Input On Snake Valley Water Agreement Should Include Ideas For Improvement
By: Doug Busselman, Executive Vice President
The level of involvement (or at least the assessment we have of that involvement from the reports that have been coming in) indicate that the announcement of the two-state draft accord (Nevada and Utah) released on August 13th, hasn’t slipped by too many people. Most of the information that has been available has been coming from Utah media outlets (including this early news account) and has emphasized the way the water split has been broken out in the agreement.
Utah folks point at the level of how much “future development” Nevada’s water interest will be getting (12.2% of the “Unallocated” water goes to the Utah side and 87.8% goes to the Nevada side).
In the manner in which the agreement separates “Allocated” “Unallocated” and “Reserved” water rights more than 18 percent of the total 132,000 annual acre feet of water available for distribution (24,000 acre feet) is held in the “Reserved” category. Of that total the two states share on the basis of Utah receiving 6,000 acre feet and 18,000 acre feet earmarked for Nevada.
Nevada’s argument (although it doesn’t seem to be coming out very strongly in the reports that have been reported) is that of the total 67,000 acre feet of water already permitted and considered “Allocated”, Utah is credited with getting 55,000 acre feet (slightly more than 82 percent of the total “Allocated) and Nevada is receiving 12,000 acre feet (just under 18 percent of the total “Allocated”).
As we posted with this link yesterday, the beef of how the allocation breaks out is that 20,000 acre feet of the 55,000 for Utah goes out of Snake Valley and is used at the Fish Springs National Wildlife Refuge.
In many issues that surround us today, the emotional levels of the debate sometimes interrupt the ability for considered evaluation. Water has always drawn this level of involvement and is doing so again in this instance.
Confidence in representatives who have been involved in the over four-year process of working out the agreement is coming out in short supply (mostly from those directly affected by the ramifications should the agreement go forward and result in future Southern Nevada Water Authority water development still pending a final determination). Those who don’t believe that they are getting a fair shake need to document those areas of concern and submit their comments to the process. Millard County (Utah) officials seem to be doing a good job (at this time) of getting their points of view out for public consumption.
White Pine County (Nevada) officials have not been identified in the reports that we’ve seen as having a point of view. Most of Nevada’s perspective seems to be coming from Alan Biaggi, Director of the Nevada Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.
Those involved in the negotiation process over the past four years seem to be focused on the safeguards that have been included in the agreement to protect existing water right owners, especially the delay in going forward with any decision on the applications pending from the Southern Nevada Water Authority. Prior to action by the Nevada State Engineer, there is a requirement in the agreement for the gathering of hydrologic, biologic and other data in the basin. Actions on the Snake Valley applications are postponed until September 1, 2019.
Please feel free to share your reactions, input, ideas, etc. in the comment section that is provided here. You also need to get yourself involved in reviewing the agreement and participating in the input process.
The draft agreement and plan may be downloaded at:
http://water.nv.gov/Hearings/waterhearing/snakevalley/documents/Utah-Nevada Snake Valley Agreement.pdf
Written Comments
Written comments about the agreement will be accepted until September 14, 2009. Comments may be sent by email to:
snakevalley@utah.gov
snakevalley@water.nv.gov
Comments may be submitted in writing to:
Snake Valley Agreement
c/o Nevada Department of Conservation and Natural Resources
Suite 5001
901 S. Stewart St.
Snake Valley Agreement
c/o Utah Department of Natural Resources
Division of Water Rights
1594 West North Temple, Suite 220
SLC, UT 84114
The level of involvement (or at least the assessment we have of that involvement from the reports that have been coming in) indicate that the announcement of the two-state draft accord (Nevada and Utah) released on August 13th, hasn’t slipped by too many people. Most of the information that has been available has been coming from Utah media outlets (including this early news account) and has emphasized the way the water split has been broken out in the agreement.
Utah folks point at the level of how much “future development” Nevada’s water interest will be getting (12.2% of the “Unallocated” water goes to the Utah side and 87.8% goes to the Nevada side).
In the manner in which the agreement separates “Allocated” “Unallocated” and “Reserved” water rights more than 18 percent of the total 132,000 annual acre feet of water available for distribution (24,000 acre feet) is held in the “Reserved” category. Of that total the two states share on the basis of Utah receiving 6,000 acre feet and 18,000 acre feet earmarked for Nevada.
Nevada’s argument (although it doesn’t seem to be coming out very strongly in the reports that have been reported) is that of the total 67,000 acre feet of water already permitted and considered “Allocated”, Utah is credited with getting 55,000 acre feet (slightly more than 82 percent of the total “Allocated) and Nevada is receiving 12,000 acre feet (just under 18 percent of the total “Allocated”).
As we posted with this link yesterday, the beef of how the allocation breaks out is that 20,000 acre feet of the 55,000 for Utah goes out of Snake Valley and is used at the Fish Springs National Wildlife Refuge.
In many issues that surround us today, the emotional levels of the debate sometimes interrupt the ability for considered evaluation. Water has always drawn this level of involvement and is doing so again in this instance.
Confidence in representatives who have been involved in the over four-year process of working out the agreement is coming out in short supply (mostly from those directly affected by the ramifications should the agreement go forward and result in future Southern Nevada Water Authority water development still pending a final determination). Those who don’t believe that they are getting a fair shake need to document those areas of concern and submit their comments to the process. Millard County (Utah) officials seem to be doing a good job (at this time) of getting their points of view out for public consumption.
White Pine County (Nevada) officials have not been identified in the reports that we’ve seen as having a point of view. Most of Nevada’s perspective seems to be coming from Alan Biaggi, Director of the Nevada Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.
Those involved in the negotiation process over the past four years seem to be focused on the safeguards that have been included in the agreement to protect existing water right owners, especially the delay in going forward with any decision on the applications pending from the Southern Nevada Water Authority. Prior to action by the Nevada State Engineer, there is a requirement in the agreement for the gathering of hydrologic, biologic and other data in the basin. Actions on the Snake Valley applications are postponed until September 1, 2019.
Please feel free to share your reactions, input, ideas, etc. in the comment section that is provided here. You also need to get yourself involved in reviewing the agreement and participating in the input process.
The draft agreement and plan may be downloaded at:
http://water.nv.gov/Hearings/waterhearing/snakevalley/documents/Utah-Nevada Snake Valley Agreement.pdf
Written Comments
Written comments about the agreement will be accepted until September 14, 2009. Comments may be sent by email to:
snakevalley@utah.gov
snakevalley@water.nv.gov
Comments may be submitted in writing to:
Snake Valley Agreement
c/o Nevada Department of Conservation and Natural Resources
Suite 5001
901 S. Stewart St.
Snake Valley Agreement
c/o Utah Department of Natural Resources
Division of Water Rights
1594 West North Temple, Suite 220
SLC, UT 84114
Posted by Doug Busselman at 8/18/2009 11:31 AM 
Categories: Water
Tags: Southern Nevada Water Authority Nevada Utah Snake Valley
Categories: Water
Tags: Southern Nevada Water Authority Nevada Utah Snake Valley
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