April 2nd the Nevada Division of Water Resources held a hearing for the Proposed Interim Order Within the Humboldt River Region. Nevada Farm Bureau weighed in with oral comments and included comments which sited Farm Bureau policy on conjunctive management.
A primary point made dealt with the underlying authority for the State Engineer to move forward on implementing conjunctive management. “We are very concerned over the lack of legislative direction and absence of specific parameters in regard to how ‘Conjunctive Management’ is going to be carried out.” Farm Bureau’s opening statement said. “We urge a full public discussion of what conjunctive management of water resources means and how combining separate sections of state law will be implemented.”
There are various portions of the proposed interim order which don’t give much insight on what the real-life application will mean, Farm Bureau’s statement observed. “We don’t fully understand the way that specific wells in different areas, perhaps pumped on a different basis than continual, will be scored under the model system that will be coming into operation at some point in time in the future.”
A clear prohibition against inter-basin transfers, outside of the Humboldt River system is something not covered in the proposed interim order that Farm Bureau believes should be addressed. “We strongly contend that the Order needs to include provisions which would prohibit water from leaving the Humboldt River system while groundwater basins are out of balance with perennial yields and concerns of meeting necessary surface water rights exist.”
The acting State Engineer has extended the timeframe for anyone wishing to submit written comments to April 16th. For those who wish to send in written comments, they should address them to:
Department of Conservation and Natural Resources
Division of Water Resources
901 South Stewart Street, Suite 2002
Carson City, Nevada 89701-5250