Douglas County, together with The Nature Conservancy and the Army Corps of Engineers, organized an event Wednesday to mark Flood Awareness Week by unveiling a new high watermark sign.

The River Fork Ranch Preserve, spanning across 800 acres, is situated at the confluence of the east and west forks of the Carson River. During heavy snowfall mixed with intense rain, the preserve takes on significant amounts of river overflow.

"We had a lot of snowpack, low elevation snowpack last year, and then come March, we got those warm spring rains," said Douglas County Storm Water Program Manager Courtney Walker.

"These high water markers are helpful to show pictures of an area like this while there is a flood event just to let people know there is that potential," Nature Conservancy River Fork Ranch Preserve Manager.

If the flood plain were to be compromised, the likelihood of damage to structures and roads would increase significantly.

"It's (the sign has) actually got a picture from this last spring showing the inundation of the water. It's a little less impressive with the depth of the water; it's more how the water spreads out in this particular area," said Walker

Fortunately, River Fork Ranch Preserve is protected through a land conservation easement.

"This year much of this area was underwater, and it doesn't seem like a spot that any one would try to build in, and that kind of thing happens all the time. So the legal protections say through conservation easements is really important to just ensure that these areas are protected for the whole community," said Leonard.

The water overflow from the preserve helps to recharge the groundwater aquifers, and the natural filtration process in the soil further purifies the water. Apart from cattle ranching and recreation, the preserve also provides an ideal habitat for various species of wildlife and facilitates bird migration.

"They really are beautiful too, you have that recreation option as well as the economic benefit," explained Leonard. 

Have you checked out nevadafloods.org yet? It's a great resource to check if your home is on a flood plain, and also provides valuable information to help you prepare for flooding. Plus, you can find sandbag locations near you on the website.