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of same township and range. During 19J+7 8 there was an average of ,732,000 gallons of water per day or 9780 acre-feet of water delivered from these wells and springs and distributed through the water company*s distribution system. During 19^8 the delivered water amounted to a daily average of 9*338,000 gallons or 10,5^8 acre-feet for the year. This amount of water represents about 30$ of the total output of water in the entire Las Vegas Valley. From the conclusions reached as a result of the ground water survey, it is felt that more water is being taken from the valley than is being normally recharged. During the past five years there has been a drop of about 30 feet in the hydrostatic head of the Griffith well located in this general area. It is very possible that the main cause for such drop is the lage draft on the underground water supply by the Water Company and others and the great concentration of wells in this vicinity. Section 10 of the 1939 Groundwater Act (Section 7993.13 W.C.L. 1931-^1 Supplement) as amended by Chapter 103 Statutes of 19^9 provides among other things that in acting on an application to appropriate water, the State Engineer may consider the effect of such use on the economy of the area in general -- and that in any basin the State Engineer may restrict drilling of wells in any portion thereof if he determines that additional wells would cause an undue interference with existing wells ---- . The proposed point of diversion under Application Wo. 12918 is located about 1^00 feet northeasterly from Well Wo. 10 of the Water Company; about 1200 feet easterly from Well Wo. 9 and about 1000 feet southeasterly from Well Wo. 11. There is no question in our minds but that the pumping or withdrawing of 0.5 c.f.s. frm a well located at the proposed point of diversion would cause inter­ference to the Water Comapny wells. The water situation in the Las Vegas Valley has now reached a point where great caution must be exercised in the granting of additional permits, especially for irrigation purposes within the Las Vegas urban area. It is the opinion of the State Engineer that due to the great concentration of wells in the vicinity of the proposed point of diversion and the great magnitude of water withdrawn, that the safeguarding of the economy of Las Vegas demands that hereafter water must be placed only to the highest beneficial use, namely municipal, quasi-municipal and domestic uses, and that no permits be granted for the appropriation of water for irrigation purposes because of the greater volume of water needed therefore. It is therefore the ruling of the State Engineer that the protest of the Las Vegas Land & Water Company be sustained and that said Application Wo. 12918 be denied. Respectfully submitted, /s/ ALFRED MERRITT SMITH ALFRED MERRITT SMITH Wovember 30* 19^9 State Engineer