Western Drought

Nevada Week | Western Drought           

SEASON 4: EPISODE 1 | Airdate: 7/16/2021

Water levels at Lake Mead are predicted to hit an important but troubling milestone this summer. For the first time, the water will hit a level so low that the federal government will designate a water shortage. That means water allotment for Nevada and Arizona will be cut back.
Part of the reason the West is in this situation is that the Colorado River Compact, which was signed in 1922. It divided the river between the Upper Basin and the Lower Basin, giving each basin the same amount of water 7.5 million acre-feet.

From there Nevada was given 300,000 acre-feet, which is about four percent of the Lower Basin’s portion. By comparison, California got more than 58 percent.

However, the river flows used to divide the water were flawed. The data used showed flows of more than 16 million acre-feet a year but the average annual flow is closer to 13.5 million acre-feet - and the flow can fluctuate wildly from year to year.

In addition, average river flows have dropped over the years, growth has pulled more water from the river, plus a twenty-plus-year long drought and climate change have compounded the water shortage.

The Southern Nevada Water Authority says one-acre-foot of water serves about three households in Southern Nevada for one year, but SNWA’s General Manager John Entsminger says the water delivered to the house isn’t what is depleted from the river.

Entsminger noted that every drop of water that hits a drain in Southern Nevada is gathered, treated and returned to Lake Mead. All of that means Nevada is not using its yearly allotment and Southern Nevada’s won’t see much change in their daily lives when the water shortage is declared.

While Entsminger and the SNWA is comfortable with where our water supply is right now, they do want everyone in Southern Nevada to do their part and conserve. He said taking out non-functional grass, following the seasonal watering schedule and recapturing water that is going into septic tanks will all help.

Heidi Kyser, senior writer and producer for Nevada Public Radio, said there plan in the works right now to allow thousands of acres of federally managed land to be developed in Southern Nevada.

The county land bill would accommodate 820,000 additional people in Southern Nevada over the next 60 years, and the average Las Vegan consumes 112 gallons of water per day, Kyser said.

Sean McKenna is the executive director of hydrologic sciences at Desert Research Institute. He said scientists are now looking at drought differently. In the past, drought was just the lack of water but now, as the climate gets hotter and drier, they are looking at how the atmosphere is drawing moisture from the land making it more difficult for farmers to irrigate their crops.

While there are technologies that could help the water shortage, most experts agree that the easiest and most cost-effective solution is for everyone who uses the Colorado River, which right now is 40 million Americans, to conserve more every day, in every way they can.

Guests

• Heidi Kyser, Senior Writer and Producer, Nevada Public Radio
• Sean McKenna, Executive Director Hydrologic Sciences, Desert Research Institute
• John Entsminger, General Manager, Southern Nevada Water Authority

Resources

• SNWA Seasonal Water Schedule 
• SNWA Reporting Water Waste
• SNWA Water Conservation Tips
• Water Smart Landscape Rebate