Carson River trail plans move forward

Work on a 14-mile Carson River rafting route is moving forward with park improvements and trail details.

The map of the Carson City Aquatic Trail has been released and two city parks along the route running from the Silver Saddle Ranch in Carson to the Santa Maria Ranch in Dayton would get upgrades under city parks department plans.

The Morgan River Road access to the river would get a boat ramp and Carson River Park would get design upgrades such as better landscaping and a picnic shelter.

Carson City, Lyon County and state groups are developing and funding the trail that will include better access, signs, safety and promotion of the route.

The groups will raft down the route in May to promote the work. Carson City parks will spend about $1.5 million for its total improvements.

Groups such as the Nevada Commission on Tourism will promote the route and bring in visitors.

"There may be people in the city who may not even know we have a river," said Parks Director Roger Moellendorf.

But work may be slower than supporters would like, he said, because of city's budget shortfall.

The department has to maintain anything it builds, he said, and that's harder to do with a tighter budget and fewer employees than they need.

Some signs are up now, like one warning of whitewater rapids starting near Deer Run Road, and planning and work is going well, said Pete Livermore, the city supervisors' representative to the board running the project.

Other work includes more signs, stabilizing the river banks, removing objects that could hurt rafters or kayakers and establishing public safety along the river.

The trial plan was designed by a river expert at Resource Concepts in Carson City, who also worked on a whitewater recreation plan in Reno that included the Truckee River Whitewater Park.

The Carson River Advisory committee will look at the proposed park improvements at their meeting Wednesday.

Other agenda items include a regional flood plain management plan, community planning by the Friends of the Silver Saddle Ranch and helping with park maintenance along the river by volunteers.

• Contact reporter Dave Frank at dfrank@nevadaappeal.com or 881-1212.