This analysis report is intended to provide insights into the origins and causes of that January 1997 flood event and particularly attempts to explain why, given the amount of precipitation, which were admittedly very high, the event produced such extreme levels of runoff in the river systems of these western Nevada water basins. Flood of 1997 Contents Page. This was particularly relevant as this same storm system created new record river flows and extensive flooding along virtually all reaches of the Carson River East and West Forks and the West and East Walker Rivers. This section analyzes the protection provided by the upstream reservoirs on major tributaries of the Truckee River and develops hypothetical river flows which would have existed without upstream flood protection. This same degree of protection does not exist along the Carson or Walker River systems.
All data is provisional and subject to later revision.