Curtailment of 50 percent on supplemental water rights in Smith, Mason valleys in Nevada
1/29/2015 12:45:32 PM
CATEGORIES:
Agriculture
Relief, Response & Restrictions
Society & Public Health
Water Supply & Quality
AFFECTED AREAS:
Lyon County, NV
Start Date: 1/27/2015
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A curtailment of 50 percent on supplemental water rights in Smith and Mason valleys was announced by the state engineer. Supplemental water is well water used to make up for surface water when supplies are short. Nevada Division of Water Resources staff will put tags on irrigation wells to let permittees know how much water they can pump. Drought, falling groundwater levels and excessive pumping prompted the curtailment order to prevent wells from going dry. The curtailment is meant to protect primary water rights and domestic wells and to "protect the integrity of the aquifer and protect the long-term water supply."
The area was entering its fourth year of drought.
Reno Gazette-Journal (Nev.), Jan. 27, 2015
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