PURPOSE

The BLM Nevada State Director established the Nevada Groundwater Projects Office to facilitate the preparation of environmental impact statements (EIS) for three rights-of-way applications.  The applications are for the placement of surface facilities (wells, roads, pipelines, and power lines) to develop and transport water across public lands. The links below provide detailed information for each of the three projects.

AGENCY ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES

The Lincoln County Conservation, Recreation & Development Act of 2004 establishes several corridors in Lincoln and Clark counties for the purpose of water conveyance systems and associated facilities.  The BLM’s role is to grant or deny the rights-of-way applications for the surface facilities, which is subject to the National Environmental Policy Act.  The water rights associated with these projects are granted through the Nevada State Engineer and are not subject to BLM jurisdiction. 

Lincoln County Conservation, Recreation, and Development Act of 2004 (LCCRDA, Public Law 108-424)

The Lincoln County Conservation, Recreation, and Development Act of 2004 provides for many changes that will take place throughout Lincoln County, Nevada:

• Title I (Land Disposal) directs the Secretary of the Interior to conduct land sales of approximately 103 acres in southern Lincoln County.
• Title II (Wilderness Areas) identifies 14 new wilderness areas and releases other specific areas from wilderness designation.
• Title III (Utility Corridors) provides for several groundwater transmission facility corridors to be used by Southern Nevada Water Authority (SNWA), LCWD, and others for the facilities necessary for construction and operation of water conveyance systems, subject to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).  Title III also directs the U.S. Geological Survey, the Desert Research Institute, and a designee from the State of Utah to conduct a groundwater study, known as the Basin and Range Carbonate Aquifer System Study (BARCASS).  The BARCASS Final Report will be available by December of 2007.  In addition, Title III requires Utah and Nevada to reach an agreement regarding the division of water rights located on both sides of the border prior to any transbasin diversion.
• Title IV (Silver State Off-Highway Vehicle Trail) designates the Silver State Off-Highway Vehicle Trail system and requires the Secretary of Interior, in consultation with the State of Nevada and Lincoln County, to complete a management plan for the trail system by 2007.
• Title V (Open Space Parks) directs the Secretary of the Interior to convey up to 15 acres to Lincoln County and additional lands to the State of Nevada for open space parks.
• Title VI (Jurisdiction Transfer) establishes requirements for jurisdictional transfers between the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and BLM.

These actions are expected to take place within Lincoln County, and will therefore occur under all alternatives, including the "No Action" alternative.  Each EIS will have to consider the potential for cumulative effects from these actions. 

Click on the project titles below to learn more about the EIS Process and the Water Rights Process specific to each project.

CLARK, LINCOLN, AND WHITE PINE COUNTIES GROUNDWATER DEVELOPMENT PROJECT

The Southern Nevada Water Authority submitted a right-of-way application to the BLM for construction and operation of a groundwater development project that would allow them to develop and transport water from Clark, Lincoln, and White Pine counties to Southern Nevada.  The proposed project consists of approximately 327 miles of buried pipelines, five pumping stations, six regulating tanks, one buried storage reservoir, one water treatment facility, and approximately 341 miles of power lines with two primary electrical substations, 5 secondary substations, and four hydroturbine energy recovery facilities.  Construction is anticipated to take place between 2009 and 2015, depending on approvals and phasing.  Click on the link above to learn more about this project and the EIS currently being prepared by the BLM Nevada State Office, Groundwater Projects Office.

LINCOLN COUNTY LAND ACT GROUNDWATER DEVELOPMENT AND UTILITY RIGHT-OF-WAY PROJECT

The Lincoln County Water Disctict (LCWD) submitted a right-of-way application to the BLM for construction and operation of a groundwater development project.  The right-of-way would authorize LCWD to construct infrastructure required to pump and convey groundwater resources in the Tule Desert and Clover Valley to help meet future municipal water needs in newly urbanizing areas; specifically the 13,300-acre Lincoln County Land Act (LCLA) development area, north of Mesquite.  The proposed project consists of a 47-mile main transmission pipeline and 54 miles of collection/lateral pipelines, up to 30 production wells, water storage tanks, booster stations, access roads, 138kV, 22.8kV, and 4.16kV transmission lines, a power substation, a natural gas pipeline, underground telephone lines and a telemetry system utilizing a fiber optic line.  Associated ancillary facilities would include overhead distribution power lines, buried fiber optic lines for telemetry, telephone lines, natural gas lines, access roads, and temporary storage areas.  Contruction would begin upon acquisition of necessary permits, approvals, and grants.  Click on the link above to learn more about this project and the EIS currently being prepared by the BLM Nevada State Office, Groundwater Projects Office.

KANE SPRINGS VALLEY GROUNDWATER DEVELOPMENT PROJECT

The Lincoln County Water District (LCWD) submitted a right-of-way application to the BLM for construction and operation of a groundwater development project. The right-of-way would authorize LCWD to construct infrastructure required to pump and convey groundwater resources in the Kane Springs Valley.  The proposed project consists of groundwater production/monitoring wells, water collection pipelines, one main water transmission pipeline, one terminal storage tank, one forebay storage tank, electrical distribution lines, electrical substations, and a telemetry system/fiber optic lines.  Project construction would occur in three phases with 1 to 3 years between phases.  Construction would begin at the southwest terminus of the project (near the intersection of Hwy 93 and Kane Springs Road) and continue to the northeast (generally following Kane Springs Road).  The phases will correspond to the demad for water and the issuance of future water rights.  Construction of Phase 1 would begin upon acquisition of necessary permits, approvals, and grants. 

The Draft Environmental Impact Statement was released for public review and comment on June 22, 2007.  The comment period opened on June 22, 2007 and ended on August 20, 2007. During this time the BLM received 19 comments.  The comments and BLM's response can be viewed in Appendix F of the Final Environmental Impact Statement (click on link below).

Click on the link above to learn more about this project and the EIS currently being prepared by the BLM Nevada State Office, Groundwater Projects Office.

FINAL EIS NOW AVAILABLE

COMMENT PERIOD: February 8, 2008 - March 10, 2008