Division of Water Resources seeks continued ARPA support for digitization, stream gauging and new hearing capacity

State Engineer Adam Sullivan told the joint subcommittees the Division of Water Resources' recommended budget focuses on modernizing records, expanding monitoring and retaining science capacity to manage Nevada's scarce water supply. The division requested continued funding for digitization and Nevada Water Initiative work begun with ARPA funds, two legal/hearing positions to reduce decision bottlenecks, and ongoing support for streamflow and groundwater monitoring in cooperation with the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS).

Why this matters: Sullivan emphasized Nevada is the driest state in the nation and said updated, defensible scientific data are necessary to administer water rights, manage groundwater, and protect public safety and the environment. He told the committee the state water plan has not been updated since 1999 and that ARPA‑funded projects (with an expenditure deadline of Dec. 31, 2026) are being used to accelerate baseline mapping, monitoring and digitization efforts.

Major items in the budget pitch

- Digitization and records modernization: The division has scanned roughly 98,000 water‑rights maps and is expanding scanning to permit and hearing records. The division said it currently maintains large‑format map scanning capacity and is procuring additional equipment and contracted staff to process standard‑size files. Division leadership said the digitization effort will continue through the ARPA period and beyond, but full public accessibility will require additional software funding.

- Nevada Water Initiative and monitoring: The division described the Nevada Water Initiative (a cooperative program with the Desert Research Institute and the USGS) and requested support to continue streamflow gauges and groundwater monitoring that inform water deliveries, forecasting and adjudications. The division said the state currently pays roughly 65% of a stream gauging network cost with the USGS providing the remaining 35 percent.

- Legal/hearing capacity: The budget proposes converting a supervising professional‑engineer position into an administrative law judge (an attorney position) and adds a second legal/adjudicative position to reduce a backlog of hearings. Sullivan said the complexity and contested nature of water rights administration has increased and that additional hearing capacity is needed to issue defensible, timely decisions.

- Staffing and IT/GIS consolidation: The division reported a recommended budget just shy of $25 million and said staff totals will move from 84 to 76 in part because 10 IT/GIS positions are consolidating at the department level; the budget also requests two continuing positions for digitization work.

Committee concerns and follow‑up requests

Committee members asked for timelines and milestones for ARPA‑funded digitization and the Nevada Water Initiative, including whether the division will spend the ARPA allocation by the 12/31/2026 deadline. Deputy Administrator Chris Thorson said the division expects to expend the funds and is ramping contracted scanning staff and equipment to process remaining records. Members also asked for statistics on appeals and judicial review of division decisions; Sullivan said additional data on appeals and backlog will be provided as a follow up.

What was not decided

No committee votes were taken; the committee requested more specific timelines for ARPA expenditures, further detail on the scope of digitization deliverables, and documentation demonstrating anticipated long‑term costs for maintaining gauges and digital records after ARPA funds expire.

Ending note

Sullivan said the division has reduced vacancies to about 6 percent, credited recent hires with progress on modernization and monitoring, and reiterated that water security is essential to Nevada's economy, public health and environment.