[{"_1":2,"_123":-5,"_124":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99,111],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6542444,"mediaKeyId","3533908-5767d2950c8b8bd55ba090809faf2ea2","parentId",3533908,"title","Nye County Water District backs AngloGold Ashanti exploratory borehole near Beatty, 5–0","audioSeconds",2175,"startMs",5806000,"endMs",7981000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3533908-5767d2950c8b8bd55ba090809faf2ea2&start=5806&end=7981","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3533908-5767d2950c8b8bd55ba090809faf2ea2/thumbnail_5806000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6542444/Nye-County/Nevada/Nye-County-Water-District-backs-AngloGold-Ashanti-exploratory-borehole-near-Beatty-50","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6542444-8348051e91e3c2700f71fa74e045acf2/orig.mp4?Expires=1770545071&Signature=QWcucit1S-1~RQTAizTs1em7LD2ZAp4S4QzRvotbMOXKVK-2vFuv6EGelRmGdXomN-d1BzBRoXpYiPGB9gQZPv50870WkVP-KY2W7MpZ3tltdo9NTmylgihSYBhXMAumT-MoVGX6NwBlAEDp~NdU4zl7jtH73F8FXKs5ctAQJ-XZ55JTq~SKvIw-A6QemA8LWhuh1MYm9JrRju~blAgGhAw5aQlut3K~QuUI~DxOYbYICQ83SuWjxJZsOL26YWr0ZoE5OmMzLq-Lj8X5aiPIteDbYHUP17KuwJfhGIbUBUo~z4qVgnMFMLfp1Ry8X9w6Cp0wTg6Jlqe6aNMwkkg9xw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Nye County","date","2025-05-27T00:00:00Z","article","The Nye County Water District Governing Board voted 5–0 on May 27 to support a future request by AngloGold Ashanti to the Nye County Board of Commissioners for approval of an exploratory reconnaissance borehole on county‑owned land near Beatty.

Representatives from AngloGold Ashanti introduced themselves and described a staged plan beginning with a reconnaissance borehole to clarify subsurface conditions on a county parcel adjacent to AngloGold land. \"We want to ... get an idea ... what's the depth of bedrock?\" consultant Jay Dixon said, explaining that the initial test is intended to reduce uncertainty before any larger production well or water‑supply project is advanced. AngloGold said it has presented the concept to the Beatty Town Advisory Board and the Beatty Water and Sanitation District and obtained letters of support from those entities.

Allison Anderson, AngloGold’s community relations manager, and Steve Yops, vice president of permitting and communities, described the long‑range concept as potentially creating a municipal/nonpotable water supply system that could serve both the town utility and, if needed, an eventual mine (Project Arthur). The company said the reconnaissance borehole would be a limited test using exploration rigs already operating in the area.

Jay Dixon outlined the proposed location identified in the company materials as \"AD 7\" and said the purpose is to better define alluvial thickness, bedrock depth and target transmissive zones—information the company said it needs before proposing a production well or pursuing a large‑scale project. \"We want to determine, quantify what X is,\" Dixon said, describing the goal as establishing sustainable yield and how any future development would protect existing rights and comply with the State Engineer’s permitting process.

The board heard public comment from Naomi Ferraras of Tonopah, who traveled to the meeting to raise longstanding community concerns about arsenic in drinking water and urged that regional funding and planning include Tonopah and Rye Patch. Ferraras asked the board to consider allocation of federal funding to address treatment and infrastructure in northern Nye County.

After discussion, a board motion to support AngloGold’s forthcoming request to the Nye County Board of Commissioners was moved and seconded and passed unanimously; roll call recorded Helene Williams, Bruce Holden, Ernie Jackson, Michael Locke and Ed Goodhart voting \"aye.\" The board’s support was for a future county filing and did not itself authorize drilling or change any water right or county land use approvals.

AngloGold representatives said a reconnaissance borehole is a first step; any later production well, water sales or inter‑basin transfers would require separate permitting, potential State Engineer review of beneficial use and, for transfers to a different hydrographic area, additional approvals. The company also discussed water quality considerations: Beatty’s EW4 well has fluoride and arsenic issues that currently require blending and treatment; the proposed testing would include water‑quality profiling and zone‑specific tests to evaluate potential treatment needs.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Nye County - Water District Governing Board Regular Meeting - May 27, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Nye County Water District on May 27 voted 5–0 to support AngloGold Ashanti’s planned request to the Nye County Board of Commissioners for permission to drill a reconnaissance borehole on county land near Beatty.","taxTitle","Nye County , Nevada","taxId",65556,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6542447,"Round Mountain Gold briefs Nye County Water District on dewatering, reuse and monitoring",3086,2275000,5361000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3533908-5767d2950c8b8bd55ba090809faf2ea2&start=2275&end=5361","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3533908-5767d2950c8b8bd55ba090809faf2ea2/thumbnail_2275000.jpg","/articles/6542447/Nye-County/Nevada/Round-Mountain-Gold-briefs-Nye-County-Water-District-on-dewatering-reuse-and-monitoring","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6542447-017f1cd4342bdff56188c5b10c0bff33/orig.mp4?Expires=1770545071&Signature=n-HVX3Rj7VudMpeuD~iQ2vgqmhA4FQKA-ZTzMdgtUq~fe-lP7g9S5AP5W2lYIgoNZGsA2g7juokuN~ZgTL~dUwj39yZxygoY8YAGyZnWOCWv2JKHF3LKiNVGbqMqmnGredwb3Tyghlu60BJ6xyI5HXYTLi3L7mULaJXM2wwrodo1hWV0QtP9qpuFNzbw8et6g1-2W49a2mtNBrxXWmwODZ30kUoNPRnXsr6BMG9fybxGt9-ugj3at7HRsv310d5y5DrXCXKlgwO-b-LoPUCtJRfWHpWtkShMIeJzitfq0-zo56Q~e2VMhAuAIS7rt2cStednW9oFYthy~SbEV~byqQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Round Mountain Gold Co. consultant Jay Dixon told the Nye County Water District Governing Board on May 27 that the mine’s dewatering system remains extensive and that most pumped water is returned to the local aquifer.

Dixon, presenting an annual update that Round Mountain typically files with the State Engineer’s Office, said the operation reported 105 dewatering wells to the Division of Water Resources and that about 63% of the water pumped in 2024 was returned to the basin; approximately 35% was consumed by mining processes, evaporation and processing losses. \"We reused over 80,000 acre‑feet,\" Dixon said, summarizing site‑wide reuse in ore processing and noting that the mine’s consumptive fraction is substantially less than the pumped total.

Dixon reviewed recent and planned work at the mine, including the Phase W expansion (authorized under NEPA in 2018) and current work in the southeastern pit area, Phase S. He said the mine’s water management includes deep and angled dewatering wells, booster/lift stations that move water hundreds of feet up from the pit bottom, and rapid infiltration basins (\"ribs\") used to return water to the alluvial aquifer. \"It's a world class dewatering system,\" he said, describing crews, rigs and ongoing well rehabilitation operations.

Dixon showed hydrographs and potentiometric maps indicating substantial drawdown immediately around the pit—drawdown that he said is expected under the mine’s permits and groundwater model—but more modest changes at greater distances from the mine where agricultural and community wells exist. He said the mine maintains monitoring at nearly 200 locations, provides data to the State Engineer’s Office, and operates under both water right permits and NEPA commitments tied to mitigation and monitoring.

On operations and costs, Dixon said the combined capital and operating expenditure for last year was about $12.6 million and that projected spending for the coming year is roughly $9.4 million; those numbers include drilling, well construction, pumping and related capital work. He described plans under Phase S to install bedrock dewatering wells (14 planned over five years, with a mix of new and replacement wells) and emphasized instrumentation and well maintenance practices intended to keep the dewatering system functioning without prolonged downtime.

Board members asked about potential long‑term pit lakes if dewatering stops, arsenic and other water‑quality questions, and how much of the mine’s authorized diversion capacity was used last year. Dixon said maximum authorized diversion under the mine’s combined rights totals 53 cubic feet per second, while actual maximum pumping last year was about 19.3 cfs; he said the mine rarely approaches its full permitted diversion and noted engineering and permit commitments to long‑term reclamation and water quality protections.

Dixon concluded by urging clearer public messaging on basin water trends, noting that statewide maps showing long‑term groundwater trends can mislead users who don’t account for dense monitoring data clustered near active mines. \"If the wrong person sees this, red is bad...and the mine must be causing this,\" Dixon said, arguing the graphic can overstate impacts beyond the locally measured dewatering footprint.","RMGC consultant Jay Dixon told the Water District on May 27 that Round Mountain’s large dewatering operation returned about 63% of pumped water to the basin in 2024 and consumes roughly 35%; the mine operates more than 100 dewatering wells and plans additional bedrock and replacement wells under its Phase S plan.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6542453,"Nye County Water District adopts final budget for fiscal year 2025–26 in unanimous vote",1669,596000,2265000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3533908-5767d2950c8b8bd55ba090809faf2ea2&start=596&end=2265","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3533908-5767d2950c8b8bd55ba090809faf2ea2/thumbnail_596000.jpg","/articles/6542453/Nye-County/Nevada/Nye-County-Water-District-adopts-final-budget-for-fiscal-year-202526-in-unanimous-vote","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6542453-6204f5c726a64da2805ea7926511b7e4/orig.mp4?Expires=1770545071&Signature=bJjGYVlgbjEZUKG3pODbwtmsxfyng37oisElF3CWjtywJFmtYWfhVU0LLDgkGDHkYo8x~EhLf-cfMmM8wYmMH8RRMvwLK97V9Rhl-QcrfkX~Wnzxmbrt~TorOMSZ13XuIY95AMz1hdZ8wqiCi~cl6MxwbIrQA1oTj4~56BRz4TiVHa186P2EUSpfAyNG6Cnv5lQZw0K9rrVeSew4zoxa~kIvUZwVxGe~qU--DrPOS2-HVwXCu6Pg97K~UVwfZ3YH-toh0a-wJahii7QTUf-XN8KRZ8DpVAE3jRUcISnFv0rxkvQYoQYgg4vEY3eEOxW1bgix5OrpAudyLAbRr9dRYw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Nye County Water District Governing Board on May 27 adopted its final budget for fiscal year 2025–26 following public deliberation and board questions, voting unanimously 5–0 to approve the measure.

Board Chair Ed Goodhart presided over the meeting in Pahrump where the board reviewed adjustments made to the tentative budget and discussed several line-item changes before voting. The board’s comptroller, Elma Bay, presented the final figures and answered detailed questions from board members about differences between the tentative and final documents.

Board members said the final budget reflects more precise estimates than the tentative numbers because staff had additional information on lease costs, utilities and the district’s grant commitments. \"The large difference ... the total amount is a hundred and twenty‑four thousand less,\" said Bruce Holden, citing the change between tentative and final totals.

Bay and manager Daniel Weeks told the board the change largely resulted from refining salary estimates and moving some of the work previously shown as staff labor to contract or grant-funded work. The board removed 0.5 of an employee previously listed after clarification that the person is a Nye County employee working under an MOU with the district, not a district employee.

The board also discussed how grant-funded contracts are represented in the schedules. Bay said some items in the supplemental schedules—such as a $65,000 entry for DRI cloud seeding and a $200,000 DRI modeling contract—are obligations or prepaid amounts that will be recognized as expenses in the current fiscal year but do not reflect new cash outflow for the district this year. \"This schedule is a supplemental for your information only,\" Bay said of the vendor/contract schedules.

Board members asked for clearer side‑by‑side detail in future packets showing where the tentative and final numbers changed so the public and board can see which line items were adjusted. The comptroller agreed to prepare more detailed line‑item comparisons for future meetings.

After additional procedural clarifications about contingency line items and how vendor schedules are supplemental (not binding as contract amounts), a motion to adopt the final budget was moved and seconded and the roll call vote recorded Helene Williams, Bruce Holden, Ernie Jackson, Michael Locke and Ed Goodhart voting \"aye.\" The board declared the motion carried 5–0.

The board and staff noted the district will continue to refine accounting separation for grants and general operations to improve future budget transparency and facilitate grant reporting.","The Nye County Water District Governing Board voted 5–0 on May 27 to adopt its final budget for fiscal year 2025–26 after revisions to the tentative numbers, including removal of a 0.5 staff position and adjustments to service lines and grant accounting.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6542435,"Water District extends and increases contracts, approves three‑year manager agreement",982,8910000,9892000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3533908-5767d2950c8b8bd55ba090809faf2ea2&start=8910&end=9892","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3533908-5767d2950c8b8bd55ba090809faf2ea2/thumbnail_8910000.jpg","/articles/6542435/Nye-County/Nevada/Water-District-extends-and-increases-contracts-approves-threeyear-manager-agreement","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6542435-d21063c1275d523e304b5d178d3a65cf/orig.mp4?Expires=1770545071&Signature=az~82zGgKa~HgL5gYDNl3UYhJnN-pWgmkPo~AzBZiWYdR64fbeq6VEJPm1hwn56j1-lD-EuNArHl3o7qiHqxARQqnkyJKcXw8wArVfJV62AadLo1BVorQhQqNxjtyARReF4R83kCwMpmm3T0IxvkhlFM3beQBHi7fdrGx5lvvA5m56s40HU08j5b~MhBxP36snNSTtHq1sw-Pfo68-qWXLNyTyMRw4LWz~JF-s8Rye-ZkfUY7a66HkMGum2-pfsmNO69PZKw4yMCdVjsp0P87VrryW~I72AqMHg-P8i632DnHWkUKt7oXXnQRqHFdyt2HJWLninc39s6-IjeHQXOJA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Nye County Water District Governing Board approved three change orders and contract extensions during its May 27 meeting.

1) Kathy Gilmore — quality assurance: The board voted to extend a professional services agreement for Kathy Gilmore as quality assurance officer with a not‑to‑exceed amount of $3,000 for fiscal year 2025–26. Manager Daniel Weeks said Gilmore has institutional knowledge valuable to the district’s data review despite relocating out of state; board members supported retaining her for limited, remote work. The motion carried 5–0.

2) Schroeder Law — legal services: The board approved change order No. 2 for Schroeder Law (not to exceed $35,000 for FY 2025–26). Management said last year’s legal spending was just under $20,000 and that Schroeder Law provided comprehensive research on several matters, including issues tied to historic testing and regulatory questions. The motion passed 5–0.

3) General manager contract — Daniel Weeks: After discussion the board approved a multi‑year contract extension for the general manager with step increases: $72,000 in year one, $74,000 in year two and $76,000 in year three, and the existing $6,000 annual expense reimbursement unchanged. Weeks said he did not seek a raise but the board’s motion reflected a desire to provide multi‑year stability and recognize performance, including grant work and compliance progress. The motion carried unanimously 5–0.

Board members who spoke in favor of the measures cited institutional knowledge, the quality of legal work received, compliance improvements and the benefits of a multi‑year commitment to retain staff continuity. No public objections were recorded during the public‑comment windows for those agenda items.","The board on May 27 approved three contract change orders: a $3,000 not‑to‑exceed extension for quality assurance officer Kathy Gilmore, a $35,000 not‑to‑exceed extension for Schroeder Law, and a three‑year extension of the general manager contract with incremental salary increases; all votes were unanimous 5–0.",{"_33":112,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":113,"_41":114,"_43":115,"_45":116,"_47":117,"_49":118,"_51":119,"_53":120,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":121,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":122,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6542438,"Board hears wrap‑up of 83rd Nevada Legislature; focus on groundwater bills and permitting",1056,7947000,9003000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3533908-5767d2950c8b8bd55ba090809faf2ea2&start=7947&end=9003","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3533908-5767d2950c8b8bd55ba090809faf2ea2/thumbnail_7947000.jpg","/articles/6542438/Nye-County/Nevada/Board-hears-wrapup-of-83rd-Nevada-Legislature-focus-on-groundwater-bills-and-permitting","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6542438-cca141bbf60ddbf6a88da21da1b7d5af/orig.mp4?Expires=1770545071&Signature=XwaPf1mXp9RRoIQPz-FQn~lGSTv6sDPNuo1ySKTczY2mB9OqpCmepdKi7Gv5T9lJL1TImFbIvZ5Pjd~sNqrMz-4gn4h0N1rktWqaymH4GnQeH1oJU6~lmlz30Lxs2b3qJe2UdMvTzJWblndrqIqg4r~uEj9obzDX1X-Yxa2w8qCVfWtS4rzhQjs4skEYMspBWggSOH-mfWePKSLgOEoRn8sA3x72ZYfeC91pxK70-q-PQjFsF9AN8JS6z5S09CvWpoe6fZ2gZiRqdLTyIvI1D84e~-4k9oovw7XZZUzCTgj9Crcgf7jKfoTWFLAmv0hS5C53GhzCRU~8EP9IJMfptQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Nye County Water District Governing Board received an update May 27 on water‑related bills in the 83rd Nevada Legislative Session from legislative consultant Jay Dixon.

Dixon summarized roughly 15 bills he was tracking that could affect water management in Nevada and Nye County. He highlighted AB104, which sets up the statutory infrastructure for a groundwater retirement (buyback) program; he said his office and others secured clarifying language after an amendment initially risked restricting the State Engineer’s ability to issue new groundwater rights where retirements occur. Dixon described the final language as specific to rights retired under the program rather than a blanket restriction on issuing new rights under NRS 533.370.

He also noted bills of interest including proposals to create neighborhood improvement districts for local utility infrastructure (AB10), cloud‑seeding appropriations to the Desert Research Institute (SB6) and recurring proposals regarding groundwater governance (AB363) and administrative procedures for the State Engineer (AB419). Dixon said some measures faced fiscal or legal challenges and remained dynamic late in the session.

Dixon raised the issue of federal‑state adjudication and related measures (SB31) tied to sovereign immunity and the need to ensure federal participation in adjudications; he said relevant fixes did not pass this session and will require further work. He also flagged an administration proposal for Nevada to join the Interstate Mining Compact Commission, noting the state’s mining rules and supply‑chain priorities for critical minerals.

Board members thanked Dixon for the summary and asked clarifying questions. Dixon repeatedly urged attention to bill language and implementation details, noting that passage is often only the first step of a longer implementation effort.","Legislative consultant Jay Dixon briefed the board on water‑related bills under consideration in the 83rd Nevada Legislative Session, highlighting a range of proposals from groundwater retirement program structure (AB104) to cloud‑seeding funding and interstate mining compact membership.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Nye County Water District backs AngloGold Ashanti exploratory borehole near Beatty, 5–0

Round Mountain Gold briefs Nye County Water District on dewatering, reuse and monitoring

Nye County Water District adopts final budget for fiscal year 2025–26 in unanimous vote

Water District extends and increases contracts, approves three‑year manager agreement

Board hears wrap‑up of 83rd Nevada Legislature; focus on groundwater bills and permitting