December 27, 2023 - Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) and Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.) have announced $20 million to protect the Las Vegas Wash, which plays a critical role in helping Southern Nevada combat drought and return water to Lake Mead. This funding comes from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law that Senators Cortez Masto and Rosen both helped draft and pass into law.

Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.)

“The Las Vegas Wash filters more than 200 million gallons of water into Lake Mead every day, and I’m proud to see this funding I secured headed to Southern Nevada,” said Senator Cortez Masto. “Combating drought takes all of us working together, and I’ll keep working to deliver the resources Nevada needs to protect our drinking water and our ecosystems.”

“Extreme drought continues to impact Nevada, and it is critical that we take action to support our state’s watersheds,” said Senator Rosen. “I was proud to secure this funding through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to invest in projects that help preserve the Las Vegas Wash. I will continue to support Nevada’s efforts to combat drought, improve existing water infrastructure, and implement important restoration work.”

This funding will help the Southern Nevada Water Authority enhance wetlands within the Lake Mead National Recreation Area, improve regional water quality, and protect endangered species in the Las Vegas Wash. This critical habitat combats drought in Southern Nevada by helping to filter the urban runoff and wastewater that runs through the valley into Lake Mead. Cortez Masto and Rosen recently introduced legislation to provide additional federal funding to support conservation projects across the Las Vegas Wash.

Senators Cortez Masto and Rosen have been leaders in the Senate working to combat drought. Cortez Masto fought to deliver $4 billion to combat drought in the states bordering the Colorado River in the Inflation Reduction Act that Senator Rosen also supported. They both helped pass the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which will continue to make a historic amount of funding available for water and wastewater infrastructure improvements across the country over five years. Cortez Masto also introduced legislation, supported by Rosen, to establish a $450 million competitive grant program for large-scale water recycling projects across the Western U.S.
Source: Senator Catherine Cortez Masto