Nevada State Engineer: Las Vegas Can Pump More Rural Ground Water

I am beginning to think that I should have a separate category for Las Vegas.

Last week, Nevada State Engineer Tracy Taylor granted the Southern Nevada Water Authority the right to pump 6.1 billion gallons (18, 755 acre-feet) per year from Delamar, Cave and Dry Lake Valleys (see map from the Las Vegas Review-Journal, where you can read the entire story).That could supply as many as 64,000 homes (see graphic from the R-J article by Henry Brean).

There is a numerical boo-boo (conversion from acre-feet to gallons) in the story: 12,700 acre-feet equals about 4.1 billion gallons, not 41 billion gallons.The acre-feet figure is the correct one; Dry Lake Valley does not have a perennial yield of 127,000 acre-feet per year.

Here is the link to Taylor's ruling.

The story was also reported in Salt Lake Tribune by Patty Henetz. The SLT story is an interesting contrast to the R-J story. It mentioned the fact that the three valleys are part of a ground water basin that includes Snake Valley, which straddles the Utah-Nevada border. It also noted the following:

Taylor also declared that Salt Lake and Utah counties - which sought to be heard on the matter - won't be allowed special status during hearings on the Vegas pipeline proposal because the counties did not file official protests in 1989, when SNWA first unveiled its plan. 

The counties were concerned with increasing air pollution caused by dust. Some have forecast that the pumping will lead to "Owens Valley" conditions, where desiccation led to huge dust problems.

The graphic is from the SLT article and shows Snake Valley. That valley is the last piece of the puzzle for the SNWA.

A few days ago I posted another article on this issue. It dealt primarily with the SNWA's ground water modeling and some of the personalities involved. Here's an earlier post about the possible effects of pumping on regional biodiversity.

Check out Aquafornia for more info.

My take on all this: Las Vegas may not get all the water it wants, but it will get what it needs. Like it or not, Las Vegas is Nevada's economic engine. It's the gambling (ooops - gaming) revenues that allow Nevadans freedom from state income taxes. And having a powerful politician like Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV) does not hurt. But it will be interesting to see what happens if severe impacts do result from the pumping.  

In a related matter, I participated in a water summit held by Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) last week. I made the comment that if Las Vegas and the Southwest go dry, we'll feel it one way or another in the Pacific Northwest. You should have seen some of the looks I got.

"It's called Dry Lake Valley for a reason. There aren't any alfalfa circles out there." -- Farrel Lytle, Lincoln County rancher, quoted in the 10 July 2008 Las Vegas Review-Journal 

Comments

[Las Vegas Managing Editor]

Thanks for the interesting post. I was born and raised in Portland, Oregon but have lived most of my adult life (the past 16 years) here in Las Vegas, Nevada.

In an ideal situation, what I'd love to see is Southern Nevada growth come to a halt. Yes... California used up all the excess water that should still be sitting behind Lake Mead and Lake Powell. And... Nevada's Colorado River allotment is so small that it barely makes a dent in the water that Arizona and California need.

But honestly... Southern Nevada made a huge mistake when it tried to "diversify" and become a "major city" instead of what is was and should be: A crazy desert outpost built around resorts and gaming.

I feel for Utah because some of the water which will be pumped our way probably is theirs. California takes our water, so we take Utah's.

Best case in my situation? Growth in Southern Nevada grinds to a halt and Las Vegas goes back to being a tourist destination where tourism employs much of the population.

And... where we don't need more water.

Ted Newkirk
Managing Editor
http://www.accessvegas.com

[Michael]

Hi, Ted.

Thanks for commenting.

Nevada's paltry Colorado River annual allotment - 300,000 AF - exemplifies the folly of many compacts: no flexibility in the face of changing conditions that no one could foresee. I'm not talking so much about climate change, but population growth.

When the CRB states divided the Colorado River's water in the early 1920s, no one could imagine the Las Vegas of today. It was still barely a wide spot in the road and 25 years away from being discovered by Bugsy Siegel.

Even when I arrived in Nevada in 1976, the Las Vegas metro area was about 250,000, but I doubt if many imagined that in 30 years there would be almost 10 times that number.

There's a cautionary tale somewhere in all this.

[Ray Walker]

The numbers need some attention: For planning purposes the in-house domestic use in one single family dwelling is generally 350 gallons per day. After consumption and traveling through the septic system or central sewage facilities 10% is considered consumed primarily by evaporative processes.

Therefore, 18755 AF or 6,112,254,500 gallons provides enough water for 47,845 such dwellings, but only 10% is considered to be consumed. Therefore the number of dwellings served could be 478,450 !

In the article, the 64000 homes was arrived at with usage at 260 gallons/day/dwelling and no return flow credits.

Note: Some jurisdictions use a 5% consumptive use factor which would double the number of dwellings again to 956,900.

Using 260 gallons/day/dwelling and a 5% consumptive use factor would equate to 1,288,135 from the 18,755 AF awarded.

Any outside lawn irrigation, swimming pools or other water use changes these numbers significantly !

Ray Walker (Retired Water Rights Analyst) waterrdw@yahoo.com ... promotes the investigation of a truly new fresh water Source for the region that will yield a million acre feet a year without damage to the environment or the water rights of anyone.

[Michael]

Dear Ray,

Thanks for commenting.

So when are you going to reveal what the 'Source' is? You've been talking up a storm about it for quite some time. Is it 'produced' water?

When I was in New Mexico, the figure used for single-family household water use was somewhere around 0.33 - 0.5 acre-feet per year. That number puts the number of homes between 56,000 - 37,500.

The average Las Vegas residence uses more water than you've assumed: 17,000 gallons/month in the summer and 11,000 gallons/month in the winter. (see www.enn.com/top_stories/article/22117). That comes out to roughly 0.5 acre-feet per year.

I suspect SNWA/LVVWD have their numbers correct. Using your figures, their 300,000 acre-feet from the Colorado River would be plenty of water, even with industrial use added.

[Ray Walker]

Michael,

The 350 gallons/residence/day equates to 0.39 AF per year, but with a central sewer system, only 10% is considered consumed which equates to usage of 0.039 af/yr. This is what the SNWA mentions when they discuss the water rights they received PLUS the return flow credits. All water from the new wells that eventually finds its way to the CO River after going through their central sewer systems will be credited back to SNWA so that more can be pumped from the CO River....a simple trade/exchange. One acre foot of water therefore supplies enough water for...25 homes. I have had scores of water court applications approved by the Court using these conservative numbers. Keep in mind that this calculation is for IN-HOUSE USE ONLY ! Any outside use or swimming pool evaporation increases the consumptive use considerably. As you indirectly point out, it is interesting that the issue of speculation has not been raised with respect to the SNWA well applications in that the SNWA already receives 300,000 AF from the Colorado River.

Nice to see that someone is at least curious about the truly new fresh water Source that can yield a million acre feet a year for Nevada and/or the region without damage to the environment or the water rights of anyone.

I have revealed the new Source to several attorneys and Nevada's power company. The power company's attorney stated in writing that the Source was "definitely plausible" and it "felt obligated to encourage the SNWA to investigate" and did so in writing. I have offered to confidentially disclose the Source to the Bureau of Reclamtion and to each of the hundreds of water agencies in the region. They of course can't enter into confidentiality agreements, so I have offered to disclose to outside attorneys and engineers of their choice to report back as to whether the Source has merit and should be investigated. I have assured the SNWA that they could save hundreds of millions of dollars and the Source would not only provide the water claimed, but will not disturb any of their plans....and would save them untold millions in litigation and mitigation if their well pumping is found to be damaging.

Thanks for letting me comment. Best regards, Ray Walker (Retired Water Rights Analyst) waterrdw@yahoo.com

[rick a hyatt]

Weather/Food high-tech Weapons Happen. But there are consequences on the other exact side of the hemisphere. www.rickhyatt.freeservers.com