Nevada’s Desert Research Institute recently received a grant from the Nevada Department of Conservation and Natural Resources to assist rural counties that are interested in developing and updating their water resource plans.
Since its inception CNRWA has been a leading advocate for county water resource planning and funding. County water plans prepare rural communities for sound water-resource decisions by quantifying the degree to which they require water for their future economic development and the continued protection and enhancement of the natural environment, critical for wildlife, recreation opportunities and quality of life. CNRWA will be be working closely with DRI on this initiative.
Senate Bill 150 enacted in 2019 requires counties and cities to develop and maintain a water resource plan that must include identification of all water physically available for use; an analysis of the existing demand and expected demand in the community from projected growth, and a plan to obtain additional water if needed. Counties and cities have 10 years to develop the plan which must be updated at least every 10 years. DRI is developing a framework for county-level water resource plans that both meets the requirements of NRS 278.0228 and considers the unique water needs and concerns of each county. The project is fully funded for DRI to provide technical expertise to compile, process and analyze all necessary data and to work with the counties to develop county-specific water resource management strategies. DRI will compile the data, analyses and management strategies into a Water Resource Plan report for the county to review and adopt ahead of the 2029 deadline. Click here to see a one-page informational flyer.