Elko County Nevada Water Resource Management Plan 2007

SECTION 1
Elko County Water Resource Management Plan
Plan Development Information
INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK & HISTORY
HISTORY
April 17, 1997 a letter from the State of Nevada Division of Water Resources was delivered to the Elko
County Division of Planning and Zoning. The letter was prepared by Mr. Michael Turnipseed, P.E., State of
Nevada Engineer and Director of the Division of Water Resources. The letter was concerning the creation
of additional parcels within the Elko Segment of the Humboldt River Basin. Mr. Turnipseed recommended
to Elko County that for each new parcel created within the Elko Segment 2.02 acre feet of water rights in
good standing must be relinquished and abandoned to the State of Nevada. This meant that for each Parcel
map or Subdivision that created parcels smaller than forty (40) acres in size that required the development
of individual domestic wells, the developer would be required to acquire water rights that equaled 1800gpd
or 2.02 acre feet per each parcel before the Parcel map or Subdivision could be approved.
Mr. Turnipseed’s letter provided some land status inventory of the Elko Segment, stating that approximately
4,500 parcels were at that time in existence and each parcel had been allocated for domestic wells. This
number did not take into consideration access to other utilities, ingress / egress, topographic features or other
limiting factors to the development of the parcel. The letter also recommenced to Elko County that the
creation and implementation of an Elko County Water Plan would be needed.
The letter was forwared to the Elko County Board of Commissioners. The Commissioners directed staff to
request the State Engineer to attend a regularly scheduled meeting at his convenience. Mr. Hugh Ricci,
Deputy Director of the State of Nevada Division of Water Resources did attend and provide explanation as
to the letter. His response was that the letter was only a recommendation to Elko County to proceed with
new land development within the Elko Segment with caution as to the water allocation and to create and
implement an Elko Segment or County Water Plan.
THE ELKO COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
In December of 1997 the Elko County Board of Commissioners approved by resolution the creation of the
Elko County Water Planning Commission as an Advisory Board. The Water Planning Commission was
charged with the duty to create and implement the Elko County Water Resources Plan. The Elko County
Water Planning Commission was established and first met in February 1998. Upon the creation of the Plan,
the Elko County Water Planning Commission was to submit the Plan, Recommendations and Policies to the
Board of County Commissioners for approval.
THE ELKO COUNTY WATER PLANNING COMMISSION
The Elko County Board of Commissioners instructed staff to prepare project outlines and cost analysis for
the Elko County Water Plan. In September of 1997 the Elko County Planning and Zoning Division
prepared a project outline for the creation and implementation of the Elko County Water Plan and submitted
it to the Elko County Board of Commissioners. The first priority was establishing the Elko County Water
Planning Commission.
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