Editorial: Don’t leave Vegas high and dry

Thursday, Aug. 30, 2001 | 9:42 a.m.

Aclassic battle is shaping up in the Coyote Springs Valley, where lobbyist-developer Harvey Whittemore wants to pump 28,956 acre feet of water a year from deep aquifers so that he can build a housing and resort development for 50,000 people. The landowner believes he has the right to develop the property as he sees fit, including tapping the underground water. The Las Vegas Valley Water District, which is seeking the rights to 27,500 acre feet of water a year from aquifers, intending to one day pipe the water 50 miles to Las Vegas, opposes Whittemore's bid.

After seven days of hearings, the state engineer took the matter under advisement. His decision, expected in a few months, will be significant. He will be deciding whether a precious Nevada water resource should be used to help create a new city in the middle of nowhere when the rapidly expanding Las Vegas metropolitan area is parched for water.

Whittemore, who already has the rights to 6,100 acre feet of water a year, has drawn opposition from more than the water district. Nevada Power Co. officials also oppose his plans. The Las Vegas electric utility has surface and ground water rights in the area to cool its generating plants, and it fears its water could be depleted if Whittemore's proposal becomes a reality. Federal wildlife officials and environmentalists are against Whittemore's request, warning that no evidence has been presented yet to show how much water actually exists. The U.S. Department of Interior also contended that Whittemore failed to show that his project wouldn't harm fish and wildlife.

The hearings brought more questions than answers. The developer believes there is plenty of water, but no one really knows. Since the amount of water in the aquifer is a key component of his decision, it would seem vital that the state engineer should seek to determine how much water is available as he weighs the evidence.

If there is enough water to supply both Whittemore and Las Vegas' needs, then both should have it. But if it turns out that there is a limited amount of water, and that pumping it won't irreparably harm the aquifer and the surrounding area, then the state engineer should give top priority to those who need it most. In this case, that would be the residents of Las Vegas.