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Staff summarizes water applications; commissioners urged to wait for State Engineer's preliminary order
Summary
County water staff reviewed July water applications and vesting claims while a commissioner said the State Engineer is likely to issue a preliminary order on conjunctive management/curtailment for the Humboldt River Basin; the commission agreed to await that order before making policy changes to the local water plan.
Staff member (S3) summarized July water applications: a City of Carlin equestrian facility, multiple livestock and stock-water applications in Ruby Valley and Long Canyon, a notable change application in Elko Summit Estates for irrigation/domestic use on an individual lot, a new appropriation for stock water along Rabbit Creek in the 10 Mile Basin, and an application tied to the Mavericks Springs mining/milling permit in Ruby Valley.
Commissioner (S2) told the group that at a Humboldt River stakeholders meeting it is "extremely likely that the state engineer is gonna put out what he calls a preliminary order" which could amount to conjunctive-management curtailment for some underground water users; the commissioner said they expect that order before year-end and recommended holding off on policy decisions in the county water plan until the State Engineer's modeling and public-comment period are released. Staff said DRI is finishing a technical draft of the county water-management work that should be available for internal review soon and that an open house may be scheduled after the State Engineer's action and the DRI draft are available.
Commissioners asked for clarification on vested-rights filings; staff explained a State Engineer order requires people with longstanding unrecorded uses to file claims to have the uses reflected on the official record, which has prompted a wave of vested-right applications. No formal action was taken; the commission scheduled further review and public engagement dependent on the State Engineer timeline and the DRI technical draft.
