SNWA Milestones

SNWA established (1991)
Local agencies formed the Southern Nevada Water Authority (SNWA) in 1991 to address Southern Nevada's unique water needs on a regional basis. The Water Authority is committed to managing the region's water resources and developing solutions that will ensure adequate future water supplies for the Las Vegas Valley.

Water Conservation Program (1991)
When the SNWA was formed, it made water conservation a critical component of its long-term water resource plan. SNWA has one of the most aggressive and comprehensive water conservation programs in the nation, helping the community save billions of gallons of water each year.

Bureau of Reclamation Contract (1992)
The SNWA signed a contract with the Bureau of Reclamation allowing Nevada to draw its full allotment of 300,000 acre-feet and surplus flows from the Colorado River.

Resource Acquisitions in Nevada (1994-1998)

• 1994 – Nevada State Engineer granted the SNWA permanent water rights on the Virgin River.
• 1997 – The Water Authority acquired water rights on the Muddy River.
• 1998 – The Water Authority purchased groundwater rights in Coyote Springs Valley just north of Las Vegas.

Lower Colorado River Multi-Species Conservation Program (1994)
Nevada, Arizona, and California signed an agreement with the Department of the Interior to develop a plan to protect three species of endangered fish. The move helps conserve and improve habitat for the species.

Colorado River Commission Partnership (1995)
The SNWA partnered with the Colorado River Commission to identify water resources, provide an efficient, reliable water supply, and build and maintain new power facilities.

Capital Improvements Program (1995)
The SNWA launched a $2.1 billion public works program in 1995 to ensure that water delivery keeps pace with unprecedented growth in the Las Vegas Valley. In 1998, 72 percent of Southern Nevada voters overwhelmingly approved a quarter-penny sales tax increase to help fund the improvements.

Las Vegas Valley Groundwater Management Program (1997)
SNWA developed the groundwater management program in 1997 to protect and manage the Las Vegas Valley's primary groundwater supply.

Las Vegas Wash (1998)
The Water Authority, along with other local agencies, launched restoration efforts in 1998 as part of the Las Vegas Wash Coordination Committee's management plan to restore this fragile area. The project addresses environmental concerns by decreasing erosion and by increasing wetlands that will improve water quality and support a vast array of wildlife.

Water Smart Landscapes Rebate (1999)
In 1999, the Water Authority implemented its Water Smart Landscapes rebate to encourage residential and commercial property owners to remove grass and replace it with water-efficient landscaping. Since the program began, millions of square feet of grass have been removed saving billions of gallons of water each year.

Arizona Banking Agreement (2001)
This agreement helps secure Nevada's future water supply through the year 2050 by allowing the state to divert unused and surplus water from the Colorado River and store it underground in Arizona for future use.

Interim Surplus Criteria Agreement (2001)
The Secretary of the Interior signed an agreement making additional surplus Colorado River water available to Nevada until the year 2016. This agreement also required California to reduce its water use from more than 5 million acre feet each year to its allotted 4.4 million acre feet.

Research and Testing (2001)
The Water Authority began developing a research facility with cutting-edge technology to refine the valley's water treatment methods and further improve water quality.

River Mountains Water Treatment Facility (2002)
The River Mountains Water Treatment Facility opened in October 2002. It has a capacity to treat and deliver up to 150 million gallons of water per day and can be expanded to treat up to 600 million gallons of water per day.

Drought Plan (2003)
The SNWA Drought Plan was first developed in 2002 and adopted by the SNWA Board of Directors in February 2003 in response to a severe drought in the Colorado River Basin. The plan identifies drought response measures to reduce water demands during the drought.

Ozonation (2003)
The state-of-the-art ozone technology became the primary method of water treatment for Southern Nevada when the ozonation process went online at the valley's water treatment facilities in 2003.

Silverhawk Power Plant (2004)
The 570-megawatt electric power generation facility began operating in May 2004 in Apex, Nevada. The largest consumer of power in the Las Vegas Valley, the Water Authority owns 25 percent of the Silverhawk facility, which provides a reliable power source for the authority's water treatment facilities and pumping stations.

Integrated Water Planning Advisory Committee (2004)
The drought required the Water Authority to accelerate near-term development of groundwater rights, surface water rights and groundwater applications in Clark County, Lincoln and White Pine counties. To help facilitate this effort, SNWA launched an integrated water planning process, which included the formation of an Integrated Water Planning Advisory Committee (IWPAC). The IWPAC is assessing alternatives and developing general recommendations for the SNWA Board of Directors concerning integration of in-state water resources into the water planning and management activites of Southern Nevada.

California Water Bank (2004)
The Water Authority and the Nevada Colorado Water Commission entered into agreements with the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California and the Bureau of Reclamation to store unused Colorado River water in California until it is needed.

Water Smart Home Program (2005)
Joining with local home builders, the Water Authority introduced the Water Smart Home program to help create entire neighborhoods and communities of water-efficient homes.

Water Smart Landscapes Rebate Increase (2007)
In 2007, the Water Authority increased its Water Smart Landscapes rebate, encouraging residential and commercial property owners to remove grass and replace it with water-efficient landscaping. Since the program's inception in 1999, 20 billion gallons of water has been saved (4.3 billion gallons per year and rising) and 100 million square feet of turf has been removed.

Drop 2 Reservoir (2007)
Congress passed a bill for the construction of the Drop 2 reservoir, which will capture billions of gallons of water from California and Arizona agricultural orders that are not used. As currently projected, it would provide Southern Nevada 280,000 acre-feet, with a maximum annual withdrawal of 40,000 acre-feet.

State Engineer approves Spring Valley applications
The Nevada State Engineer approved a major portion of the groundwater rights applications the SNWA submitted for the Spring Valley in White Pine County, enabling the SNWA to develop 60,000 acre-feet annually from the basin.