April, 2005
by John C. Evanoff
Very few cities can boast of a river running through the middle
of it let alone a river as beautiful and inviting as the Truckee
River. Reno began its path to the present because of the Truckee
River. The river got its name as a result of Chief Truckee, a local
Paiute Indian who had helped guide John C. Fremont through western
Nevada and keep the peace among the tribes and settlers in Northern
Nevada. The Conestoga stopover of Reno by those moving through to
California was actually first called Lake's Crossing. Just about
the only way to get across the river back in 1861 was to use a bridge
constructed by Myron Lake. Two bridges built by other entrepreneurs
before Lake's were washed away by spring floods but Myron knew how
to build a sturdy structure and he also knew how to make money.
He built a stable, a mill, a tack barn, a blacksmith kiln and a
small store. All of this was almost exactly where the Riverside
Hotel once stood and now the Riverside lofts sit. His toll and livery
prices were steep but it wasn't like there was another town real
close and during the spring and summer high flows, there was no
other way to get across the river. Lake got into the cattle business
as well and by the time the railroad finally came through, he was
a rich man. One of the Central Pacific Railroad's founders, Charles
Crocker, a friend of Lake, came up with the name for the town after
a Union Civil War hero named General Jesse L. Reno. Lake got busy
and decided to build a hotel in 1872 and all along Commercial Row
next to the railroad tracks more than three hundred businesses sprouted
up. The rest is history of course. The railroad brought immediate
commerce and the telegraph allowed for instant communication. Then,
the Lincoln Highway now known as US Highway 80 was built. It negotiated
the Truckee River canyon from Fernley to Truckee along the river
and people from around the country began to notice Reno and the
river in their travels.
One of the interesting things about the Truckee
is its importance as the major source of water for the region. Without
it, Reno and a few other communities in western Nevada would not
exist. The river flows from Lake Tahoe all the way to Pyramid Lake,
a distance of more than one hundred miles. Along the way, it picks
up stream flows from many canyons and creeks running down the eastern
flank of the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range. Until recently, this
water has constantly been divided up among farmers and miners to
the south of Reno as well as farmers, residents and industry in
Reno, Sparks, Fernley, Wadsworth and even Fallon. Now, a regional
water authority and the Indian tribe at Pyramid Lake control the
flows and water rights. With constant fear of drought because of
the nature of our high desert geography, the Truckee River remains
the most influential concern for growth in the region.
The Indian tribes negotiated a settlement with
the State of Nevada concerning flows to the reservation at Pyramid
because of the cutthroat trout and cui ui fish there, both protected
by the government. The Pyramid Lake Lahontan Cutthroat used to run
all the way from Pyramid to spawn in the river between Wingfield
Park and Verdi. In high water years, the salmon family trout made
trips as far up as Tahoe and in fact, was the principal fish in
Lake Tahoe for years before commercial fishermen over-fished the
area and brought in the Mackinaw and other species to take its place.
But fishing remains an attraction along the river because it's so
easy to get to and the state recognizes the Truckee as the most
fished water in Nevada as a result. An area between the California
border and Crystal Peak Park in Verdi is catch and release only
and some fly fishermen have hooked up with rainbow, German brown
and cutthroat trout as large as five pounds along that stretch.
When I was growing up in the 1950's, I spent many days tying flies
to match the hatch patterns west of Reno near Mogul. The largest
fish I ever caught weighed more than eight pounds, a German Brown,
and believe me, with only half pound tippet material tied to extremely
light floating line, I definitely had my hands full. Many anglers
believe the Truckee will eventually become one of the west's premier
fly fishing rivers.
Within a few more years, a bike and walking trail
along the Truckee will be completed from Verdi to Vista. It is possible
to ride or walk along the present trail from Mayberry Park west
of town to Vista Boulevard in Sparks. The many parks and trees along
the route make it one of the most attractive and easy walks or bike
rides in the region. A greenbelt and trails plan is currently being
drawn up to create walking and riding paths from all over the Truckee
Meadows to intersect with the current river trail.
Most of the trees in the Truckee Meadows were planted
here by settlers including the many maples and elms. The box elder,
white willow, ponderosa, western juniper, sugar pine, western white
pine and cottonwood are native. Mayberry Park was once a huge lumber
mill along with six other major sites along the river from Verdi
to Tahoe. The timber and paper industry was so large in the Truckee
River Canyon between Tahoe and Reno that for a period of more than
two decades, the citizenry of Reno fought to close all the mills
because the river was being completely devastated. It was said you
could easily walk across the river because of the huge amount of
wood waste and acidic pulp spilling out of the mills. The Floriston
Pulp and Paper Company was the worst offender but other mills were
equally at fault. The industry finally relented with the help of
State and Federal authorities, but it took more than twelve years
before the smell of wood pulp finally left the area and the water
was again potable.
Anyone who has been in Reno for ten years can tell
you about the Truckee River when it floods. You can't help being
mesmerized by the massive waves of water and debris rushing in torrents
down the river. Water levels normally around six feet deep suddenly
become twenty six feet deep. In 1950 and then again in 1955, Truckee
River floods created so much damage that the area's governments
got together with California and began to build dams. Even with
a number of reservoirs west of Reno built to handle upriver flooding
including Stampede, Boca and Prosser, nothing can stop the deluge
making its way down hill. Every building in downtown Reno within
three hundred yards north of the river and one hundred yards south
of the river has been flooded at least once in the last fifty years
and the New Year's Flood of 1997 created such devastation in the
eastern part of the valley, entire businesses were lost. One of
the major reasons for downtown flooding is the bridge spans across
the river from Booth to East Second Street. Because they were built
with aesthetics in mind, any large trees coming down the river in
a flood get caught below the structures and act as man-made dams.
I remember when I was a child, watching rescuers use rowboats to
save employees working in business along Center Street between First
and Second Street. In the coming years, new bridge designs will
be built to account for these mistakes.
But high water is also a boon to Reno. Recently,
the city finished a white water park at Wingfield Park right in
the middle of town. Now, throughout the spring and early summer,
whitewater aficionados walk from their casino hotel rooms with paddles
in hand. Word has gotten around and kayaking has become a major
adventure attraction on the river. Many residents spend the month
of July at Wingfield Park and surrounding art galleries during the
Artown Festival. An amphitheatre is set up on the east side of Arlington
Avenue on an island in the river and it is used throughout the summer
and during Artown by orchestras, bands, dancers and artists to entertain
visitors and residents alike.
The Truckee River has also had rafting almost every
year since 1965 from Tahoe to Sparks. Several companies work just
below Tahoe City at the north end of the lake and a couple more
work below the town of Truckee. The river is navigable by kayak,
rubber raft and float tube but becomes treacherous at times because
of water flow. If it looks dangerous, don't be persuaded to risk
your life.
Wildlife is plentiful along the river including
ground squirrel, cottontail, jackrabbit, marmot, chipmunk, hoary
bats, little brown bats, muskrat, porcupine, badger, skunk, weasel,
otter, raccoon, bobcat, mountain lion, black bear, mule deer and
beaver. In fact, in the late nineteen eighties, beaver populations
were growing so fast here that the City of Reno parks department
couldn't keep up with downed limbs and trees. Floods naturally helped
to move the populations down the river though. The river also contains
several species of fish including German Brown, rainbow, cutthroat,
rocky mountain white fish, carp, channel catfish and brook trout.
The Truckee also has thousands of crawdads for every mile it meanders
through the meadows and it's not unusual to see young boys knee
deep in its waters during the summer, feeling around under rocks
with sticks to gather them up. The birds and waterfowl are abundant
too. Robins, meadowlark, dove, jays, nutcrackers, woodpecker, raven,
quail, chucker, black birds, mountain bluebirds, sparrows, wrens,
coots, mallards, teal, geese, killdeer, mergansers, egret, grebe,
heron, loons, hawks, prairie falcons, vultures, magpie and golden
eagles also make the river their home throughout the year.
Through it all, the fortunes of the area have gone
up and down like the seasons on the river, from almost bust to prosperous
and the talk of the country. Many times I have seen the Truckee
River so dry in drought you could walk across it without getting
wet and then just a few months later flooded, filling the valley
with muddy water. Reno has invested heavily to bring life to the
Truckee River and beautify the downtown and it only takes a casual
walk along Riverside Drive to the Virginia Street Bridge to see
the successful results. Summertime and the Truckee River are magical.
The city of trembling leaves would not be what it is today without
it.
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