) Reservoirs, Donner (station 10338400) and Independence (station 10342900) Lakes, and several powerplants. Records fair except for estimated discharges, which are poor.

EXTREMES OUTSIDE PERIOD OF RECORD - Flood of Jan. 2, 1997, discharge of 20,200 ft³/s, from downstream site 10350400, Truckee River below Tracy, NV.

EXTREMES FOR PERIOD OF RECORD - Maximum discharge, 15,200 ft³/s, Dec. 31, 2005, gage height, 17.39 ft; minimum daily, 39 ft³/s, Jul. 31, 2015.

WATER-QUALITY RECORDS

REMARKS - Prior to Water Year 2006 water-quality samples collected as part of the National Water Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program were collected from Truckee River at Clark, Nevada (station number 10350500). Beginning on February 14, 2006, sampling as part of NAWQA occurred only at 10350340 (with the exception of one sample collected November 7, 2011 at 10350500). Preliminary water-quality data comparisons show no statistical differences between nutrient, chloride, sulfate, pesticide (and selected degradates), or suspended sediment concentrations between the two sites. The Truckee River at Clark site can be considered an associated site to the one described here, with respect to these aforementioned water-quality data collected as part of the NAWQA Program. Prior to Water Year 2012, a cadmium-reduction method was used to determine nitrate-nitrite concentrations (parameter code 00631). During the 2012 Water Year, the cadmium reduction method was compared to a new proposed method involving enzymatic reduction and colorimetric analysis. There were no statistical differences between these two methods on the analytical results for nitrate-nitrite nitrogen concentrations in samples collected from 10350340. During Water Year 2013, selected trace elements, turbidity, dissolved inorganic and organic carbon, particulate inorganic and organic carbon, particulate nitrogen, and ultra-violet absorbing compounds were added to the suite of samples collected.