The Truckee River at Reno, Nevada
The Truckee River at Reno, Nevada, 2022 — Ink, watercolor, algae pigment, and forest fire charcoal on paper
The Truckee River flows 121 miles from Lake Tahoe, emptying into Pyramid Lake in the modern states of Nevada and California. A critical water source for the modern city of Reno and the surrounding areas, the Truckee Meadows has been home to the Washoe, Maidu, and Paiute tribes for thousands of years and was a colonial settlement site since the 1850’s.
Details about this particular location are few, but are listed as both ‘hydro’ and ‘biolithe’ samples, indicating Dr. Ehrenberg received both soil and water samples from the Truckee River.
Truckee River Nevada. 1712 Abh. d. Akad. 1870 p.19. Notiz: Infusorial Earth from Truckee River, Nevada Territory, United States of North America
Dates for this sample are listed as both 1870 and 1872 which may indicate collection and the dates the samples were received. Due to the dates and locations of these samples, including another sample taking from the “Humboldt Valley,” I believe this sample was taken by the Geological Exploration of the 40th Parallel (Fortieth Parallel Survey) some time between 1867-1872.
Report of the Exploration of the Fortieth Parallel Map, with the route from the Great Salt Lake to the Carson City-Reno area mapped.
Although the Truckee River is only 121 miles long, it flows through vast desert regions, bringing critical water resources to the surrounding areas. The river first appears on Frémont expedition maps at the Salmon Trout River, later re-named after a first nations guide that assisted the expedition through what is now Donner Pass.
This sample does not specify where on the Truckee River the original sample was collected, so the location I chose was at my best guess. Carson City, the Nevada state capitol, would have been the most populous settlement in the state at the time, but Reno would have also had a significant number of people. I chose Reno as my location but plan to collect more along the Truckee River to observe how the microbiome may differ.
I collected during the 2021 Lake Tahoe, Dixie, and Tamarack fires, during one of the worst fire seasons in history.
Sample of the Truckee River from metro Reno, Nevada
Dr. Ehrenberg’s observations
Truckee River organisms observed by Dr. Ehrenberg. Image used with permission from the Natural History Museum of Berlin.
The Truckee River is listed as having Fragilaria, Pinnularia, Navicula, sponge spicules and some other organisms that seem to refer to historical or now reclassified names:
Gall. sculpta, ; Gall. granulata, ; Gall. undulata, ; Pinn. mesogongyla, ; Pinn. megaloptera, ; Coccon. Lunula, ; Frag. rhabdosoma, ; Frag. pectinalis, ; Frag. Henri, ; Gallion.?, ; Gallion., ; Kugel Lithosphaera, ; Himantid. Triodon, ; Surirella?, ; Coscinod., ; Pinn. Gastrum, ; Navic. amphisb., ; Stauron. Phoenicent., ; Bibl. strumosum, ; Biblar. Stella, ; Bibl. Glans, ; Stylobiblium, ; Clypeus?, ; Amphidisc., ; Lith. sinuosum, ; Lithostyl. Serra, ; Lith. unid., ; Lithosty?, ; Lithostyl. denticul., ; Lithostyl. lobatum, ; Lithostyl. rude, ; Spong., ; Spong amphioxys, ; Lithod. furcatum, ; Spong. canaliculatis
This composition is stark but still very beautiful.
My observations
My observations overlap a little with the sample and illustration Dr. Ehrenberg presented. I found a wonderful array of microorganisms like Ulnaria, Surirella librile, and Didymosphenia. I did not find the sponge spicules and specific Pinnularia depicted in the original illustrations, but the sample itself is consistent with other samples I have taken from the Great Basin range.
Donner Lake, a stop along the expedition trail, made famous by the ill-fated Donner Party.
