Western Regional Water Commission Meeting – August 20, 2026

The Western Regional Water Commission (WRWC) met on August 20, 2026, at 8:30 AM in the Sparks Council Chambers. The meeting covered acceptance of the 2026-2046 consensus population forecast, approval of a study on Washoe Lake connectivity, selection of a financial auditor, and updates on regional water projects and the comprehensive water management plan. All votes were unanimous.

Consent Calendar

• Approval of Agenda: Motion by Member Taylor, second by Member Siebert, passed unanimously.
• Approval of Minutes (May 27, 2026): Motion by Member Garcia, second by Member Vanderwell, passed unanimously.

Public Comments & Testimony

• No public comments were offered in person or online.

Discussion Items

• Item 6 – Population Forecast & Water Resource Support: Director Jeremy Smith (Truckee Meadows Regional Planning Agency) presented the draft 2026-2046 consensus forecast, which projects 71,000 new residents over 20 years (reaching 595,292 by 2046) and 45,000 new jobs. Program Manager Kim Rigden then compared the forecast to the water resources in the 2021-2045 Comprehensive Regional Water Management Plan. The analysis showed that the projected water demand of 111,600 acre-feet annually can be met by the total sustainable water resources of 192,988 acre-feet (including importation projects) or by the existing resources of 143,800 acre-feet (without further importation). The surplus is 81,388 acre-feet under the total scenario and 30,000 acre-feet under the conservative scenario. Board members discussed factors such as water location, quality, effluent disposal, and the role of water recycling. Commissioner Taylor confirmed that the region has sufficient water for growth. The Commission unanimously voted to determine that the draft consensus forecast population can be supported by the sustainable water resources identified in the management plan.

• Item 7 – Little & Big Washoe Lake Connectivity Study: Birgit Woodgren (WRWC) and Jill Sutherland (Resource Concepts) presented a proposal to evaluate historic surface water connections between Little and Big Washoe Lake. The first phase (site conditions evaluation) costs $46,000 from the regional water management fund. The study will examine drainage structures, sediment accumulation, and flow paths to inform future phases on flooding, irrigation, and ecosystem management. Board members requested additional context on the dam, Steamboat Creek flows, wildlife dependencies, and jurisdictional considerations. The study timeline aims to take advantage of low water levels in fall 2026. The motion by Member Garcia, second by Member Vanderwell, passed unanimously.

• Item 8 – Financial Auditor Selection: Staff recommended reappointing Shetler and Macy as the WRWC’s financial auditor for FY2027 over a competing firm. Shetler and Macy proposed $11,000 (with 4% annual escalation) compared to Bernard Vogler’s $27,000 (5% escalation). Both firms are qualified, but the incumbent offers significant cost savings. The Commission unanimously approved the selection and authorized the program manager to execute the agreement.

• Item 9 – FY2026 Project Updates: Kim Rigden provided a summary of accomplishments, including digitization of nearly 400 historical water documents into an online library (with some behind a firewall), updates to the regional water management plan webpage, launch of the Truckee Meadows Tomorrow Dashboard, progress on the wastewater regionalization feasibility study (Phase 1A complete, Phases 1B/1C underway), TMWA’s water usage review program (3,000 residential audits), and Sierra Nevada Journeys’ expansion of family STEM nights from 13 to 38 events reaching 3,500 people. Commissioner Garcia requested that future outreach track discrete participants. The report was informational; no action taken.

• Item 10 – Regional Water Management Plan Update: Staff reported that the plan is approximately one month behind schedule due to data delays from partner agencies. The revised timeline calls for chapters to be submitted to the Northern Nevada Water Planning Commission in September and October 2026, public review through March 17, 2027, and adoption by the WRWC in March 2027. The plan will be available on the website with a comment submission feature. No action required.

• Item 11 – Future Agenda Items & Meeting Dates: The next regular meeting is scheduled for September 16, 2026, but may be cancelled. The next joint meeting with the Northern Nevada Water Planning Commission will be held on October 22, 2026, at TMWA, where the annual priority setting and a wastewater regionalization update will be presented. No action taken.

Key Outcomes

• Determination of Population Forecast Support: Unanimously approved that the draft 2026-2046 consensus forecast can be supported by the sustainable water resources in the regional water management plan.
• Approval of Washoe Lake Connectivity Study: Authorized up to $46,000 from the regional water management fund for Phase 1 evaluation of site conditions.
• Selection of Financial Auditor: Reappointed Shetler and Macy for FY2027 at $11,000 with 4% annual escalation, and authorized the program manager to finalize the agreement.
• Direction for Future Meetings: Next meeting likely October 22, 2026, joint with the Water Planning Commission; September 16 meeting may be cancelled.