When we talk about water in Nevada, it’s usually in terms of the Colorado River and how much water is in Lake Mead. But the state is also incredibly reliant on groundwater.
That reliance is causing issues. A recent study, published in Hydrological Process, found that thousands of wells across Nevada have experienced significant declines over the last three decades. But how can regulators limit the use of groundwater in a way that's fair for all?
One proposed solution is a state program designed to incentivize the retirement of water rights. Daniel Rothberg covered this program for a joint story by The Daily Yonder and Nevada Public Radio’s Desert Companion magazine. He told State of Nevada that the pilot program was established in 2023, specifically to acquire water rights in over-appropriated basins.
"The groundwater rights retirement program provided entities around the state that are involved in managing groundwater, a particular amount of funding to purchase water rights voluntarily from irrigators, with the hopes that once they bought the rights, they could retire them permanently, taking them off the books," Rothberg said.
So far, the program has proven popular, with water rights owners across the state choosing to sell their access for a host of reasons.
"[Some] people felt they could forego some water and still achieve a relatively efficient yield," Rotheberg said. "Other people felt they were ready to either consolidate their operations or that this was a good way to ensure they could have some retirement, perhaps engaging in dry land farming."
Earlier this year, state lawmakers approved a pair of bills aimed at making the program permanent. However, no new money was appropriated for the program.
Guest: Daniel Rothberg, Invisible Waters author, Desert Companion contributor
