As the climate grows warmer and drier, water scarcity is a growing concern for agriculture, ecosystems, and people in the Walker River Basin of Nevada and California. Researchers from the SNOWPACS project — Synthesizing Knowledge to Optimize Water Policy for Agriculture under Changing Snowpack —are attempting to understand how water users and water allocation systems in the region can successfully adapt to these changing conditions.

In this video, hear from water managers, farmers, Indigenous leaders, and conservation groups who are turning to water markets -systems for buying, selling, and leasing water rights - to support more flexible, collaborative, and resilient water use into the future.

De la Cruz Pavas, V., Fitzgerald, K., Singletary, L., and Ilchuk, O. 2025, Water Markets of the Walker Basin., University of Nevada, Reno Extension AV-25-01

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Extension Associated Contacts

Loretta Singletary

Also of Interest:


Landowner Willingness to Sell or Lease Water Rights in the Walker River Basin This fact sheet will provide a background on water rights in Nevada, followed by a comparison of the survey findings between 2003 and 2007. This comparison seeks to examine the changes in water rights owners’ willingness to sell or lease their holdings. Curtis, K., Emm, S., and Entsminger, J. 2008, University of Nevada Cooperative Extension
Walker River Basin Research Study: Perceptions and Attitudes of Water Right Owners This fact sheet contains information on the perceptions and attitudes of water right owners by describing the overall study, instrument development, data collection procedure and analysis as well as some of the general findings. Emm, S., Breazeale, D., and Smith, M., 2004, Extension \| University of Nevada, Reno, FS-13-19
The Humboldt River Basin: A Chronology of the Humboldt’s Historical Development and Water Resources This document seeks to provide a timely update to the Chronology Series while expanding on contemporary resource management issues. Moreover, as this document aims to clarify, many of these issues are entangled in the Basin’s history of economic expansion, social development, res... Henzl, E.M., and Singletary, L. 2025, Extension, University of Nevada Reno, SP-25-02
Public Policies Affecting Water Use in Nevada Water Issues Education Series – No.1 This fact sheet contains information on water issues that get affected by population growth and changing attitudes. Learn more about federal policies that affect water use, water rights, and many more. Singletary, L. 2005, Extension \| University of Nevada, Reno, FS-05-19
Western Water Law: Understanding the Doctrine of Prior Appropriation Prior appropriation allocates water rights based on timing of use, place of use and purpose of use. It allows for diverting water from its source to fulfill water rights and determines who gets water during times of shortage. Hockaday, S. and Ormerod, K.J. 2020, Extension \| University of Nevada, Reno, IP-20-01

Water Markets of the Walker Basin.

Published by: De la Cruz Pavas, V., Fitzgerald, K., Singletary, L., and Ilchuk, O., 2025, Water Markets of the Walker Basin., University of Nevada, Reno Extension AV-25-01