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Nevada bans non-functional grass because of exceptional drought

Nevada bans non-functional grass because of exceptional drought
The exceptional drought in the American West has lowered the water level in Lake Mead to just 27 percent capacity. Image -WildfireTigress (CC BY-SA 4.0)
The exceptional drought in the American West has lowered the water level in Lake Mead to just 27 percent capacity. Image -WildfireTigress (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Nearly one-third of all of the grass in Southern Nevada will need to be removed by the end of 2027 under a new bill signed into law by Gov. Steve Sisolak Friday, reports the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

While other states and cities have put temporary bans on watering lawns, Nevada is the first state in the nation to ban grass in office parks, street medians, and housing development entrances that no one uses. It excludes single-family homes, parks, and golf courses.

Last week, when discussing the drought and its effects on the state, Gov. Sisolak said that anyone flying into Las Vegas viewing the “bathtub rings” that delineate how high Lake Mead’s water levels used to be can see that conservation is needed.

“It’s incumbent upon us for the next generation to be more conscious of conservation and our natural resources — water being particularly important,” he said, per the Associated Press.

“There’s broad acceptance in southern Nevada that if we can take some grass out to preserve the water supply for our communities, then that’s something that we need to do,” he said. “This sends a clear message about what other states need to be looking at in order to preserve water.”

The Guardian notes that by removing close to 8 square miles (21 square kilometers) of grass in the metro Las Vegas area, water officials estimate the region can reduce annual water consumption by 15 percent and save about 14 gallons (53 liters) per person a day in a region with a population of about 2.3 million.

U.S. Drought Monitor map last updated June 1, 2021.

The ban, based on Assembly Bill 356, goes into effect on January 1, 2027, and targets the Southern Nevada Water Authority jurisdiction, which includes Las Vegas and its surrounding areas and relies on the Colorado River for 90 percent of its water supply.

Seven states rely on water from the Colorado River, including Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming, and as the population has grown, the mighty river has been stretched thin, and now, with the western part of the country in a severe drought, to exceptional, people will have to come to terms with a much drier world.

And things are getting desperate – Lake Mead and Lake Powell, the two reservoirs where Colorado River water is stored, are forecast to shrink this year to levels that would trigger the region’s first-ever official shortage declaration and cut the amount allocated to Nevada and Arizona.

Lake Mead is at just 37 percent of its capacity. It hasn’t been full since back in 2000 when the water came right up to the top of Hoover Dam. Since 2000, Lake Mead has dropped 130 feet, about the height of a 13-story building, according to CBS News.

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We are deeply saddened to announce the passing of our dear friend Karen Graham, who served as Editor-at-Large at Digital Journal. She was 78 years old. Karen's view of what is happening in our world was colored by her love of history and how the past influences events taking place today. Her belief in humankind's part in the care of the planet and our environment has led her to focus on the need for action in dealing with climate change. It was said by Geoffrey C. Ward, "Journalism is merely history's first draft." Everyone who writes about what is happening today is indeed, writing a small part of our history.

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