Vol. 4, No. 8          February 15, 2007

Nevada's Online State News Journal

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Water Rights In Utah Are

Basis Of Bi-State Talks

SNWA Continues To Extend

Borders, Desires, Needs

by Johnny Gunn

It's a federal law sponsored by Nevada Senator Harry Reid (D) that might slow the expansion of the Southern Nevada Water Authority's (SNWA) plans to pipe water from an aquifer that straddles the borders of Nevada and Utah.  Utah Senator Bob Bennett (R) added language to Reid's bill that forces the two states to negotiate and reach agreement when water sources shared by the states are to be used by one state or the other.  Water from the Snake Valley that is shared by Nevada and Utah is in the pipeline plans of SNWA.

It is known that Snake Valley's aquifer is shared by the two states, but another part of SNWA's plans includes water from Spring Valley.  Spring Valley is entirely in Nevada but the aquifer may extend into Utah, and there may be Utah water users with water rights.  SNWA is looking to extract a total of 200,000-acre feet of White Pine County water each year to feed the uncontrolled growth in Las Vegas.  In the allocation are 50,000-acre feet from Snake Valley and 91,000 acre feet from Spring Valley.

There are geologists and water experts that believe the two aquifers are connected.  According to Utah officials, a study is currently underway to determine the extent of the aquifer(s) in question.  A study by the Desert Research Institute at the University of Nevada, the Utah Division of Water Rights, and the U.S. Geological Survey could determine if the aquifers are connected and what their rates of recharge are.  It is the recharge of an aquifer that determines how much water can be drawn from the system.  At this time those questions have not been answered.

Along with that study, it will be necessary to have an environmental impact statement developed in both Utah and Nevada.  More information on ground water studies and impacts is available at http://www.nvgroundwaterproject.com.  If completed, the SNWA project is expected to cost in excess of $2 billion. 

Work is continuing on new rules and impacts regarding the Colorado River, Lake Mead and SNWA.  There are seven states in the Colorado River Commission, and according to the most recent reports, the seven seem to have reached tentative agreement on some items of benefit to Las Vegas and SNWA.  If the multi-basin pipeline from White Pine County to the Las Vegas Valley is completed, it will add about 200,000-acre feet of water per year to the southern Nevada system.  In turn, SNWA says about that much will be returned as treated wastewater to Lake Mead and therefore, SNWA should have a larger amount of water available to them from Lake Mead.  This seems to have been accepted by the other six states, California, Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, Colorado, and Wyoming.

Nevada water authorities have not ruled yet on the pipeline proposals following several weeks of testimony late last year.  Water rights in White Pine County are now selling or available at a premium according to some.  The pipeline is almost 300 miles in length, will travel through several independent water districts, and as planned is expected to draw water from several aquifers in Nevada and Utah.

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