LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — The federal government has officially stepped in and announced a tier two water reduction, limiting the amount of water Southern Nevada is allowed to withdraw from Lake Mead in 2023.
In accordance with the 2007 Colorado River Shortage Guidelines, the declaration reduces Southern Nevada’s annual allocation of 300,000 acre-feet of water from Lake Mead by 25,000 acre-feet or about 8.1 billion gallons.
Lake Mead is the source of 90 percent of the community’s supply and, although the reductions are considerable, local water conservation measures have already reduced water consumption by 26 percent.
The tier two water shortage will require Southern Nevada to forgo 25,000 of its 300,000 acre-foot allocation from Lake Mead, but according to a news release by the Southern Nevada Water Authority, last year’s water use was only 242,000 acre-feet.
“At least in the near term, we’re in a relatively enviable position,” said SNWA General Manager John Entsminger. “However, as climate change and aridification continue to impact water availability in the Colorado River Basin, we must be prepared as a community to intensify our conservation efforts to protect our economy and our standard of living in Southern Nevada.”
The United States Department of Interior has also requested that the seven Colorado River states develop a plan by mid-August to reduce water use by 2 to 4 million acre-feet of water next year.
In a letter sent to DOI on Monday, Entsminger acknowledged the states' inability to finalize a plan and provided recommendations for the DOI to consider as they evaluate implementing unilateral action to reduce water use. This includes expanding opportunities to increase water efficiency and incentivize conversion to low water-use crops in the agricultural sector, investing in water recycling projects, creating a grass reduction program for all Colorado River users, and creating new criteria in the Lower Basin to eliminate wastewater and antiquated water use practices.
Southern Nevadans can continue achieving conservation goals by complying with mandatory seasonal water restrictions to reduce outdoor water consumption. Additionally, Nevadans can conserve water by replacing nonfunctional grass with drip-irrigated trees and plants, and by preventing and reporting water waste to local water utilities.
Southern Nevada’s commitment to conservation has resulted in a 48 percent decline in per person water use per day since 2002, despite the addition of more than 750,000 new residents.
However, only about 60 percent of single-family households comply with the seasonal watering schedule, which limits the number of days landscapes can be watered each season.
If all Southern Nevadans followed the seasonal watering schedule, the community would save more water than is being cut under the tier two shortage level.
