Drought in the West A Photographic Essay     
Reno/Truckee Meadows
Interactive Cartograph: Clickable place names, horizontally scrollable.
Bucks Lake Whites, Thomas Creeks & Alexander Lake
Webber Lake Cold Stream/Sierraville CreekSierra Valley (Alfalfa) → Feather River (North Fork)Lake Oroville Brown, Davis & Franktown Creeks
Little Truckee River
Little Truckee River
Steamboat CreekWashoe LakeOphir Creek Tahoe Meadows
Independence LakeIndependence Creek
Davis/Davies & Merrill Creeks Lake Tahoe
Rock Lake(Upper) Price Lake
Stampede ReservoirLittle Truckee River 3Boca ReservoirLittle Truckee River 4Truckee River Donner CreekDonner Lake
Prosser CreekProsser Dam
Steamboat Creek: 3.2015

Steamboat Creek is the only major tributary to the Truckee River in the lower watershed (from the California/Nevada border). Steamboat Creek drains Washoe and Little Washoe Lake as it meanders through Pleasant Valley, Steamboat Hot Springs and the Truckee Meadows' South Meadows including the ranches Curti, Damonte, Double Diamond, Butler (where it flows through a natural narrows between the Virginia Mountains and the Huffaker Hills confluding with the Alexander Lake drainage of Whites and Thomas creeks and Damonte and Huffaker Springs) and Bella Vista.

The creek finally flows through Rosewood Lakes Golf Course and near UNR Farms before confluding with the Truckee River near the Vista Gates in Sparks at the third water treatment plant on the river.
All content, including images © Billy Howard, 2015. —All Rights Reserved— High resolution versions available upon request to witness@diresituation.photos. Larger.
Beaver dams abound on the leg of the river as it passes from northwest Pleasant Valley, passing under old 395/Virginia Street into the western side of Pleasant Valley where it hugs the foot of the Virginia Range.
All content, including images © Billy Howard, 2015. —All Rights Reserved— High resolution versions available upon request to witness@diresituation.photos. Larger.
Beaver Dams abound near Browns Pond on Steamboat Creek not long after leaving its source, Little Washoe Lake. The Creek holds fast to the base of the Virginia Range through Pleasant Valley while being joined by Browns, Jones and Galena Creeks before spreading into various open channels and ditches on the north side of Geiger Grade.

More tributaries contribute to Steamboat Creek before it confludes with the Truckee River as the only significant tributary in the lower Truckee watershed (from the NV border east to the Derby Dam diversion and Pyramid Lake).

All content, including images © Billy Howard, 2015. —All Rights Reserved— High resolution versions available upon request to witness@diresituation.photos. Larger.