Community News · Nevada County
The Nevada Irrigation District Board of Directors approved its 2027 budget with an outflow of approximately $143.7 million and received the seventh five-year Yuba/Bear River Watershed Sanitary Survey Update from consultant Bonny Starr. The survey, prepared jointly with Placer County Water Agency to meet California Surface Water Treatment Rule requirements, found E. coli concerns in the lower watershed but noted improvements at Lake of the Pines and Smartsville following goose deterrence and canal encasement projects. Nevada City recorded 59 violations during the study period, and a Nevada County Sanitation collection system failure sent 15,000 gallons of untreated wastewater into Squirrel Creek above Smartsville. Starr confirmed NID's golden mussel prevention program is effective and urged residents to drink tap water, while noting Sierra Pacific Industries' extensive timber harvest plans in the watershed remain a concern.
Local Politics · Nevada County
Nevada County Elections reviewed a list of 10 individuals flagged by the U.S. Department of Justice as likely non-citizens and found no evidence of non-citizen voting in the November 3, 2026 General Election. Of the 10, one had no registration record in Nevada County, seven had canceled or inactive registrations before the DOJ demand letter arrived Oct. 23, and two remain registered with citizenship attestations on file. Registrar of Voters Armando Salud-Ambriz said the public can have confidence in election integrity. Voting is underway, and residents may observe ballot processing at the Ballot Processing Center, 12740 Loma Rica Drive, Grass Valley.
Transportation · Nevada City, CA
The City of Nevada City is gathering community input for its new Active Transportation and Trails Plan, which will guide future improvements to sidewalks, bikeways, trails, streets, and crossings. An online survey is open through November 24 at www.nevadacityca.gov/activetransportation, and a community workshop is set for Thursday, November 12, from 4:30 to 6:15 p.m. at the Miners Foundry Cultural Center. Funded by Caltrans' Sustainable Transportation Planning Grant through SB1, the city is working with Alta Planning + Design to develop the plan. Feedback will help identify gaps in existing transportation and trail networks and create a prioritized list of projects and funding opportunities.
Community brief · Nevada City, CA
Coffee Talk will host Jennifer Hanson, General Manager of the Nevada Irrigation District (NID), on Wednesday, November 4, from 9 to 11 a.m., at the Community Church of Nevada City, 300 Main Street. Hanson will discuss "All Things Water," providing updates on future NID plans following a prior talk by attorney Frank Pray on the district's fiscal and infrastructure issues. The event is organized as an informal community gathering with no…
