WATER AND GROWTH IN MESQUITE: WHAT WE KNOW AND WHAT WE DON’T KNOW

May 8, 2022Posted inMesquite Irrigation Company, News and information, On The Water Front, Southern Nevada Water Authority (SNWA), The Economy, Virgin River, Virgin River Water District, Virgin Valley Water Board (VVWB), Virgin Valley Water District
By Mark Hill, Watershed Scientist Virgin River, Mesquite, Nevada Climate change, a 20+-year mega-drought in the Southwest and disappearing Colorado River water raises the specter of insufficient water to support…

Reclamation to Focus on Partnership During Colorado River Conference

December 15, 2021Posted inClimate Change, Colorado River, News and information, On The Water Front, Southern Nevada Water Authority (SNWA), The Economy, Virgin River, Virgin River Water District, Virgin Valley Water Board (VVWB), walker lake
For Release:      December 15, 2021 LAS VEGAS – Facing continued dry hydrology, the Department of the Interior and the Bureau of Reclamation will focus on partnerships and cooperation during the Colorado…

On the Water Front: Shortage, Accelerated

October 25, 2021Posted inClimate Change, Colorado River, Features, Health, News and information, On The Water Front, Political Analysis, Southern Nevada Water Authority (SNWA), The Economy

Since our last check-in on the Colorado River’s water shortage, our water forecast has only worsened. Meanwhile, the political forecast for federal climate action remains as bleak as ever. As we face a worsening water shortage, and as we contend with the apparent shortage in political will to properly address climate change, let’s examine why this pair of shortages is such a huge problem for us.

Ancient aquifers are some of the most important, and delicate, water sources out West.

October 15, 2021Posted inAbstractions blog, Climate Change, Colorado River, News and information, On The Water Front, Southern Nevada Water Authority (SNWA), Virgin River, Virgin Valley Water Board (VVWB)
Communities that rely on the Colorado River are facing a water crisis. Lake Mead, the river’s largest reservoir, has fallen to levels not seen since it was created by the…

On the Water Front: Shortage

September 28, 2021Posted inClimate Change, Colorado River, Features, Health, Nevada Legislature, News and information, On The Water Front, Political Analysis, The Economy, Virgin River

Just last month, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation officially declared a Tier One Shortage for both of the Colorado River’s major reservoirs. Last week, Reclamation announced a revised forecast that’s even more grim.

How bad is it along the Colorado River, and how much worse might it get if we don’t get our act together soon?

On the Water Front: The Fiery Sprawl

July 27, 2021Posted inClimate Change, Colorado River, Features, News and information, On The Water Front, Southern Nevada Water Authority (SNWA), The Economy, Virgin River

Wildfires and water shortages have become part of the tragic reality of life in the American West. New York City isn’t used to smelling wildfire smoke, so this year’s wildfire season is already proving to be quite historically severe. Once again, we must ask – When will we finally treat climate change like the existential crisis that it truly is?

Also, we’re returning closer to home to understand why the ill-fated attempt to expand the Las Vegas Metro Area into Lincoln County remains relevant in light of the current controversies over water resources and Southwestern suburban sprawl.