Governor kicks off Nevada drought summit

Gov. Brian Sandoval openeda three-day water summit Monday with his own observations of a drought-stricken landscape of depleted reservoirs, rivers reduced to trickles and mountaintops no longer capped with snow. From Lake Mead to Lake Tahoe, water levels have dropped, leaving boat ramps high and dry; farmers and ranchers have left fields fallow. Last winter, snow-skiing shops closed in mid-winter because of the lack of snow. "The subject of drought could not be more serious," Sandoval told more than 200 participants gathered in the state Assembly chambers. "This is not a problem we can leave for future generations. It's going to come back." Sandoval said he was "horrified" by how little water was in Rye Patch Reservoir on a recent trip to eastern Nevada, and the white "bathtub" ring around Lake Mead — the primary water source for the Las Vegas Valley — is a constant reminder of how dry it is in the Silver State. The drought summit brings together water experts, ranchers, farmers, tourism representatives, casino and mining executives, and municipal water managers to talk about water challenges. The gathering follows three previous workshops held around the state. The summit also precedes a final, Sept. 28 meeting of the Drought Forum, a panel appointed in April by the governor to discuss and recommend changes in water practices...more