Why Southern Nevada water officials are gearing up for a rough 2024
In states dependent on the dwindling Colorado River, planning is key. That’s what the Southern Nevada Water Authority does every year with the release of its Water Resource Plan, which serves as a yearly check-in for how conservation measures are faring amid low water availability. The authority’s board approved the plan at its January meeting. The authority is a coalition of the region’s government entities in charge of securing water resources for the state in the long term. Such a task is further complicated by Nevada’s small allowance of Colorado River water and historic lows in Lake Mead, which supplies about 90 percent of the state’s water. Last year’s weather offered a reprieve from Nevada’s extremely dry and hot climate, but the valley’s water managers are gearing up for a more intense 2024.