Carson City Information

The land begins to heal. New growth fourteen days after the fire.

Moving quickly, but with planned, methodical and consistent rehabilitation efforts, reclaiming the land ravaged by the Waterfall Fire is the number one priority of all government agencies and private homeowners. Our focus is to immediately ensure the safety of residents and set the stage for quality rehabilitation.

With careful planning and dedication the land can be rehabilitated and even serve the community better, as we will concentrate on building in defensible space and enhance the watershed. Read below to learn more about our efforts and what is available to landowners and Carson City citizens.

3/2/05

UPDATE ON SEEDING AND SALVAGE LOGGING

The NV Division of Forestry in cooperation with Carson City seeded about 700 acres with sagebrush and forage kochia. The project is intended to provide a greenstrip at the foot of the mountains and food for wildlife. Participating land owners were Carson City, US Forest Service (sage only), State of Nevada, and private. UNCE volunteers assisted the project, thank you!

The Carson City Board of Supervisors approved the contract for Fire Salvage Logging. Superior Helicopters will soon begin the salvage operation which will last into part of April.

10/28/04

Update from Cooperative Extension

University of Nevada Cooperative Extension has a number of activities going on to assist private property owners with revegetating burned property. The primary activity involves site visits by resource professionals to assess damaged acreage and situational needs. We are distributing a grass/flower seed mix where appropriate. At site visits we assess the damage; make rehab recommendations; and discuss defensible space, firescaping, and weed control. If you have not previously scheduled a site assessment, please call Meri McEneny at 887-2252 or email at waterfallfire@unce.unr.edu.

We are supplying homeowners with fact sheets ranging from how to work with seeding for best success to management options for Russian knapweed and other noxious weeds. Feel free to call Cooperative Extension for help at 887-2252.

We recently sent out the National Flood Insurance program (NFIP) information via email and phone. The number for NFIP flood insurance information is 888-379-9531 or visit the website www.floodsmart.gov. The Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) report identified at-risk neighborhoods for flooding and debris flow due to the fire. If you are concerned about your risk, call Meri.

Living with Fire, A Guide for the Homeowner, produced by Cooperative Extension, is now available at Blockbuster Video, Carson City Library, and at the Cooperative Extension office, 2621 Northgate, Suite 15. This 35 minute program in DVD or VHS format shows a homeowner what to do to live more safely in a wildfire environment. There is no cost to borrow Living with Fire.

Drill Seeding of Lower Elevation Areas on the Waterfall Fire

Carson City, private landowners and the Nevada Division of Forestry are partnering in the “drilling” of seed and mulch on the Waterfall fire this fall. Seedling establishment is the most critical phase of revegetation. Drilling of the seed allows us to achieve the

best results.

A seed drill saves seed by ensuring good seed-to-soil contact which promotes rapid germination and results in more uniform and optimum stands, reduces winter injury, and improves seeding establishment over broadcast seeding and aerial seeding. The areas that were too steep to drill were aerial seeded in September.

Drill seeding is limited to slopes of 3:1 or flatter and areas that are not extremely rocky. The "rangeland drill" is often the most effective machine for reclamation drill seeding if the soil is rocky or contains other large debris. The furrows are covered with drag chains or pipe drags. The disks can be equipped with different-size depth bands to control furrow depth. Multiple seed boxes can be used for metering different-size seeds, planting at differing depths. There will also be rice straw mulch crimped into the soil over the seed. Mulching of the soil surface protects the soil from erosion until the plants become established.

More Info . . .

Waterfall Fire Seeding and Mulching Operations

Helicopter seeding and straw mulching will occur on over 4,000 acres of the recent Waterfall Fire for approximately 30 days.

Pacific Erosion Group, LLC who was awarded the contract will spread a grass seed mix and large bales of rice straw mulch to the severely burned areas within the fire’s perimeter. Mulch will be spread over the seed mix on steep and unstable slopes, estimated to be 50 percent of the total seeded acres.

Heavy lift helicopters will spread approximately 30 pounds of seed and 3,000 pounds of straw per acre on a seven day a week schedule. The straw application rates are about a third higher than standard to mitigate potential wind movement of the mulch.

The grass seed mix, which is customized to maximize germination success at different elevations, will be applied first using a large bucket and dispenser. The mulch will be deposited by dropping 600 pound straw bales which when released begin to break apart and spread across the soil and grass seed. Mulching will begin at the top of the fire first. This is the most effective technique to minimize erosion.

“On these seeded and mulched acres we are targeting a minimum 75 percent coverage of the soil with the mulch,” said Leonard Roeber, the Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) implementation coordinator.

Certified weed free rice straw mulch is not the typical straw used on most fires. It is being applied due to its stronger ability to bind together, a critical need in this wind swept area.

An estimated 6.4 million pounds of rice straw and 96,000 pounds of grass seed will be placed within the burn. The mulch will stay in place for a one-to-two year period to slow heavy rainfall, or a rain on snow event, which helps minimize erosion of the bare slopes.

“While we don’t expect the seed to sprout until next spring, it is critical to have the mulch in place as quickly as possible,” said Gary Schiff, Carson City District Ranger. “The mulch is the real key to holding soil in place in the event of a large storm.”

Schiff added the Burned Area Emergency Response has been an excellent coordination effort with the USDA Forest Service, Nevada Division of Forestry, Carson City and the Washoe Tribe.

Juan Guzman, Carson City Open Space Manager said this activity is one of the multiple long term steps that will be needed to protect the watershed, reduce flooding potential and return the scenic view shed to its natural beauty.

Click here to view Contract Fact Sheet

City approves grant award to the University of Nevada Cooperative Extension

Many private property owners were affected by the Waterfall Fire. This grant to Cooperative Extension will give them the resources needed to coordinate rehabilitation efforts of private property owners and provide important educational information related to rehabilitation and future opportunities for creating defensible space. The Grant Proposal includes short-term, mid-term and long range impacts that can be expected as a result of the program. All of these can provide tremendous benefits to Carson City and its residents.

Click here to view Notice of Grant Award

As part of the grant award, Cooperative Extension will submit a monthly report of program activities and accomplishments.