Golf course plans raise concerns over water

Greg Harman

Monday, May 8, 2000 | 11:24 a.m.

"Clean Green" Boulder City is about to grow ever greener, with four major golf courses proposed or under construction.

But city water supplies will be stretched if all of the courses are constructed without alternative supplies being negotiated.

"There is a terrific water issue that, in my opinion, we are not addressing," warned Boulder City Councilman Bill Smith.

City officials last month approved a $250,000 contract with Target Golf for the creation of a second municipal course, expected to open in about two years.

Both MGM Grand Inc. and Red Ridge LLC are either developing or working on financing major public and private courses -- bringing the potential number of courses in the town of 14,000 from one to five.

"We have been told as a council right along that unless we brought another line in, there will not be enough water," Smith said. "I don't think we can build a second municipal golf course unless we get another water line."

When it comes to water, a little basic math exposes the problem.

The city's average annual water use reached 7,802 acre-feet in 1998. An acre-foot is enough to supply a family of four for one year.

City contracts with each of the four proposed courses set aside 900 acre-feet of water per course each year, a total of 3,600 acre-feet

Boulder City's water line is capable of delivering about 12,000 acre-feet per year. That's 400 acre-feet shy of what the city would need to supply all of the courses.

The city was already puzzling about how to meet all of the water needs when along came an inquiry from Eldorado Energy Corp.: What would the chances be of getting, say, 3,000 acre-feet of water per year from the city?

Eldorado is considering opening a second power plant adjacent to its Boulder City facility that would rely on water-cooled, rather than air-cooled, technology, Dianne McLendon, company spokeswoman, said.

Meanwhile, city officials are studying the feasibility of installing a second water line, certain to cost more than last year's estimated price tag of $22 million.

But the city is biding its time on committing to another water line until the proposed developments are in the bag.

"We have plenty of water," Boulder City Manager John Sullard said. "Except it's down in Lake Mead and we have no way to get it here.

"The big issue, too, is if Eldorado Energy doesn't come in here, and MGM doesn't come in here, and Red Ridge doesn't happen, then we don't even need to bring a line in."

So far, the only golf course that has broken ground is one of MGM's two proposed links. The exclusive 7,000-yard course is set to be opened at the end of the year.

The company is leasing 800 acres from the city at a cost of $750,000 a year.

Red Ridge officials have until Jan. 1, 2001, to begin construction on their 160-acre lot or lose the contract -- and a $50,000 down payment.

"We actually thought we had (the financing) done," said Douglas Lee, one of three Boulder City partners involved in the venture. "But I'm not sure we're going to go through with that."

While financing matters have stalled the project, the city's blanket water allotment -- which commits the city to 900 acre-feet of water per course per year -- inspired the group to pick up an option on an additional 80 acres.

Lee said his team had no intention of using that much water on its originally proposed course, but the city was not negotiating.

"We thought, 'Well, if we're gonna use that much water, we might as well have (some choices),' " Lee said.

The city is further limited by its allotment of 18,742 acre-feet per year by the Southern Nevada Water Authority.

That limit may be reached as soon as 2030.

To play it safe, the city is poised to approve at its Tuesday council meeting a contract with Black & Veatch Corp. to conduct a detailed water demand study for the city.

The city is also set Tuesday to create a technical steering committee to oversee construction of the new municipal course.

Greg Harman covers Henderson and Boulder City for the Sun. He can be reached at (702) 259-8814 or by e-mail at harman@lasvegassun.com.