A $42 million batch of state grants will go toward a wide array of recreation projects across the Las Vegas Valley, from trails to a new museum exhibit focused on the Colorado River, state officials said.
In a news release Wednesday, the Nevada Department of Conservation and Natural Resources announced how the funding from its Conserve Nevada program will be divvied up, with much of the focus on Southern Nevada.
“Nevada is home to incredible outdoor recreation opportunities and some of the most spectacular public lands in the country,” Gov. Joe Lombardo said in a statement. “I’m proud of the work being done across our state to expand access to the outdoors, support local economies, conserve our natural resources, and ensure future generations can enjoy these places for years to come.”
Included in the sum is $1.8 million for a groundwater rights retirement program that a state law set up in 2025 but did not fund. A previous, small-scale pilot program to give up water rights in overstressed basins was so successful in rural Nevada that it quickly ran out of money.
Perhaps the biggest sum is for the Springs Preserve, which will receive $19 million for a science center and immersive exhibit focused on the Colorado River in its OriGen Museum.
Other Southern Nevada investments include:
- $841,021 for six miles of multi-use trails within Red Rock National Conservation Area, awarded to the Southern Nevada Mountain Biking Association
- $109,043 for improvements to the Aliante and Durango Loop trails at Tule Springs Fossil Beds National Monument, awarded to Protectors of Tule Springs
- $49,000 for wildfire mitigation along the Muddy River at Warm Springs Natural Area, awarded to the Southern Nevada Water Authority
- $22,500 for the McCullough Hills Trail within Sloan Canyon National Conservation Area, awarded to the city of Henderson
- Part of a $3 million pool of funding will go toward the larger Vegas Valley Rim Trail system as well as the Wetlands Loop Trail at Clark County Wetlands Park.
Contact Alan Halaly at ahalaly@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AlanHalaly on X.
