SUBMITTED BY NEVADA FARM BUREAU
SPARKS -– Nevada Farm Bureau applauds Senior District Judge Robert Estes and his ruling that will temporarily stop the Southern Nevada Water Authority from pumping billions of gallons of water from eastern Nevada.
The court ruled that the “State Engineer’s rulings is remanded: for recalculation of water available from the respective basins; for additional hydrological study of Delamar, Dry Lake and Cave Valley; and to establish standards for mitigation in the event of a conflict with existing water rights or unreasonable effects to the environment or the public interest.”
The Court continued to say, “that losing 9,780 afa from the basin, over and above E.T. after 200 years is unfair to following generations of Nevadans, and is not in the public interest. In violating the Engineer’s own standards, the award of 61,127 afa is arbitrary and capricious.”
Farmers and ranchers throughout eastern Nevada have battled the water grab plan from its inception, which began in 1989.
Nevada Farm Bureau policy states, “Nevada Farm Bureau is opposed to the export and transport of groundwater out of the basin of origin without full protection of agriculture and wildlife waters.” Furthermore, “When ground water is being exported from a geophysical basin and unexpected conditions occur in that basin or adjacent basin(s), both present and future needs in those basins should have a priority over the water being exported.” Farm Bureau policy also calls for an adequate monitoring process.
The court also stated, “SNWA’s expert reports make it clear that the hydrology of Spring Valley, as well as Delamar, Dry Lake and Cave Valley, is not completely understood.” The court continued to say, “Regarding monitoring and proactive monitoring by the Engineer, there is no plan.”
Nevada Farm Bureau will continue to monitor this and other decisions that impact the livelihoods of Nevada’s farmers and ranchers.
