Success Stories
Vidler Water Company, Carson Valley, Nevada
The Problem:
Vidler Water Company needed to obtain water rights in order to serve municipal clients across the State of Nevada. The company sought to do this by purchasing surface water rights from numerous large landholders within the Carson Valley.
The Solution:
We documented the chain of title for the relevant Carson River surface right and filed necessary Reports of Conveyance with NDWR. During this effort, it was necessary to reconcile the historic adjudicated owners with current assessed owners that, in many cases, involved a chain of title including over 15 owners, drafting correction deeds, and writing letters to the State Engineer to correct deficiencies with the owner of record listed in the Decree. Through this entire effort, it was necessary for us to work collaboratively with both NDWR and the Douglas County Assessor and Recorder’s office.
The Results:
Vidler Water Company was able to successfully and smoothly purchase surface water rights and continue serving its municipal water right needs.
District Water Rights Monitoring, Douglas County, Nevada
The Problem:
Water rights are a critical asset in the State of Nevada. The water rights owned by Douglas County School District and Douglas County Sewer Improvement District No. 1 had to be monitored in order to maintain them in good standing. Failure to maintain these water rights could result in the potential loss of these rights, exposing their respective users to a critical loss of these assets, potentially resulting in decreased functionality of their operations.
The Solution:
We monitored and evaluated meter readings; communicated Nevada Division of Water Resources requirements to clients; advised the clients regarding deficiencies; filed extensions of time, as needed, to maintain unperfected water rights in good standing with NDWR; and prepared and filed Proofs of Beneficial Use and associated cultural maps when possible.
The Results:
The water rights for these entities have been successfully monitored and maintained in good standing with the Nevada Division of Water Resources.
Yomba Shoshone Tribe of Nevada: Water Resources Assessment
The Problem:
The Yomba Shoshone Tribe of Nevada wanted a comprehensive water rights reference document pertinent and available to tribe members. The tribe’s desire to ultimately prepare a long range plan for their community highlighted the need to obtain accurate records of their water rights, which were incomplete, in order to properly plan for their future agricultural, ranching and domestic uses.
The Solution:
Researching deeds and title dating back to when Nevada was admitted to the Union, we provided recommendations for immediate and long-term action steps and prepared separate Proofs of Appropriation and a supporting map for each of the Tribe’s three main ranches. Additionally, we prepared and filed Reports of Conveyance documenting the land ownership transfers from private parties having previously owned each of the three ranches to the Yomba Shoshone Tribe, prepared the requisite Abstract of Title, obtained recorded copies of each of the deeds affecting the transfer of properties between the parties, and prepared Applications to Appropriate Groundwater for each of the existing domestic wells that serve the community water system for area around the tribal headquarters.
The Results:
We were able to successfully assess the water rights and provided to the Yomba Shoshone Tribe an up-to-date library of their available water resources and proof of compliance for their ranching, agricultural and domestic uses.