Las Vegas Valley Groundwater
Management Program

In 1997, the Nevada Legislature directed the Southern Nevada Water Authority (SNWA) to develop the Las Vegas Valley Groundwater Management Program to protect and manage the valley's primary groundwater supply.

Program Goals:

• Support activities to protect the aquifer from contamination
• Improve management of the groundwater resources to prevent overdrafting
• Provide information about the aquifer, water conservation and rules governing groundwater wells in Southern Nevada to well users
• Increase understanding and cooperation among groundwater users and agencies involved in groundwater

Well users help shape the program

The Las Vegas Valley Groundwater Management Program receives input from an Advisory Committee for Groundwater Management comprised of domestic, community and commercial well users. This citizen's group meets quarterly to discuss issues of interest and to develop recommendations on what can be done to protect the groundwater basin.

The committee's recommendations have been incorporated into the Las Vegas Valley Groundwater Management Program and its various activities.

Program Activities:

• A permanent recharge program
• Increased groundwater quality monitoring
• Plugging abandoned and unused wells in the Las Vegas Valley
• Conservation education for well users
• Information outreach on wells, water laws and issues of importance to Southern Nevada residents
• A financial assistance program that will pay up to 85 percent of connection costs for well users who are required by the Nevada State Engineer to connect to a municipal water system

These activities are funded through an annual groundwater management fee that is paid by all well users and holders of water permits or water rights.

For more information, visit LasVegasGMP.org.