The Pursuit of Sustainable and Reliable Water Supplies in the Desert - The Las Vegas Story

This presentation will describe the challenges, priorities and plans of the SNWA. From dusty backwater to desert metropolis Las Vegas's growth has depended on its water supplies. The presentation will include a brief history of the early Las Vegas Valley water supplies and water resource management issues and conditions that led to the formation of the Southern Nevada Water Authority. It will chart the progress of water resource plans in the 1990s and early 2000s and discuss the current situation against that backdrop. It will include discussion of current realities, such as drought, climate change, and the requirements for sustainability, and current priorities, including conservation, diversification of resources, regional partnerships, and how the SNWA's 2009 Water Resource Plan addresses them.