Workshop to explore options for water users

The Nevada Division of Water Resources will have a workshop on state water law today in hopes of crafting a bill that will protect water users from the potential fallout from a recent state Supreme Court ruling.

The workshop will be from 12:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. in Room 1214 of the Legislative Building in Carson City and by video link in Room 4406 of the Sawyer Building in Las Vegas. State lawmakers called for the workshop after declining to consider a hastily crafted water measure during the recent special session.

The legislative fix was meant to limit the effects of the Jan. 28 Supreme Court decision that could nullify water rights granted to the Southern Nevada Water Authority for its proposed pipeline to eastern Nevada.

The justices ruled that the rights might not be valid because the state engineer took longer than a year to grant them.

The authority's applications for groundwater rights across rural Clark, Lincoln and White Pine counties weren't considered for more than decade, after many people who initially protested them had died or moved away.

Justices have left it to a District Court to decide whether the water authority should repeat the review process or whether the issue can be addressed with a new protest period and another hearing.

Both state and water authority officials have asked the justices to reconsider their unanimous decision.

What worries acting State Engineer Jason King are the broader implications of the ruling, which he said could cloud 14,500 water permits issued throughout the state over a 55-year period.

King hopes to come away from today's workshop with ideas for amending state water law to protect existing water rights and pending applications.

He expects to hear from attorneys and water-rights holders, but that certainly isn't the only input he seeks.

"It's definitely not by invitation only. We want to hear from anyone who might have ideas," King said. "I'm sure there's some impacts I haven't even thought of."

One thing he hopes to avoid is a debate between opponents and supporters of the water authority's pipeline plans.

But even if that happens, King said those in attendance still might be able to reach some consensus on the best way to amend state water law.

"I think there is a chance, I honestly do. I think there is common ground," he said. "We'll see."