That 3-yr lower Colorado River water cuts deal may be precarious

To refresh your memory, per blogging here two weeks ago, that's the deal the three lower basin states of the Colorado River Compact made to cut water use over the next three years (at which point the whole Compact is due to expire, and the shit really hits the fan then).

Per Pro Publica, the claims by the Southern Nevada Water Authority that Las Vegas still has 3,900 acres of non-essential grass that can be ripped out is overstated by two-thirds or more. Also, SNWA exempts more than 3,000 acres of golf courses.

Many people may think they've heard about these courses using recycled wastewater. And they do. But, water on grass, unlike other recycled water, doesn't recycle again and go down to Lake Mead, where Vegas and neighboring cities get water credits for SNWA. That water, on golf courses and other grass, soaks into the ground.

Pro Publica adds that, even a more realistic number on acreage, removal rates since the Nevada Lege mandated this in 2021 are behind schedule to meet the 2027 deadline. And, that's not to mention the three years ahead. And SNWA has added to the resistance with a waiver process. 

Fight like this, and miscalculations like this, show that getting other Lower Basin cities to reduplicate even SNWA's past, lower-hanging fruit of success will de difficult. And, of course, that's not the problem. AS PP notes, it's agriculture (paging Johnny Thompson!) — followed by industrial users, even as Aridzona tries to recruit things like Facebook data centers.