There were speeches beneath the big cottonwoods just east of the Tracy Power Station Thursday morning and shiny shovels stood ready for ceremonial groundbreaking. In fact, ground was broken at what was once the 102 Ranch a month ago. A brand new meander has been carved for the river. n\Nearby big earth movers are beginning to create what will be new wetlands.

By late fall, this stretch of the Truckee River will start to resemble the healthy habitat nature intended, like another spot a few miles upstream. There what was once McCarran ranch was bought by the Nature Conservancy and the river and the land was restored to something resembling what it was before the ranch was built in the 1880's. In fact, the meander there was built, rock riffles added to the stream bed, native vegetation restored. Nearby new wetlands are already well established. A few years after it was built, it's just about ready for public access and recreation. More than that it's also ready for the next flood.

"It slows the water and when it floods it just spreads out over the flood plain and holds it, creating storage and keeping it from rushing downstream where it could cause damage, says Danielle Henderson, the Natural Resource Manager for the Truckee River Flood Project.”It's like a big sponge."

The Truckee River Flood Project was launched following the big New Year's Flood of 97. That 117 year flood left the area with more than $700 million dollars in damages. In the aftermath the approach chosen was to turn the clock back as much as possible to a river capable of handling floods.

In the Truckee Meadows it meant restoring the flood plain along the river near the University farms. Downstream it will mean a series of projects like this. In both cases leaving much of the job of flood control to the river itself.

Another side benefit, a lot of new park and recreational area and wildlife habitat. The Nature Conservancy and the Flood Project dovetail rather nicely and that makes these projects more easily fundable.