Big News Regarding Major Water Project
By: Doug Busselman, Executive Vice President
Those directly involved in stopping the Southern Nevada Water Authority’s controversial water project, which takes water the Authority is working to acquire from three northern Nevada counties to southern Nevada, are celebrating the news of a judge remanding the decision by the State Water Engineer back to the Engineer. In and of itself the ruling is interesting for the basis of its actions.
Frankly, it is also interesting in this era of immediate news and the significance of the story that the account of the “breaking news” -- relating the court action -- came out in the week after the ruling was made. Even those involved in the case were just finding out about the ruling as well.
The significance if the ruling results in recalculations and changes in the amount of water authorized by the State Engineer could mean economic jeopardy for the investment in the pipeline intended to deliver the water to the Las Vegas area. In many ways it appears that a big part of the game-plan opponents are pursuing is based on preventing a capacity of water which makes a very expensive infrastructure affordable.
As the process plays itself out and determinations are made (perhaps even requiring Nevada Supreme Court involvement) on whether State Engineer decisions match requirements we need to pay attention to whether new provisions of water law are created by the courts. We also need to figure out how legal dots are connected for a more complete understanding of how the theories might apply for future defense and protection of agricultural water rights around the state.
Those directly involved in stopping the Southern Nevada Water Authority’s controversial water project, which takes water the Authority is working to acquire from three northern Nevada counties to southern Nevada, are celebrating the news of a judge remanding the decision by the State Water Engineer back to the Engineer. In and of itself the ruling is interesting for the basis of its actions.
Frankly, it is also interesting in this era of immediate news and the significance of the story that the account of the “breaking news” -- relating the court action -- came out in the week after the ruling was made. Even those involved in the case were just finding out about the ruling as well.
The significance if the ruling results in recalculations and changes in the amount of water authorized by the State Engineer could mean economic jeopardy for the investment in the pipeline intended to deliver the water to the Las Vegas area. In many ways it appears that a big part of the game-plan opponents are pursuing is based on preventing a capacity of water which makes a very expensive infrastructure affordable.
As the process plays itself out and determinations are made (perhaps even requiring Nevada Supreme Court involvement) on whether State Engineer decisions match requirements we need to pay attention to whether new provisions of water law are created by the courts. We also need to figure out how legal dots are connected for a more complete understanding of how the theories might apply for future defense and protection of agricultural water rights around the state.
Posted by Doug Busselman at 10/28/2009 4:27 AM 
Categories: Water
Tags: Southern Nevada Water Authority Nevada Water Pipeline
Categories: Water
Tags: Southern Nevada Water Authority Nevada Water Pipeline
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