Nevada Passes Two New Bills Combatting Water Scarcity Throughout the State
In June, 2025, Nevada’s Governor, Joe Lombardo, signed two new bills creating a voluntary Water Rights retirement Program. These are Assembly Bill 104 (A.B. 104) and Senate Bill 36 (S.B. 36). As a result, the Nevada Voluntary Water Rights Retirement Program was officially established. A program like this was previously successful in Diamond Valley and along the Humboldt River corridor in 2024. The program allows for water right holders to voluntarily sell their groundwater rights back to the State. Once purchased, the State Engineer will permanently retire the rights and remove them from future use and reappropriation. The program will assist the State in managing groundwater resources to ensure people are not over pumping aquifers.
Nevada’s Drought
According to the National Integrated Drought Information System, approximately 59 percent of Nevada is in a drought, while the other 41 percent is “abnormally dry”. Drought conditions pose significant challenges to the environment and its inhabitants. Additionally, persistent drought conditions can impact accessibility to clean water used for drinking, cooking and sanitation. In most cases, droughts also devastate crops and limit water availability to cattle, impacting the cost and accessibility to food. It is no surprise that the state’s lawmakers are taking action in finding ways to conserve water throughout the state.
Nevada continues to be the driest state in the country, and groundwater is quickly diminishing. The Nevada Voluntary Water Rights Retirement Program can be crucial in conserving water throughout the state for years to come. To view more information about the new bills and their funding, please visit the Nevada Legislature website and links listed below:
- Assembly Bill 1014 (A.B. 104) – AB104 Overview
- Senate Bill 36 (S.B. 36) – SB36 Text
