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What is the Central Nevada Regional Water Authority?
The Central Nevada Regional Water Authority (CNRWA) is a unit of local government established by agreement of member counties in 2005 pursuant to NRS 277 – Nevada’s Interlocal Cooperation Act.
What are the Functions of the Central Nevada Regional Water Authority?
The functions of the Authority are:
- to combine fiscal and staff resources to obtain technical support, legal counsel and policy advice necessary for sound water resource decisions by the member counties,
- to formulate and present a united position on water and water-related issues to the appropriate government entity (e.g., Nevada legislature, U.S. Congress, State of Nevada agencies, federal agencies and local government entities),
- to monitor, assess and respond to water projects that may adversely impact a member county,
- to develop and implement a groundwater monitoring program in areas of interest in the member counties,
- to host the annual Great Basin Water Forum established by counties in three states (California, Nevada and Utah) to address water and water-related issues in the Great Basin, and
- to encourage citizen participation in water and water-related issues of importance to member counties.
What is the Central Hydrographic Region?
In order for a county to be a member of the Authority it must contain a portion of the Nevada Central Hydrographic Region.
The Central Hydrographic Region as defined by the Nevada Division of Water Resources consists of 78 groundwater basins in 12 Nevada counties (see map on this page). The Region is the largest of the Nevada’s 14 hydrographic regions, covering much of central, eastern and southern Nevada. The Central Hydrographic Region is characterized by:
- the absence of regional surface water flows,
- groundwater basins that are often interconnected by subsurface flow,
- deep bedrock aquifers, and
- some productive alluvial aquifers.
