Louie A. Gardella Papers

The bulk of this collection focuses on the acquisition and control of water in the Truckee Meadows area of Nevada from 1950-1976. From a reading of Mr. Gardella's oral history we learn that his knowledge of water issues came from two sources: his childhood experiences on the Gardella family ranch and his practical experience gained over thirty-three years in agriculture as a county extension agent for three counties. The papers in this collection demonstrate how Mr. Gardella used his knowledge for the benefit of the community.

The largest single series in the collection is Series 2, "Vista Water Users Cooperative Association." Series 2 and Series 3, "Vista Water Users Cooperative Association/North Truckee and People's Drain Ditch," are a substantive group of records documenting how a small group of land owners were able to work collectively to improve their water situations. Both series include minutes, correspondence, reports, and maps which document their respective activities. When Series 4, "Reno/Sparks Ditches," is also examined, it is possible to explore the extent to which water ditches meandered through the community and shaped or were shaped by urban development.

This collection also provides documentation on groups in the 1960s and 1970s who desired an active role in determining the future of the Truckee River. Several preservation groups are represented: the Carson-Truckee Water Conservancy District, the Truckee River Preservation Committee, and the Permanent Committee on Reef Removal and Truckee River Clearance Project. Series 7, "Water: Articles, etc" includes Gardella's testimony about Senator Pat McCarran's interest in the lower Truckee River and McCarran's efforts in the 1930s to finalize title to land and water rights for non-Indian occupants; water and lands which had formerly belonged to the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe. Gardella discusses how the disputed land and water were utilized during his parents' occupancy in the first three decades of the twentieth century.

The last series in this collection contains a small number of materials about the related topics of soil and air quality preservation. These predominately take the form of reports issued by several governmental agencies.