Conservatives must lead on common-sense water conservation in the West

by Sam Brown and Chris Barnard

Originally published on DeseretNews

It’s hard not to fall in love with all the natural beauty the Western U.S. has to offer. As avid outdoorsmen and conservatives who call the West home, we recognize the inherent responsibility we have to protect these treasured places for generations to come. While the West faces many natural resource issues that grapple with our attention, one of the most crucial is that of water conservation.

An unusually hot summer and looming Colorado River negotiations serve as a constant reminder of the scarce water resources in this region of the U.S. and underscore the importance of effective solutions to conserve our most precious natural resource. While above-average snowpacks in the Sierras and Rockies have offered some relief to dwindling water supplies and drought conditions, that doesn’t mean we will be as lucky next year. We must be proactive, rather than reactive.

Water conservation goes beyond having access to drinking water. It is imperativeto everything from the health of wildlife and plants to farming and crop production to recreational activities that fuel the economy. Not to mention that low water levels can threaten hydropower facilities that produce affordable, reliable and clean energy. Water conservation is an issue that those from the West know all too well, including the two of us.

Unsurprisingly, Nevada is no stranger to limited water resources. Being one of the driest states in the country, with more than 85% of the state classified as desert, Nevadans know firsthand the criticality of conserving water. In fact, Nevada has more than stepped up to the challenge — in southern Nevada, water use per capita was reduced 58% between 2022 and 2023, even as the state grew by nearly 790,000 residents. This is progress that Nevada can be proud of, and we should continue to do more where we can.

Importantly, Nevada’s leadership on water conservation isn’t happening by accident. Nevadans on the ground are leading the charge by spearheading innovative solutions in their communities. In fact, a Las Vegas family-run business is using food scraps from local restaurants, casinos and community donations to feed its livestock. By finding value in what others may view as waste, the company is increasing the sustainability of the city’s food system while freeing up water resources that would have otherwise been needed to grow food for the livestock.

Still, while everyday Nevadans are doing all that they can to reduce water usage, some politicians have chosen to embrace costly mandates. Sen. Jacky Rosen endorses water cuts as a “positive step forward,” and local Nevada water authorities have imposed controversial excessive water use fees that forced over 60,000 Southern Nevadans to pay millions of dollars in fines. This isn’t accountability — it’s nanny-state overreach. Nevadans are already taking accountability for water usage and working diligently to reduce use; we don’t need politicians targeting us with fees.

While Nevada leads in conservation, California continues to just point fingers. While Nevada pulls water from the Colorado River, its portion of the Lower Basin allocation is just 4%, while California’s is nearly 60%. Not to mention that Nevada is actively reducing its water usage, while California is irresponsibly letting billions of gallons of stormwater wash out to sea each year. If we hope to mitigate the impacts of drought in the West, everyone must do their part.

There is ample opportunity for us to be capitalizing on innovative solutions like desalination, the process of removing salt and minerals from seawater. With abundant coastline on the West Coast, desalination presents a clear opportunity to increase water resources in the region. The additional water resources supplied by desalination could be used to feed California’s agricultural industry, which feeds the country, without denying other Colorado River states critical water resources. It’s this type of innovative, out-of-the-box thinking that will ultimately help us solve this ongoing natural resource challenge.

Still, while states and local communities have a significant role to play, solutions at the federal level will also be critical to effectively conserving water for generations to come. If I, Sam Brown, am elected to the U.S. Senate to represent my home state of Nevada, I will advocate for increased investment in resources needed to bolster water conservation in the Western U.S.

Young Americans find conservation critically important, and it is up to us as leaders to ensure we pass on abundant, healthy natural resources for the benefit and enjoyment of the next generations. As the president of the largest conservative youth environmental organization in the country, with more than 50,000 members, I, Chris Barnard, understand the importance of championing solutions to the challenges young people are most worried about.

With communities across the West facing increased risk of drought, which threatens our economy, well-being and the places we love to recreate, it is imperative that we step up to not only find but implement innovative solutions to Western water issues. Conservative solutions for the conservation of these resources have never been more important.

Sam Brown is a Purple Heart recipient and the Republican nominee for U.S. Senate from Nevada. Chris Barnard is the president of the American Conservation Coalition Action (ACC Action).