Ordinary High Water Mark Update

The pink border marks a rough picture of where the county placed their flags marking county land. Boulders and log fences will be removed in the near future. Construction on the new bridge starts next year with at least one stairway down to the river. The Sheriff asked to park without tires touching the road. Parking and access will be improved.

Our Mission is to advocate for safe public access to the Truckee River. The Truckee River is something that belongs to all of us. But in some places, we need to be careful not to walk beyond the natural river bed.

In the past 2 months, directors of Truckee River Public Waters have met with our County Supervisor, the District Attorney, and local law enforcement to try to get an answer for the public: How can we safely access the Truckee River adjacent to private property?

There is not a definitive answer at this time, but there is good news.

The good news is that the Truckee River is a navigable waterway and you can access the river up to the Ordinary High Water Mark. We have done our research and there is enough consensus about this, which we talk about at length on our website, Instagram, and Facebook (@truckeeriverpublicwaters both platforms.)

The mixed news is we do not know where the ordinary high water mark is, and this is not likely to be established by the state anytime soon. One county official said 6-8 feet from the water was safe, but the Sherriff who attended our community gathering on October 26th, 2024, said 3-4 feet. We conducted our own survey with an environmental firm that said OHWM was a good 25-30 feet from the current water edge in some places. The State Lands Commission will not invest the resources into this issue at this time, so we are going to have to navigate this respectfully as a community.

This isn’t good or bad news. It makes it ambiguous for the public to identify where the ordinary high water mark is - and it makes it ambiguous for landowners, county officials, and law enforcement. Until the state of California surveys the Truckee River to establish the OHWM, it will be a moving target, and arguably difficult to litigate or prosecute. Until that happens, individual discretion is going to play a part in mediating what has become a continuous issue for our community.

At the Hirschdale Bridge, you will see pink flags that delineate the county’s right of way. Within those flags is county land and you can access the river from either side of the bridge within those flags.

Truckee River Public Waters recommends remaining close to the river when accessing near private property. Use common sense, and get OnX or any app that will help you know when you are near private property.

If you are accessing the river adjacent to private property, you have the right to be there and free from harassment so long as you are close to the rivers edge and below High Water Mark. We recommend a spirit of respect towards the landowners by keeping within the High Water Mark. It is a spirit of being a good neighbor that might alleviate some of the hostility and negativity that has defined this issue recently.

With that said, get out there and enjoy yourselves. Its a beautiful time of the year on the river.

• Truckee River Public Waters