MOUND HOUSE - An alarm went off somewhere among planning officials in Lyon County: American Ready Mix on Linehan Road in Mound House was using an awful lot of water.
Rumor took over and spread through the water-challenged community. By the time the Mound House Regional Advisory Committee met, it was said the county was about to pull the company's special-use permit.
Not quite.
According to Planning Commission secretary Donna Giboney, the commission never suggested pulling the permit.
"They were sent a notice that we would extend it for 30 days," she said. "They were in contact with the county Utilities Department and were trying to work out the problem."
According to Kevin Jeakins, general manager of American Ready Mix, the company was within its allotment.
"Ready Mix had 25 acre-feet of water rights when we bought the property from Canyon Creek, but the water rights didn't get recorded," Jeakins said. "They were turned over to Lyon County before they were turned over to Ready Mix. It was just a glitch."
Deputy State Engineer Tracy Taylor said when property is sold, if there are any water rights appurtenant to that property, they are sold as well, but a report of conveyance that transfers the title has to be filed.
If additional property rights are purchased, since those rights would be from another location, not only the report of conveyance, but a change application would also have to be filed.
In American Ready Mix's case this may have been the missing link.
Taylor said it takes about three months for the paperwork to be completed, to allow for publishing the transfer or change for four weeks and a protest period.
Todd McIntosh, plant manager at American Ready Mix, said the company was surprised at the notice from the county.
"We are using the same amount of water as before, maybe even less," he said. "They just started monitoring it now."
McIntosh said American Ready Mix purchased the property with water rights nine years ago and two years later purchased additional water rights, these apparently were not properly recorded.
Mike Workman, Lyon County utilities director, said everything was in order but the paperwork.
"A lot of times the very last step is to transfer the water rights," he said. "They don't always get it recorded right."
Water rights
For information on water rights procedures and fees, call the state Water Engineer at 684-2800.
- Contact reporter Karen Woodmansee at kwoodmansee@nevadaappeal.com or 882-2111 ext. 351.
