Judge Yeager of the Eighth Judicial District Court, Clark County yesterday Ordered that the State Engineer’s Order 1309 issued June 15, 2020 is vacated in its entirety. Judge Yeager’s Order was on consolidated petitions for judicial review of Order 1309 filed by numerous Petitioners. Click here to read the FINDINGS OF FACT, CONCLUSIONS OF LAW, AND ORDER GRANTING PETITIONS FOR JUDICIAL REVIEW.
Drought Status Update for California-Nevada
Key Points
- January through March 2022 was the driest on record for these three months for much of California and Nevada. The dry end of the wet season leaves California and parts of Nevada in a third year of drought—with drought conditions worse in California than a year ago according to the U.S. Drought Monitor.
- Since October 2019, the beginning of the current drought, much of the region is missing over half a year’s worth of normal precipitation. Some locations are missing as much as 1.25–1.75 years’ worth of precipitation.
- In NOAA’s spring outlook, for the second year in a row forecasters predict prolonged, persistent drought in the West, including California and Nevada. Significant wildland fire potential is forecasted for parts of the region starting in May.
- Drought impacts will continue to intensify and expand given a third dry year. Applying lessons learned from past droughts and drought preparedness are key.
Click here to read the April 8th Update.
NDEP schedules workshops on proposed regulations to classify waters of extraordinary ecological, aesthetic or recreational value and protection of surface waters
The Nevada Division of Environmental Protection (Division) will hold a series of official regulation amendment workshops on April 5-7, 2022 to solicit public comment and input on Legislative Council Bureau (LCB) Draft of Proposed Regulation R119-20 which sets forth a process for the State Environmental Commission to classify a surface water of the State or segment thereof as a water of extraordinary ecological, aesthetic or recreational value (EAW) and establishes provisions for antidegradation protection of Nevada surface water resources. The LCB Draft Proposed Regulation R119-20 is available at: https://cnrwa.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/NDEP-R119-20P.pdf
Click here to see the workshop notice.
CNRWA comments on Pine Valley Water Supply Project Draft EIS
The Central Iron County Water Conservancy District (CICWCD) filed an Application for Transportation and Utility Systems and Facilities on Federal Lands with the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) Cedar City Field Office (CCFO) for a proposed buried water pipeline project and related appurtenances referred to as the Pine Valley Water Supply project (PVWS). The PVWS project would consists of construction, operation and maintenance of well and pumping facilities, solar power generation site and facility, water transmission pipeline and other related appurtenances, a water storage facility and the terminus of the pipeline that would connect wells in Pine Valley to the Cedar Valley system. CNRWA expressed concern that future pumping in Pine and Wah Wah Valleys as part of the Pine Valley Water Supply Project is projected to have long term effects on three groundwater basins in the Central Region: Dry Lake, Lake Valley and Spring Valley and concluded that the only acceptable action is the No Action Alternative and a withdrawal of the DEIS by the BLM.
You can read CNRWA’s comments here.
Funds available for Drinking Water Projects
Funds from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (IIJA, BIB, or BIL) are flowing to Nevada through the State Revolving Fund programs. The Priority List for the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund is now open. Capital Projects must be on the priority lists to receive funding from the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund. This is your chance to get on the list to be eligible for funding. Pre-applications are being accepted until May 11, 2022 through the Nevada Infrastructure Financial System (NIFS). Eligible systems are asked to sign up with NIFS and submit their applications as soon as possible. Click here for more information.
BLM invites the public to comment on Pine Valley Water Supply Project proposal
CEDAR CITY, Utah — The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) invites the public to review and comment
on a draft environmental impact statement and proposal by the Central Iron County Water Conservancy District.
The conservancy district proposes to develop water rights held in western Beaver County and to transport the
water to the existing water conservancy district system in Iron County. The BLM has issued the Pine Valley
Water Supply Project Draft Environmental Impact Statement for a 45-day public comment period ending February 22nd.
The CNRWA Board of Directors at their November 12, 2021 voted to authorize its Executive Director Jeff Fontaine to respond with comments in support of the Great Basin Water Network, White Pine County, and other interested parties by commenting on the draft environmental impact statement for this project.
The BLM will hold a public meeting at 6 pm MST on Wednesday, February 9, 2022, via Zoom. Click here to register for the meeting.