Editorial: Let nature decide site of wetland

Thursday, Oct. 31, 2002 | 9:07 a.m.

Wetlands created by aquifers or the land's natural drainage patterns provide bountiful benefits for man and wildlife. Natural wetlands are so important that two major rehabilitation projects are now under way in the Las Vegas Valley. One is at the Las Vegas Springs Preserve, whose waters gave birth to Las Vegas. The other is at the southeast end of the Las Vegas Wash, which, when fully restored, will once again filter pollutants before the valley's runoff reaches the Colorado River. But unnatural wetlands are another story.

For the past two years in the north end of Boulder City, a two-mile stretch of unnatural wetland has been forming on public land below the Cascata golf course, which was built on a hillside. The water that keeps the course lush, and that keeps man-made rivers flowing and a 400-foot man-made waterfall cascading, is running off. Such water is generally not fit for drinking. The runoff could also absorb hazardous metals occurring naturally in the soils before settling as a wetland. The potential is there for a growing wetlands area whose water could harm wildlife and whose presence could threaten groundwater. At the very least it could present an unwelcome expense for Boulder City if it becomes established and needs to be maintained.

The course was built by MGM Grand as an amenity for its best customers. But when MGM Grand bought Mirage Resorts, it became the owner of the Shadow Creek golf course. No longer needing Cascata, the new MGM MIRAGE finished constructing it and sold it to Park Place Entertainment Corp. two years ago. The state Division of Environmental Protection and Park Place have been working on the problem. A Nov. 15 date has been set for Park Place to submit plans for controlling the runoff.

The state should continue its oversight of this unnatural wetland while Park Place finances the solution, which should be nothing less than cessation of the runoff. Simple monitoring of the water's content would still leave a wetland never intended by nature, one that could lead to problems for future generations.