Dear Truckee River Supporter,

As we approach the year’s end, One Truckee River invites you to join us in celebrating our progress towards protecting the Truckee River! 

Rounding out 2023, we’re getting ready to “break dirt” on our first urban riverbank restoration project, welcoming six new members to our Partnership Council, and have refreshed our website to include new resources encouraging Northern Nevadans to enjoy everything our local waterway has to offer. We’re excited about the headway we’ve made toward realizing the goals set out in our 2016 Management Plan: improving water quality, supporting a thriving environment, educating and engaging our community, and sustainably managing our shared resources.

Keep reading for our Top 3 highlights of 2023 – and some hints to what we have in store for the new year!

In 2023, One Truckee River received a grant from the Regional Transportation Commission (RTC) and Nevada Department of Transportation (NDOT) for riverbank restoration in Brodhead Park, located just east of downtown Reno. The funding will support site design completion, permitting, erosion control, erosion control trails, plant propagation and installation, and monitoring. 

Brodhead Park will be the first significant restoration project within the Reno-Sparks urban corridor. Our goal is to replant the eroded southern riverbank in Reno’s urban core, from the west end of Brodhead Park to the Wells overpass, with a vibrant, healthy native plant ecosystem and paths for residents and visitors to access the water’s edge. With generous support from Truckee River Fund, we’ve completed our 30% and 60% conceptual designs, including a topographic survey. With RTC/NDOT’s generous support, OTR is ready to move forward in early 2024 to complete the 90% and 100% designs and prepare for installation in Fall 2024.

“It’s a unique project because it combines ecological and community goals,” explains OTR Executive Director, Iris Jehle-Peppard. We selected Broadhead Park for our pilot project because of its central location, history of complex urban challenges, and great potential for improvement – both ecologically and from a community access perspective. What’s more, OTR already has a presence in Broadhead: we installed a Portland Loo in the park in 2020.

In developing our plan to improve the physical environment of Broadhead Park, collaboration with the City of Reno and community outreach have been key. Our Coalition has encouraged people who use the river frequently to share their needs and increase their care for the space. 

Restoration in an urban area is all about compromise, and everything about the Broadhead design exemplifies this. While planting native and pollinizer plants, putting in rocks to stabilize the riverbank, and pulling invasives like Tree of Heaven are mainstays of any restoration plan – in Broadhead, supporting on-going management and maintenance of the space is just as much of a priority. Our design plan utilizes low-growing and tall plants instead of mid-story species to maintain a good line of sight, developing multiple erosion control paths to encourage enjoyment, recreation, and park utilization by a broad range of community groups.

A huge THANK YOU to The Truckee River Fund, RTC, NDOT, and all our other supporters! We couldn’t have reached this stage without the help of our partners.

In 2024, One Truckee River gave our website a much-needed refresh. Among our favorite changes? The addition of new community resources about how to best enjoy the Truckee River!

We’ve shared all our best recommendations for Things to Do on the Truckee River, both in and out of water. At One Truckee River, we understand that the gem of region is one of the best places for… (deep breath) walking, hiking, kayaking, rafting, floating, biking, camping, fishing, bird watching, picnicking, playground-ing, swimming and celebrating at dozens of weekly and annual summer events! 

Did we miss anything? There’s so much to do on the Truckee, we hardly knew where to start! Check out our top picks, with all the links to local resources, experts, and events.

The Truckee River Water Trail is a 121-mile water route along the entire length of the Truckee River, from Lake Tahoe to Wadsworth. As it flows through our communities, it winds past alpine forests, rocky canyons, residential neighborhoods, urban landscapes, and desert sage. Kayaking, rafting, floating, and fishing along the Truckee River Water Trail are among our favorite ways to spend a hot Northern Nevada (or California) afternoon.

In this NEW section of the OTR website, we share where and when to paddle, safety tips for paddlers and tubers, a mile-by-mile guide to the Truckee River’s rapids, highlights, and hazards – and more. Whether you’re planning an independent trip or looking to hire a local guide, we go over what you need to know to make the most of every moment of river time.

One Truckee River extends our warmest welcome to the newest members of our Partnership Council in 2023: Desert Research Institute, Nevada Department of Wildlife, Nevada Housing Coalition, Northern Nevada Hopes, Reno Housing Authority, and Reno Initiative for Shelter and Equality. Each of our new members brings their unique expertise to our coalition, ranging from housing and homelessness issues to wildlife conservation, health and wellness, and scientific research. We’re excited to count them as OTR Partnership Council Members!

The core foundation of One Truckee River is our Partnership Council, comprising 38 representatives from 33 local agencies and nonprofits sharing resources and expertise as we work together on our shared mission to have a healthy and thriving Truckee River connected to our community. We meet quarterly and coordinate throughout the year. By working together, we amplify all our efforts, limit duplication, and coordinate toward our shared goals.

One Truckee River, in partnership with the Carson River Watershed, has created a series of PSAs promoting actions we can all take to live river-friendly and maintain clean and inviting watersheds and parks.

Check out our first video, below!

Is your New Year’s Resolution all about getting more involved in your local community? These One Truckee River coalition partners invite you to join them in leading educational programs, collecting data, and cleaning up public spaces along the river.