What is the Study?
OneWater Nevada’s Palomino Farms Sustainable Water Resource Feasibility Study (Study) is part of a regional effort to optimize and expand available water resources. The purpose of the Study is to explore the coordinated use of surface water, groundwater, and recycled water (known as conjunctive use) to help meet our water supply needs.
More specifically, the Study is focused on determining the viability of bringing water to the Palomino Farms and Warm Springs areas as part of a long-term sustainable water management plan. The hope is that the aquifer can eventually be utilized to build up large quantities of water for drought protection and to help meet demand during the peak summer-use season in the Spanish Springs area.
Additional benefits for residential well owners and agricultural users in the area would be improvement of groundwater levels, and potential improvement to water quality.
Here’s how it would work:
- Recycled “purple pipe” water would be piped to Palomino Farms for use in agricultural irrigation. This would dramatically reduce the need for groundwater pumping by the agricultural wells currently supplying this area.
- Potable water from Truckee Meadows Water Authority (TMWA) would also be sent through a separate pipeline to Palomino Farms in the winter, when water is more plentiful, and recharged into the Palomino Valley aquifer via injection wells.
- TMWA would recharge the aquifer storing sufficient amounts of water for later use. More water would remain in storage than withdrawn when needed to support peak summer use or provide drought reserves for Spanish Springs.
Ultimately, increasing the agricultural water supply in Palomino Farms will support the groundwater levels, help to preserve farmland and open space, and aid in maintaining the rural lifestyle and character of the area.
Potential future benefits of this project include:
- A potable water pipeline running between Sparks and Palomino Farms would provide TMWA greater flexibility and resilience in improving water supply and potentially water quality in the coming years.
- The water storage and delivery infrastructure improvements being contemplated by the Study would also complement the potential later addition of A+ Advanced Purified Water to the overall water supply.
One Water Nevada’s Palomino Farms Sustainable Water Resource Feasibility Study is one part of a regionally comprehensive, research-driven approach to water resource management being supported collaboratively by the University of Nevada, Reno, City of Reno, City of Sparks, Washoe County, and Truckee Meadows Water Authority.