New Las Vegas Golf Courses Barred From Using Colorado River Water

As reported by Blake Apgar, a new rule approved by the Las Vegas Valley Water District board will prohibit new golf courses from using Colorado River water for irrigation.

The decision comes months after federal officials declared a water shortage for Lake Mead, the source of about 90 percent of Southern Nevada’s water. The shortage declaration will slash Nevada’s allocation of water by about 6.8 billion gallons next year.

The rule applies to water delivered by the Las Vegas Valley Water District. According to the article, "[t]he change does not reduce the amount of water being consumed in Southern Nevada but does prevent additional consumptive use from golf course irrigation."

Nevada, like other western states, has been gripped by increasingly severe droughts, triggering emergency drought contingency plans as water agencies struggle to balance conservation with growing populations. This June, the Nevada state legislature passed what Southern Nevada Water Authority General Manager John Entsminger called "the most aggressive municipal water conservation measure that's been taken in the western United States," banning the use of Colorado River water for ornamental turf. Meanwhile, Lake Powell, one of the Southwest's biggest sources of water, shut down its busiest boat launch ramp as water levels reached historic lows in August.