Gambling on the water table ... water conservation in Las Vegas

From its beginnings, Las Vegas has had a thirst beyond the capabilities of its own water sources to absorb. Half a century ago, the city dried up ancient springs in the Las Vegas valley, but its population continued to explode. Today, Las Vegas' pursuit of water is not just a local problem, it becomes a survival issue with serious implications for water supplies, communities and the environment throughout Nevada and in areas of neighboring Utah and California.

Here is a great material worth reading so that we understand not only the urgency for finding solution for years to come but also an environmental threat with unpredictable consequences. To comprehend the magnitude of the threat posed by Las Vegas' plan to pump rural Nevada water, it is helpful to understand the natural processes that formed and continue to sustain life in the Great Basin.

The Great Basin Water Network is an umbrella organization for groups and individuals committed to protecting the water resources of the Great Basin for current and future inhabitants (human, animal and plant). Read more>>

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UPDATE NEWS: Two of the West’s preeminent water organizations report Las Vegas Valley is sitting on an oasis of water and money savings. The report, "Hidden Oasis: Water Conservation and Efficiency in Las Vegas," was prepared by the Pacific Institute in Oakland, Calif., and Western Resource Advocates of Boulder, Colorado.