(Dec. 11, 2023) Work is ongoing to remove hazard trees along the D-S Canal above the Wolf Creek spill in the Brunswick Basin, Grass Valley.

This section of canal is critical for NID’s water supply to support both raw and treated water customers. The area is surrounded by large trees that make normal operations and emergency maintenance and repairs increasingly difficult.

Last winter’s significant snowfall caused many mature pine trees and black oak trees that grow around Grass Valley and Nevada City to break or collapse under the weight. As a result, NID canals were damaged and clogged by the woody debris.

The District has prioritized this section of the D-S Canal and will complete about 2,000 feet of hazard tree removal. Approximately 40 trees have been removed using a combination of climbers, a bucket truck, excavators and tree falling.

This work is scheduled to be completed before the end of the year. Additional sections are planned for hazard tree removal in the future.

NID will continue to address hazardous trees that pose a threat to critical water system infrastructure, or a risk to District staff and the public, as well as monitor the water system that winds through the mountains from the headwaters of the Middle Yuba River to the communities and customers it serves in the foothills.

Hazard tree removal and fire fuels reduction is a priority as NID works to ensure the long-term protection and delivery of water.