Las Vegas & The Groundwater Development Project

Where does it start? — Where will it end?

A Progressive Leadership Alliance of Nevada (PLAN) Report (2006)

By Christina Roessler
Concepts & Design by Bob Schmitt

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As a whole, the United States is water rich. Even here, however, rapidly growing urban populations are draining available water resources. This is especially true in arid regions of the Southwest. Cities throughout the region are trying to figure out how to meet the demand for water. This is no easy task, because virtually every drop of water in the Southwest is being used for something.

Increasingly, cities are eyeing the water in rural areas and are contemplating large-scale water transfers. Rural has it, urban wants it, and money and power are largely on the side of the cities. We’re at a crossroads, and the life of rural America is in the balance. Without water, rural communities and the farmers and ranchers who grow our food cannot thrive.

Cities have a choice. They can increase supply, often at the expense of rural communities; they can decrease demand; or they can do both. In waterscarce areas, there are no easy answers. It ultimately comes down to who decides, how water is shared, and how to strike the right balance.