[ Back ] [ Home ] [ Up ] [ Next ]

Friday, October 20-26, 2006

©Copyright 2006, Bullhead City Bee

Guest Editorials - Two voices: Impact on Arizona Water

By Bob Frisby

Arizona's most precious natural resource is now under assault by Nevada business interests. If successful, these companies would set a terrible precedent and create a long-term, statewide water crisis in Arizona. In Arizona we know that water is our lifeblood and our elected officials, community leaders, and citizens work to promote sustainable development and responsible growth to match this limited resource. Yet, despite the best efforts of Arizonans, the state's future is threatened by the development interests of our thirsty Nevada neighbor.

Many Arizona citizens may not be aware. Nevada interests have made several attempts to pipe pure water from Arizona and Utah wells to poorly planned Nevada developments. In fact, there currently is a significant application from Nevada-based businesses operating as Wind River Resources awaiting decision by the Arizona Department of Water Resources (ADWR) to do just that. Wind River Resources is affiliated with Nevada interests who want to drill on a small parcels of land they own near Beaver Dam, Arizona and pump approximately 4.5 billion gallons of water annually to Virgin Valley Water District in Mesquite, Nevada.

If the scheme is approved, a few greedy individuals from Nevada who have invested less than $100,000 in 55 acres of Arizona ground will receive a personal profit of $4 to $6 million dollars per year, while a small Arizona oasis community is threatened with drying up and becoming a dust bowl. Although Wind River Resources claims that the impact of pumping water to Nevada will be minimal, they blatantly contradict themselves by providing in their application an expert report that states, "We believe the Muddy Creek Formation (at the Beaver Dam Wash) in the Virgin River Valley aquifer system is highly susceptible to subsidence." This brazen attempt by a few self-interested Nevadans to siphon Arizona's water and reduce our growing communities to stagnant and depleted ghost towns is an outrage that should be vigorously resisted by everyone interested in the future of Arizona.

This proposal would set a dangerous precedent and could jeopardize water resources throughout the state. If Arizona allows Mesquite, Nevada to take pure water from Beaver Dam, Arizona in the future we will be defenseless when other poorly planned Nevada developments begin eyeing the resources available in Kingman or Bullhead City or Lake Havasu City. On a larger scale, if Nevada builders are allowed to pipe our water back to their developments, what's to prevent other states' speculators from buying small parcels of Arizona land, drilling into our aquifers and then pumping our water back to their expanding communities? Granting permission now to Wind River Resources is the first step down a dangerous slippery slope.

The bottom line is that the application states that Virgin Valley Water District plans to dilute the arsenic contamination to acceptable federal levels and avoid paying for costly water treatment facilities. In their application, Wind River Resources states, "The presence of arsenic in excess of the new standards further reduces the available supply to Virgin Valley Water District in Nevada without implementing expensive treatment processes. Ground water from Muddy Creek aquifer in Beaver Dam Wash is of better quality and is in compliance with the new arsenic standard for the Safe Drinking Water Act. By mixing the groundwater from the Muddy Creek Formation in the Beaver Dam Wash with the existing water supply, the costs associated with constructing, operating and maintaining a treatment facility are eliminated."

Once Nevada's water needs are met, Wind River Resources claimed that the Virgin Valley Water District would return an unspecified amount of arsenic-laced water back to the aquifer in Arizona. In essence, Wind River Resources and Virgin Valley Water District are conspiring to drain Arizona' clean water for Nevada and to use Arizona as a dumping ground.

Mesquite currently has enough water to support a population five times larger than the current population. Given this fact, their request for Arizona water is unnecessary. However, once they receive Arizona' water, Virgin Valley Water District can then sell their surface water to southern Nevada and Las Vegas, where it is in high demand, and rake in windfall profits of hundreds of millions of dollars. This greed for our Arizona water is exemplified by the ruthless business plan which seeks maximum profit with local disregard for the long-term ramifications.

Arizona should not have to suffer the consequences. Arizona will have its water taken and contaminated so Nevada can benefit and continue to grow. In a letter from Erika Van Alstine, a principle from Wind River Resources, Van Alstine recognizes how Nevada will profit off of Arizona water when she writes, "Several of Virgin Valley Water District's wells already exceed safe drinking water standards for bromine, and several others exceed the new arsenic standards scheduled to take place in January 2006. As a result, VVWD is desperately searching for a sustainable supply of good quality groundwater to meet its projected demands and to also use to blend with their current supplies to meet the new safe drinking water standards."

It is imperative that we recognize the fact that water supply is limited and that Nevada's hunger for development is insatiable. Las Vegas continues to grow at a staggering rate, but without an ample supply of water. The City of Mesquite has successfully solicited the release from the Bureau of Land Management of nearly 7,000 acres, most of which has already been sold to developers. The City is currently seeking the release of another 2,500 acres also to be sold to developers near a new proposed airport. Once they have reaped the profits from the sale of land, the developers and land holders will then start looking for a source of water, at which point they may turn to Arizona again.

Allowing Wind River Resources to take Arizona's water sets a dangerous precedent for Mohave County and Arizona as a whole. Wind River Resources' application is a frightening proposition for Arizona. We cannot allow our towns to be ruined and our water contaminated so Nevada businesses can profit at the expense of all Arizonans.

Bob Frisby
Co-Chairperson
No Nevada Water Grab Committee

By Kris Mayes

(The following is a letter from Commissioner Mays to Chairman Jeff Hatch-Miller, Commissioner William A. Mundell, Commisioner Mike Gleason, and Commisioner Barry Wong)

Please click here to view a copy of the letter that was printed in the Bullhead City Bee on Friday, October 20, 2006