ORR DITCH DECREE (NEVADA AND CALIFORNIA)

A tabulation or adjudication of Nevada (only) water rights for the Truckee River and its tributaries regulated through a series of reservoirs and irrigation canals, administered by the U.S. District Court Federal Water Master in Reno, Nevada. In combination with the Truckee River Agreement (Nevada and California) and the Floriston Rates (California and Nevada), the Orr Ditch Decree currently represents the basis for operation of the Truckee River between its source (Lake Tahoe) and its terminus (Pyramid Lake). The Orr Ditch Decree (1944) incorporates the provisions of the Truckee River Agreement (1935), which provides for operation of storage facilities, especially Lake Tahoe, to satisfy Truckee River water rights. The Floriston rates constitute the chief operation objective on the Truckee River today and originated as a turn-of-the-century flow requirement for run-of-the-river users: hydropower and a pulp and paper mill. While the Orr Ditch Decree establishes water rights for entities within Nevada using the Truckee River's waters, the Truckee River Agreement, as part of that Decree, determines the operational mechanisms to satisfy those rights. Also see Truckee River General Electric Decree (California).