The aftermath Truckee Meadows woke to 29 years ago.Â
Yesterday marked a milestone tied to one of the most destructive moments in Reno’s history, but today is the part many still remember most clearly.
On January 2, Truckee Meadows woke up to the aftermath of massive flooding that had surged through the region overnight 29 years ago.
Water had already spilled out of the Truckee River, leaving behind damaged homes, closed streets, and a downtown changed by what would become known as the New Year’s Flood.
Archive video from that morning shows floodwaters surrounding familiar landmarks, including the Mapes building and the old marquee on the Riverside building. Cars sat stranded in waterlogged streets as people surveyed damage that stretched across Reno and Sparks.
 The flooding followed days of heavy rain combined with melting mountain snow, sending runoff into rivers that were already running high. By the time the water began to recede, the scale of the damage was becoming clear.
The flood caused an estimated $700,000,000 in damage across the Reno area, making it one of the most costly natural disasters the region has faced. Businesses along the river corridor were hit especially hard, and travel through the area was disrupted for days.
Earlier this year, the Truckee River Flood Management Authority revisited that history in a short documentary examining how flooding has shaped the Truckee River and the communities along it.
The 1997 flood remains a central chapter in that story, influencing how the region approaches river management and flood protection today.
Nearly three decades later, the images from that morning still resonate. For many in Truckee Meadows, January 2 is a reminder not of the rising water, but of what was left behind and how the region rebuilt in the days that followed.Â
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