… As late as the 1980s half of the economy of Mineral County, including the nearby town of Hawthorne, was based on visitors taking advantage of the fishing and other recreational activities at Walker Lake. But a problem was brewing. More and more water was being used upstream for agricultural purposes and less water was reaching Walker Lake. … The Walker Basin Conservancy has the ambitious goal of bringing the lake level in Walker Lake up to the level it was in the year 2000. … [W]hen the Conservancy purchases the right to water they also have been able to provide recreational opportunities. 

Other recreation news:

• Colorado Politics (Denver): New study looks at ‘right to float’ on Colorado waterways