October 2009 - South Tahoe Public Utility District

irrigation ditches were used to irrigate portions of the Heise Ranch and Schwake land in
Diamond Valley. The original parties to the 1967 Alpine County Water Agency agreement for
the importation and storage of recycled water in Alpine County used “as much or as little”
recycled water as needed for irrigation practices.
1.2.2 1972-1983
The original Diamond Ditch Agreement was developed in 1972. This agreement allocated the
recycled water resources imported into Alpine County from South Lake Tahoe to several
ranches in the West Fork of the Carson River watershed. The completion of the Diamond Ditch
in 1972 made it possible to convey recycled water from Indian Creek Reservoir to lands in
Wade Valley and along the West Fork of the Carson River.
Historically the recycled water irrigated lands were located in Diamond Valley along Indian
Creek and further down Dutch (Long) Valley. Waters were stored in Indian Creek Reservoir and
released into Indian Creek for irrigation of the Smith and Springmeyer ranches downstream.
Additionally, irrigation water was delivered to land in Diamond Valley directly from the C-Line
Export Pipeline. However, in the early 1970‟s the Lahontan Regional Water Quality Control
Board objected to recycled water entering the Carson River and terminated the use of Indian
Creek as a recycled water irrigation conveyance. This was the primary driver for the
construction of the Diamond Ditch in 1972 to access lands along the West Fork of the Carson
River. During the period from 1972 to 1983, recycled water was applied to lands on the
Gansberg, Neddenriep, Bruns, and Hall (Ace Hereford) ranches.
1.2.3 1983-1988
In 1983 several changes were made to the Diamond Ditch Agreement. Most of the changes
focused on the volume of water to be delivered and how that was divided among the ranching
interests. Planning work done in the early 1980‟s along with operational changes at the
District‟s treatment facility in South Lake Tahoe necessitated the construction of Harvey Place
Reservoir to replace Indian Creek Reservoir as the recycled water storage facility. During this
period several agreements were made regarding the construction of Harvey Place Reservoir,
which was completed in 1989. To accompany the new storage reservoir the District also
constructed the 380 acre Dressler On-Farm emergency disposal site located six ditch miles
below Harvey Place Reservoir on the south portion of the Dressler property. Because water
could be delivered to this land, the Diamond Ditch Agreement and the ranchers‟ delivery
contracts had to be modified to include the Dressler (currently Brooke) and Celio ranches.
1.2.4 1988-present
The District has supplied recycled water to six contract irrigators in Alpine County since 1988.
These irrigators include the Gansberg, Neddenriep and Bruns ranches and the Bently (Ace
Hereford Ranch), Celio and Brooke ranches located in Wade Valley. The Brooke ranch (also
known as the West Fork Ranch) permitted acreage includes the District‟s On-Farm recycled
water emergency disposal site on a dry section of Wade Valley. The total permitted recycled
water application area for the six ranches is 1,883 acres.
Beginning in 2003, the contract irrigators were required to provide 5 years notice if they wanted
to terminate their agreement with the District to irrigate with recycled water. The District also has
the ability to discontinue service to the irrigators with a 5-year notice. Since 2003, the
agreements run for five year terms, but unless either party options out of the agreement, the
contract irrigators are obligated recycled water from the District until 2028 when the current
South Tahoe Public Utility District
Recycled Water Facilities Master Plan - October 2009 Page 1-5