WRWC hears update on source-water protection tools, online map viewer

The Western Regional Water Commission heard a presentation Wednesday on regional source-water protection planning, new online mapping tools and how jurisdictions and businesses can use the tools to identify potential impacts to drinking-water sources.

Kim Rigdon, WRWC program staff, told commissioners the regional water management plan and the WRWC Act require a water-quality element and that the Washoe County Clean Water Program is being used as the regional source-water protection and nonpoint-source management plan. "Source water protection ... is really looking at all the source water out there that we use for potable drinking water that hasn't reached the pipe yet," Rigdon said. She noted most contributing lands are not owned by water agencies, so the program emphasizes working with the community to reduce human-caused pollution.

Jeremy Smith of the Truckee Meadows Regional Planning Agency described technical tools the agency developed to support implementation. The online map viewer maintained at the Washoe County Clean Water site displays hydro basins, source protection areas and "critical" source protection areas and allows users to click layers for watershed reports and other resources. "You can get an understanding of the interactions," Smith said, explaining a future capability that will let users draw a polygon for a proposed development and receive an immediate readout of relevant natural-resource layers.

Commissioners and staff described how the tool is being used to flag developments early in the permitting process. Rigdon said Truckee Meadows Water Authority (TMWA) has a notification process so cities can tell an applicant whether a proposed business or development sits inside a protection area; applicants inside those areas are asked to register at TMWA's web portal and follow a checklist of potential contributing activities that may require follow up. Rigdon said the tool generated 142 submittals in 2024, with TMWA following up with 32 projects.

Speakers also described how the approved source-water plan expedited the Gold Ranch Fire restoration work by allowing state technical assistance and 319 grant funding to be leveraged rapidly. Rigdon credited multiple partners, including Nevada Division of Forestry, Nevada Department of Wildlife, Nevada Division of Environmental Protection (NDEP) and TMWA, for coordinating erosion control, tree removal and seeding after the fire.

Commissioners asked how "critical" areas are delineated; a water expert explained the distinction is time-of-travel based — areas closer to a wellhead or intake that would allow less time to respond to contamination are designated critical. Staff said the program quantifies activity by counting submittals and follow-ups and is working to publish updates and activity logs on the website.

The presentation emphasized coordination among plans: the Truckee Meadows Water Authority Water Resources Plan, the Truckee Meadows Regional Plan (Natural Resources Plan), and the Washoe County Clean Water Program are being aligned so local master plans and affected-entity facility plans acknowledge the source-water resources and related policies early in land-use review.

The commission did not take formal action on this item; presenters closed the item after questions and discussion.