Large majorities of Nevada residents support water conservation policies that Sen. Tick Segerblom has proposed and supports, according to a new poll from Colorado College.

About 70 percent of Nevadans want to use our existing water supply more wisely, focusing on conservation, reducing water use, and recycling. About 86 percent of Nevadans characterized low water levels as a serious issue.

“Nevadans are rightly concerned about severe water shortages due to low-water levels in Lake Mead and all along the Colorado River watershed,” Segerblom said. “We must, as a county and state, do more to prioritize conservation and sustainability if we are going to continue to grow and thrive. Water is a foundational resource to ensuring a high quality of life in Southern Nevada, and I will continue to advocate for conservation in Clark County.”

As the Nevada Independent noted, “the Southwest and almost all of Nevada has experienced below average precipitation. Snowpack, which melts into rivers in the spring, is crucial for replenishing Western water supplies like the Colorado River.” With snowpack down and visible evidence of Lake Mead’s decline over recent years, it is no surprise that 75 percent of Nevadans think the Colorado River is “at risk.”

Sen. Segerblom has consistently supported conservation efforts at the Nevada Legislature and will continue to do so on the Clark County Commission. He is especially concerned with Glen Canyon Dam, where billions of gallons of water stored in its reservoir are lost annually to evaporation and seepage into the soft sandstone that surrounds it. Numerous locations exist to more efficiently store Lake Powell’s water in off-stream, underground aquifers similar to what Las Vegas has been doing for years with surplus water from Lake Mead.

In addition, Glen Canyon Dam has wreaked havoc on the ecosystem of Grand Canyon National Park. In blocking the Colorado’s natural flows, the dam has transformed the aquatic habitat that helped support one of the most unique assemblages of native fish in the world, to one where some of these species have gone extinct and others are just holding on awaiting a return of those natural process that may allow recovery to occur.

Segerblom also supports protecting public lands and ensuring our parks and national monuments continue to be protected for the enjoyment of future generations. The poll found Nevadans overwhelmingly share this view.

“The Trump administration is severely out-of-step with how Nevadans feel about our public lands,” Segerblom said. “Our public lands have intrinsic value for everyone of us who appreciates the beauty of our desert landscapes, and we must realize that ecotourism on public lands significantly contributes to our region’s overall tourism economy.”