Snake Valley Water Negotiations "Making Progress"
None by KCPW
(KCPW News) Negotiations over water in the Snake Valley are making progress, according to Utah Department of Natural Resources Executive Director Mike Styler. Nevada is staking claim to a portion of the region's underground aquifer. Styler says both sides have agreed a deal is in their best interests. But, he adds, the deal must protect the water rights of both states and set aside enough water to handle future growth in Snake Valley.Styler says many of the details will depend on a study to be released in June estimating exactly how much water sits below the surface of Snake Valley. Preliminary data suggests Snake Valley's underground reservoir shares significantly more water with neighboring aquifers than previously estimated. Ranchers in the region continue to claim that Snake Valley has no water to spare with Nevada.
Styler says he's hoping Nevada will agree to a test period of ten or twenty years. If it's clear at the end of that time that Utah's water rights are suffering from the sharing agreement, state officials could call off the deal.
Email to a friendPosted in KCPW Newsroom. Copyright 2008 KCPW
1. Patsy Dye said:
I do not want my way of life to flow down to Las Vegas as you don't want yours to either. Las Vegas need to be held accountable for the many years of waste, over growth and over population. Their motto is "Keep on building, keep them coming and we will get water from whereever we have to when the time comes regardless of the cost or consequences. If we can't grab it or steal it, we will just buy all the land for the water rights." I personally resent being told that we must keep Las Vegas in water because without Las Vegas, the rest of the state will cease to exist. I think not. Our community just may continue to exist if we don't let Las Vegas take our water. I'm with you Utah! Don't say no but say HELL NO!
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