Commissioners receive update on floodplain

The county commissioners received current information on the local floodplain Wednesday at their second meeting of October.

Brenda Hunt of the Carson Water Conservancy District presented an update on the Carson River Watershed Regional Floodplain Management Plan. CWSD and five counties that the Carson River runs through adopted the plan in 2008. Churchill County adopted the plan on Sept. 4, 2008.

The plan creates a long-term vision and strategies for floodplain management to reduce flood impacts throughout the Carson River watershed.

“This regional approach to floodplain management has been a critical planning step,” said Hunt. “The actions of one community have the potential to impact down stream communities, making flooding a watershed a wide challenge.”

Other strategies include the need for accurate data, reduction of impacts from existing infrastructure and development inner floodplains and the need for education and outreach to watershed citizens to ensure everyone understands the need to conserve watershed floodplains.

The Regional Floodplain Management plans will be updated every five years. Hunt said this year the updates include new demographics from the 2010 census, floodplain protection mechanisms and FEMA risk map information, new emergency contact information, additional appendices, and progress reports from counties and CWSD.

The updated process consists of CRC river corridor working group and local county staff involvement, adoption of revisions/updates by CWSD board, and presentation to county to adopt revisions.

In the future, Hunt said the CWSD is expecting major mapping changes for the middle and upper watershed.

A public comment brought forth by a Carson Highway resident stated that the Bango Oil Company’s new scrubber is not successful. The resident stated the odor has become worse. She said residents in the area are having horrible headaches from the odor, and one has even developed blisters in her mouth. She said the odor is seeping through the vents of the houses, and attempts have been made to stop the odor from entering the houses, but none have been successful. County Manager Eleanor Lockwood, informed commissioners and public that the planning department had received complaints when the oil company was conducting a test for the scrubber. The testing began a week to two weeks ago, and Lockwood said the company noticed the operational issues with the scrubber; however, there is a process that they have to go through, Lockwood said it is a 30-day period for testing and another 30-day period for continued analysis.

Other business discussed or approved at the meeting include the following:

Approved Community Development Block Grant. Social Services Department will be releasing the applications to the public.

Approved PATH program lease with Rogne Realty for one year for $15,600.

Discussed the comprehensive Regional Water System Report and Bureau of Reclamation Plan of Study presented by Ed James, executive director, of the Carson Water Subconservancy District.

Approved annual contract with Cashman Equipment for scheduled maintenance of generators.

Received update on Redneck Shindig presented by Laurel Topken and Yessinia Maldanado-Clark. Proceeds for recipients doubled from last year.

Approved terms for Top Gun Raceway to extend payments for an additional three years.

Approved request for funding to prepare a report on the findings of the Nevada Land Management Task Force.

Approved donation from Churchill County Sheriff’s Office of a 2007 Ford Expedition to the Churchill County School District.