(Reprinted with amendments adopted on May 30, 2003)

 

Assembly Concurrent Resolution No. 21–Assemblymen Giunchigliani, Geddes, Anderson, Andonov, Angle, Arberry, Atkinson, Beers, Brown, Buckley, Carpenter, Chowning, Christensen, Claborn, Collins, Conklin, Gibbons, Goicoechea, Goldwater, Griffin, Gustavson, Hardy, Hettrick, Horne, Knecht, Koivisto, Leslie, Mabey, Manendo, Marvel, McClain, McCleary, Mortenson, Oceguera, Ohrenschall, Parks, Perkins, Pierce, Sherer, Weber and Williams

 

May 6, 2003

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Joint Sponsors: Senators McGinness, Amodei, Care, Carlton, Cegavske, Coffin, Hardy, Mathews, Neal, Nolan, O’Connell, Raggio, Rawson, Rhoads, Schneider, Shaffer, Tiffany, Titus, Townsend, Washington and Wiener

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Referred to Committee on Elections, Procedures, and Ethics

 

SUMMARY—Declares that preservation of Walker Lake’s freshwater ecosystem is important to residents of Nevada. (BDR R‑1302)

 

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EXPLANATION – Matter in bolded italics is new; matter between brackets [omitted material] is material to be omitted.

 

Assembly Concurrent RESOLUTION—Declaring that preservation of Walker Lake’s freshwater ecosystem is important to the residents of the State of Nevada.

 

1-1  Whereas, The Walker River is an interstate stream, consisting

1-2  of the East and West Walker, both of which rise high on the eastern

1-3  slopes of the Sierra Nevada in California; and

1-4  Whereas, The West Walker flows into Antelope Valley,

1-5  located mostly in California, and then into Smith and Mason

1-6  Valleys in Nevada; and

1-7  Whereas, The principal streams forming the East Walker

1-8  combine in Bridgeport Meadows in California, and from there, the

2-1  East Walker flows into Mason Valley, where it unites with the West

2-2  Walker to form the main Walker River; and

2-3  Whereas, The main Walker River leaves Mason Valley and

2-4  flows into and through the Walker River Indian Reservation and

2-5  into Walker Lake; and

2-6  Whereas, The Walker River Irrigation District, a Nevada

2-7  irrigation district, owns and operates Bridgeport Reservoir, located

2-8  on the East Walker in California; and

2-9  Whereas, The United States, for the benefit of the Walker

2-10  River Paiute Tribe, owns and operates Weber Reservoir, located on

2-11  the Main Walker River and within the Walker River Indian

2-12  Reservation; and

2-13      Whereas, Walker Lake is a freshwater lake located in west-

2-14  central Nevada, fed by snowmelt from the Sierra Nevada in

2-15  California and other mountain ranges in Nevada; and

2-16      Whereas, Walker Lake draws a considerable number of

2-17  tourists and functions as an economic mainstay for the Mineral

2-18  County economy; and

2-19      Whereas, Walker Lake has cultural, historical and spiritual

2-20  importance to the Walker River Paiute Tribe; and

2-21      Whereas, Functioning as the terminus of the Walker River

2-22  System, Walker Lake is one of the few saline lakes that is capable of

2-23  supporting a freshwater trout fishery; and

2-24      Whereas, Walker Lake is a major migratory stopover for the

2-25  largest single inland congregation of common loons west of the

2-26  Mississippi River as well as other birds such as grebes, cormorants,

2-27  pelicans and other waterfowl that rely on the Lake for survival; and

2-28      Whereas, Walker Lake provides habitat for the Lahontan

2-29  cutthroat trout; and

2-30      Whereas, The Walker River System provides significant

2-31  recreation, ecologic and economic benefits in California, in

2-32  Bridgeport Meadows, in Antelope Valley and at Bridgeport and

2-33  Topaz Reservoirs, and in Nevada, in Topaz Reservoir, in Smith and

2-34  Mason Valleys, at Weber Reservoir, within the Walker River Indian

2-35  Reservation and at Walker Lake; and

2-36      Whereas, There are a number of interrelated issues on the

2-37  Walker River System, including claims by the Walker River Paiute

2-38  Tribe and the United States to surface and underground water for

2-39  federal property within the Walker River Basin in Nevada and

2-40  California, claims to adjudicate the water of the Walker River

2-41  System to preserve minimum water levels in Walker Lake and the

2-42  allocation of the water of the Walker River System between

2-43  California and Nevada (collectively the “Walker River Issues”); and

2-44      Whereas, The volume of Walker Lake has diminished by 75

2-45  percent since the late 1800s, and this continuing decrease is creating

3-1  high concentrations of dissolved solids that are extremely

3-2  detrimental and ultimately toxic to fish; and

3-3  Whereas, Effective as of January 14, 2003, the United States,

3-4  the State of Nevada, the State of California, the Walker River Paiute

3-5  Tribe, the Walker River Irrigation District, Mono County,

3-6  California, Lyon County, Nevada, Mineral County, Nevada, and the

3-7  Walker Lake Working Group agreed to attempt to resolve the

3-8  Walker River Issues through mediation with a third-party, neutral

3-9  mediator; now, therefore, be it

3-10      Resolved by the Assembly of the State of Nevada, the

3-11  Senate Concurring, That the Nevada Legislature hereby

3-12  declares that the preservation of Walker Lake’s freshwater

3-13  ecosystem is important to the residents of the State of Nevada and

3-14  that all reasonable actions to resolve the Walker River Issues

3-15  through the ongoing mediation should be taken; and be it further

3-16      Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly prepare and

3-17  transmit a copy of this resolution to Governor Kenny C. Guinn, to

3-18  Governor Gray Davis and to the Director of the Nevada State

3-19  Department of Conservation and Natural Resources for

3-20  dissemination to all of the participants in the ongoing mediation.

 

3-21  H