| The Carson River has, for hundreds of years, been the lifeblood of human settlements in the Carson, Eagle, Dayton, and Churchill valleys. While the river's uses have changed, one theme remains consistent: conflict. In days past, the river was used to power the heavy machinery of mills.{09}As ranching and agriculture became more prominent, conflicts arose between the farmers and the mill men. Such conflict was resolved via the 1980 Alpine Decree, but not before fifty-five years of litigation. The past twenty-five years has seen the emergence of a new conflict: this time between farmers and other users, namely municipal, industrial, and recreational. In years past, conflicts between water rights holders were resolved by destroying dams.; Today, rather than destruction and litigation, balance is being sought through the transferring of water rights. However, these transfers often breed their own conflicts due to third party effects. Today's Carson River Basin decision makers need to be fluent in all aspects of water rights transfers, notably the relevant history, hydrology, economics, law, and policy. Further, decision makers need to know the possible effects of their actions, and ways to plan for and mitigate those effects. This stand alone report provides Upper Carson River Basin decision makers with the tools to make more informed decisions. Further, the report describes a model they can use to test their various strategies without having to actually implement them. The Carson River is not a river in its natural state. While its headwater flow is controlled by the whims of nature, subsequent flow is largely controlled by the whims of humans operating within the framework and under the guidance of the Alpine Decree. It is the hope of the author that this report can offer further guidance, and thus allow for more informed decision making. |
