[lvoc]

Originally Posted by Clarkcty

We can make a difference, our unused allotment could be stored in aquifers. If they can pump water out of aquifers they can replenish it. There are water wells all around Clark County and each diminishing our water supply beneath in aquifers. We can take our share of the Colorado River water instead of losing it to some other states or country.

That is actually pretty complicated. If you simply stored water in an aquifer you might pull it off. But if you draw on the aquifer as well it gets very complicated. The rule is that if you do not draw your allocation for five years you lose it. So if the net draw over some years is well less than what you have rights to it can be asserted that you have lost the right to the water you did not draw. SNWA will of course dispute this as they claim right to huge amounts of water stored in the aquifer beneath Las Vegas. But when they attempt to pump that water, if they ever do, they will get sued and may well lose. And in fact they will leave that water there rather than risk the battle unless under extreme duress.

[Clarkcty]

Originally Posted by lvoc

That is actually pretty complicated. If you simply stored water in an aquifer you might pull it off. But if you draw on the aquifer as well it gets very complicated. The rule is that if you do not draw your allocation for five years you lose it. So if the net draw over some years is well less than what you have rights to it can be asserted that you have lost the right to the water you did not draw. SNWA will of course dispute this as they claim right to huge amounts of water stored in the aquifer beneath Las Vegas. But when they attempt to pump that water, if they ever do, they will get sued and may well lose. And in fact they will leave that water there rather than risk the battle unless under extreme duress.

Why would it matter to the other states how we allocate our share of the Colorado River water. We can pump it under the Aquifers or build a thousand more Bellagio fountains, it's our water.

As it is, we lose what we don't use!

[lvoc]

Originally Posted by Clarkcty

Why would it matter to the other states how we allocate our share of the Colorado River water. We can pump it under the Aquifers or build a thousand more Bellagio fountains, it's our water.

As it is, we lose what we don't use!

Has nothing to do with other states. We can and do pump water into the aquifer...or more correctly we don't withdraw water we could pump. So there is no question that SNWA can pump (or refrain from pumping) to save water.

The issue is when they chose to pump water that exceeds their water rights. They claim they can do it and have a right to hundreds of thousands of acre feet of water in the aquifer. It becomes an issue if they pump hard particularly if they begin to drop the water level. Then we see.

[Clarkcty]

Pumping ground water from our aquifer which Nevadans have been doing for decades and our share of the Colorado River from Lake Mead are two different issues.


Springs Preserve

[lvoc]

Originally Posted by Clarkcty

Pumping ground water from our aquifer which Nevadans have been doing for decades and our share of the Colorado River from Lake Mead are two different issues.


Springs Preserve

They are related. SNWA is the biggest holder of water rights in the valley and there are way more water rights than there is water.

For the last decade the water level has been rising. That is do to the water not being pumped bu SNWA

[Clarkcty]

Of course they are related with SNWA as the agency handling our water issues.

What I meant is that 90% of the valley's water comes from Lake Mead (Colorado River) and the 10% is supplied by groundwater (aquifers). Then we have urban runoffs (rain) flowing to the treatment plants before being released to Lake Mead.

[Cold Warrior]

Rain runoff is treated? I thought the Las Vegas wash drained under lake Las Vegas directly into Lake Mead.

[lvoc]

Originally Posted by Cold Warrior

Rain runoff is treated? I thought the Las Vegas wash drained under lake Las Vegas directly into Lake Mead.

Nah. Storm water flows to the wash and into Lake Mead untreated. Sewage is treated as are some other point sources.

I believe the shallow aquifers do as well.

From SNWA...

***********************************************
Urban runoff includes water that begins in street gutters and travels through the storm drain system and enters Lake Mead untreated through the Las Vegas Wash. Stormwater runoff also enters Lake Mead via the Las Vegas Wash.
**********************************************

[Clarkcty]

Originally Posted by Cold Warrior

Rain runoff is treated? I thought the Las Vegas wash drained under lake Las Vegas directly into Lake Mead.

Detention basins around town are NOT just there to collect urban run off/ rainwater. Those facilities are there to filter urban rainwater run off before reaching Lake Mead.

[Clarkcty]

-
-
Las Vegas Stormwater