Lincoln County OKs water deal

Tuesday, March 18, 2003 | 11 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- The Lincoln County Commission agreed Monday to a treaty to end its water war with Southern Nevada.

The commission accepted an agreement with the Las Vegas Valley Water District and the Southern Nevada Water Authority over applications for ground-water rights.

Officials are hoping the agreement brings to an end a long-running dispute between the two parties that focused on ground water and development issues.

Vince Alberta, spokesman for the water district, called it a "great deal" for Southern Nevada.

Lincoln County authorities were also pleased with the agreement. It should give Lincoln County enough water to promote economic development to help many of the depressed areas of the county, they said. The commission voted 3-2 to accept the agreement.

Under the agreement, Clark County will assign some of its applications to Lincoln County. Lincoln County, in turn, will withdraw its protest of applications filed by the water district with the state Engineer's Office.

It is estimated that this will open the door for each side to develop about 40,000 to 50,000 additional acre-feet of water, says Steve Hartman, an attorney for Vidler Water Co., which is helping Lincoln County in its water development efforts.

An acre-foot is 326,000 gallons of water.

The boards of directors of the water district and the water authority have already approved the agreement.

Lincoln County will be able to process applications for underground water in its populated areas such as the towns of Pioche, Caliente and Panaca.

The water district filed numerous applications to pipe water from Lincoln County to supply Clark County. Lincoln County protested those applications. In some cases the district and Lincoln County filed applications for the same water. Each side will withdraw its protests against the application of the other side.

The applications still must be approved by State Engineer Hugh Ricci.

The agreement also gives each party the opportunity to cooperate in the cost and development of a system to transport and treat water.