Impacts of court groundwater decision still a long way off, top water regulator tells Nevada lawmakers
After years of groundwater decline and failed legislative action, a court decision in January affirmed the state’s right to limit groundwater pumping using the most current scientific data, but full implementation of the ruling may take some time. Last week, the state engineer — Nevada’s top water regulator — expanded on how the state will manage water resources in the aftermath of the recent Nevada Supreme Court decision that affirmed the state’s authority to develop science-based solutions to over-pumping, including managing surface water and groundwater as a single connected source when determining water rights. In the coming years, the court’s decision will have sweeping ramifications for Nevada, state engineer Adam Sullivan told lawmakers.
Related article:
- The MIT Press Reader: The groundwater crisis – The need for new data to inform public policy