Pipeline to transport groundwater to Las Vegas

Las Vegas may succeed in importing water from nearby valleys through a multi-billion dollar pipeline.

From UNLV Special Collections

In 1922, the U.S. Congress ratified the Colorado River Compact, which allocated the water in the Colorado River between Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming. Ninety years later, the provisions of this compact, which allocated proportionally more water to California and Arizona, have led to fears of water shortages to Las Vegas, Nevada. 

Instead of trying to challenge or re-write the Compact, Las Vegas has been engaged in finding other sources of water nearby in counties east of Las Vegas, and even in Southern Utah. Earlier this year, the Nevada State Engineer approved a proposal for a pipeline that would bring water from nearby Lincoln and White Pine Counties. In August, the BLM released a review of the project that stated the pipeline should be allowed to traverse the public land, but not cut into Snake Valley, Utah, where the project has met the hardest opposition. This week, the Colorado River Commission backed this plan.

Groups such as the Great Basin Water Network call the move a "water grab" and insist that Las Vegas focus on improving efficient use of current water sources rather than exploiting new sources. Others are concerned about the effects the de-watering of Lincoln and White Pine Counties will have on the region.

Source: Las Vegas Sun