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| Sgt. 1st Class Justin Juliot, center, of the Nevada National Guard's 422nd Expeditionary Support Battalion, unhitches a 400-gallon water tank, commonly refereed to as a "water buffalo," to provide water for the town of Sutcliffe on Pyramid Lake Tribal land about 40 miles north of Reno, Jan. 12, 2017. The town of Sutcliffe has been without basic water services since water rushed down the western and eastern slopes of the Sierra Nevada mountain range Sunday, causing floods around the region and damaging fresh water pipeline to Sutcliffe. |
01.13.2017
Story by Tech. Sgt. Emerson Marcus
Nevada Joint Force Headquarters Public Affairs
An atmospheric river that blasted the Sierra Nevada mountain range this week flooded much of western Nevada and resulted in the activation of dozens of Nevada National Guard Soldiers.
Nevada Guardsmen transported potable water, prepared evacuations and even helped with snow removal, for much of the state’s most vulnerable citizens living in rural parts of the flood zone.
“The community is extremely supportive,” said Sgt. Nathan Spicer, 609th Engineer Company. “We got a lot of thumbs up, waves and many thank you’s in passing.”
In the early morning hours Monday, as the Truckee River crested through the Nevada cities of Reno and Sparks, 609th Soldiers reported to Lockwood, Nev., where flooding affected the town’s water system. Soldiers originally activated to aid evacuation. However, a nearby Walmart distribution center donated pallets of water for the community and Nevada Guardsmen helped with its transportation and distribution. No citizens were evacuated as portions of the Truckee River in Lockwood crested at its banks.
Additionally, Nevada Guardsmen transported a water tank, commonly referred to as a “water buffalo,” with 400 gallons for citizens of Sutcliffe, Nev., a town on Pyramid Lake tribal land about 40 miles north of Reno.
“The entire town was without water and the weather isn’t making it any easier for them,” Sgt. 1st Class Justin Juliot, 991st Multi-Functional Brigade, said Thursday. “They were really thankful to get the water.”
The flood closed roads and damaged pipelines connecting the town of about 600 people to a nearby water tank. Sutcliffe has been without basic water services since the flood on Sunday and hopes to have the system restored early next week, tribal officials said.
In the rural, mountain town of Virginia City — a national historic monument — Guardsmen aided citizens stuck in snow Friday, loading military dump trucks and moving snow to the outskirts of town.
Rain totals in the first two weeks of the year in the region equaled about 50 percent of total average expected annual rainfall, not including the more than 5 additional inches of snow measured in Reno — with much more in higher elevations — according to data gathered from the National Weather Service. After the deluge, precipitation continued as snow, dropping several feet in the mountains, enough to close at least one ski resort.
Accessed damage totals were still being tabulated Friday, but the Nevada Department of Emergency Management said it would easily exceed several millions of dollars.
Weather reports forecast mostly sunny skies and no precipitation this weekend — a much needed respite after a record start to the year.
