Walker River Draft Environmental Impact Statement – The Advantages Of Leasing Option (Post 5)
By: Doug Busselman, Executive Vice President
One of the options (Alternative 2) considered in the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the Acquisition of water for Walker Lake involves Leasing water from willing volunteers who would be paid for their participation in the program.
Water right ownership would be retained by the current owners, but designated amounts of water, associated with the water rights, would be committed for the lease period to be used for Walker Lake.
Based on the rough outline of the leasing program offered in the DEIS, the anticipated amounts of water that could be acquired with the available $56 million funding would result in achieving the desired objective of putting 50,000 acre feet of water into Walker Lake. Depending on the details of agreed on dollar amounts for the leased water, the analysis suggest that it would not be unreasonable to accomplish the 50,000 acre feet of water, per year, inflow for a three-year period. This calculation uses $200 for a lease price, per acre foot, per year.
Using the DEIS’s explanation of how the program could work, the amount for the lease would determine how long the money would last and how much water could be sent to the lake. A higher lease price and the number of years of putting 50,000 acre feet of water into the lake goes down – a smaller lease amount and the number of years and annual 50,000 acre feet amounts goes up.
Looking at Chapter 11 (Recreation) as we did with the evaluation comments for outright purchase – see Post 4 – we note that the impacts written about for Leasing are actually more positive than those relating to purchasing water with the $56 million that the University has available.
The DEIS states – “Increased Walker Lake inflows of an average of 50,000 af/yr for 3 years would result in a slight improvement in conditions at the lake compared to current conditions.”
Further – “Under Alternative 2, increased flow to Walker Lake is expected to decrease Total Dissolved Solid (TDS) concentration and increase survival rate of LCT (Lahontan Cut-Throat Trout), thus improving sport fishing opportunities.”
More still – “Under Alternative 2, increased flow to Walker Lake is expected to cause lake elevation to rise 10 to 13 feet.”
In this same area, the DEIS compares the acquisition of water approach stating, “With acquisitions from existing funding only, lake elevation is expected to rise 1 to 2 feet.”
While those involved in drafting the DEIS commiserate over the limited time that leasing would provide for – using the “ownership is for forever” mentality – it’s very clear that using the money that they have available, the University of Nevada System would accomplish far more by spending their money for leasing than purchases.
Also something that should be factored into this train of thought is the leasing programs that are proposed for funding in the Energy & Water Development & Related Agencies Appropriations Act of 2010, passed by the U.S. Senate on July 29, 2009. Senator Reid’s amendment to this money bill makes a $67.2 million allocation for work in the Walker River Basin.
Based on Senator Reid’s floor statement, he indicates that the Walker River Irrigation District has accepted a leadership role in finding a cost-effective way to increase in-stream flows for Walker River while not destroying irrigated agriculture. The district is given credit for agreeing to administer and manage a $25 million, 3-year demonstration leasing program.
When you combine the leasing program that the Walker River Irrigation District is committing to and the University determining that leasing would be a better use of their funds than purchase – you start seeing the possibility that a solution for Walker Lake doesn’t have to come through the destruction of the agricultural communities upstream.
We’ve never made any secret of our interest and support for a leasing program. It now comes down to convincing the University that this would be the best way to go forward.
For other post on comments prepared for the DEIS, please use this link to reach the category grouping for our evaluation of the Walker River Acquisition Program.
We also hope that you will plan on attending the various local public meetings that have been scheduled:
One of the options (Alternative 2) considered in the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the Acquisition of water for Walker Lake involves Leasing water from willing volunteers who would be paid for their participation in the program.
Water right ownership would be retained by the current owners, but designated amounts of water, associated with the water rights, would be committed for the lease period to be used for Walker Lake.
Based on the rough outline of the leasing program offered in the DEIS, the anticipated amounts of water that could be acquired with the available $56 million funding would result in achieving the desired objective of putting 50,000 acre feet of water into Walker Lake. Depending on the details of agreed on dollar amounts for the leased water, the analysis suggest that it would not be unreasonable to accomplish the 50,000 acre feet of water, per year, inflow for a three-year period. This calculation uses $200 for a lease price, per acre foot, per year.
Using the DEIS’s explanation of how the program could work, the amount for the lease would determine how long the money would last and how much water could be sent to the lake. A higher lease price and the number of years of putting 50,000 acre feet of water into the lake goes down – a smaller lease amount and the number of years and annual 50,000 acre feet amounts goes up.
Looking at Chapter 11 (Recreation) as we did with the evaluation comments for outright purchase – see Post 4 – we note that the impacts written about for Leasing are actually more positive than those relating to purchasing water with the $56 million that the University has available.
The DEIS states – “Increased Walker Lake inflows of an average of 50,000 af/yr for 3 years would result in a slight improvement in conditions at the lake compared to current conditions.”
Further – “Under Alternative 2, increased flow to Walker Lake is expected to decrease Total Dissolved Solid (TDS) concentration and increase survival rate of LCT (Lahontan Cut-Throat Trout), thus improving sport fishing opportunities.”
More still – “Under Alternative 2, increased flow to Walker Lake is expected to cause lake elevation to rise 10 to 13 feet.”
In this same area, the DEIS compares the acquisition of water approach stating, “With acquisitions from existing funding only, lake elevation is expected to rise 1 to 2 feet.”
While those involved in drafting the DEIS commiserate over the limited time that leasing would provide for – using the “ownership is for forever” mentality – it’s very clear that using the money that they have available, the University of Nevada System would accomplish far more by spending their money for leasing than purchases.
Also something that should be factored into this train of thought is the leasing programs that are proposed for funding in the Energy & Water Development & Related Agencies Appropriations Act of 2010, passed by the U.S. Senate on July 29, 2009. Senator Reid’s amendment to this money bill makes a $67.2 million allocation for work in the Walker River Basin.
Based on Senator Reid’s floor statement, he indicates that the Walker River Irrigation District has accepted a leadership role in finding a cost-effective way to increase in-stream flows for Walker River while not destroying irrigated agriculture. The district is given credit for agreeing to administer and manage a $25 million, 3-year demonstration leasing program.
When you combine the leasing program that the Walker River Irrigation District is committing to and the University determining that leasing would be a better use of their funds than purchase – you start seeing the possibility that a solution for Walker Lake doesn’t have to come through the destruction of the agricultural communities upstream.
We’ve never made any secret of our interest and support for a leasing program. It now comes down to convincing the University that this would be the best way to go forward.
For other post on comments prepared for the DEIS, please use this link to reach the category grouping for our evaluation of the Walker River Acquisition Program.
We also hope that you will plan on attending the various local public meetings that have been scheduled:
- Monday, August 17 (6 p.m. to 8 p.m.) Reno – Rancho San Rafael County Park, Main Ranch House, 1595 N. Sierra ST.
- Tuesday, August 18 (6 p.m. to 8 p.m.) Yerington – Casino West Convention Center, 11 North Main St.
- Wednesday, August 19 (6 p.m. to 8 p.m.) Wellington – Smith Valley Community Center, 2783 Highway 208
- Thursday, August 20, (6 p.m. to 8 p.m.) Hawthorne – Mineral County Public Library, First & “A” Street
Posted by Doug Busselman at 7/31/2009 7:32 AM 
Categories: Walker River DEIS
Tags: Nevada U.S. Senator Harry Reid University of Nevada Walker River Acquisition
Categories: Walker River DEIS
Tags: Nevada U.S. Senator Harry Reid University of Nevada Walker River Acquisition
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