Lyon County tables recommendation on Walker Basin Conservancy water-right transfers to Walker Lake

The Lyon County Board of Commissioners voted 5-0 to table consideration of recommendations on multiple water-right transfer applications filed by the Walker Basin Conservancy, after county staff said the state comment period had not closed.

County Manager Andrew Haskin explained the board had received a notice from the state water engineer that the county must hold a hearing whenever a place of use for a water right is proposed to change counties. Haskin told the board the conservancy seeks to move previously appropriated water rights from agricultural uses in Lyon County to support Walker Lake, and he provided the list of application numbers the board was being asked to consider.

Haskin said the total amount cited in the discussion was about 1,770.4057 acre-feet as stated in the meeting record and that the county had to accept public comments and obtain input from Walker River Irrigation District before taking a recommendation. “My recommendation today is actually gonna be to table this until that comment period is up, and we can coordinate with Walker River Irrigation District and get their comments,” Haskin said.

A member of the public who spoke at the hearing urged the board to oppose transfers, saying, “we've transferred way too much water out of Mason and Smith Valleys.” Commissioners said they agreed it was appropriate to wait for the close of the comment period before making a recommendation; one commissioner noted a county recommendation is only advisory to the state water engineer.

A motion to table the item was made and seconded; the board voted 5-0 to table and bring the matter back after the comment period closes so the county can review any submitted comments and coordinate with impacted irrigation districts.