Virgin River Coalition explores Mesquite’s water history, future

By JIM LUKSIC

The Progress

The Virgin River Coalition (VRC), Mesquite Mayor Al Litman, Virgin Valley Water District staffers and representatives of local farmers, joined forces at a workshop on Thursday, May 2 to discuss the past, present, and future of the community’s water.

The meeting, part of an all-day workshop, took place on Thursday afternoon at Mesquite City Hall’s council chambers on Mesquite Boulevard.

Denise Houston, coordinator of VRC, described the event – which included a raffle (for a gift card) – as a biannual affair.

“The coalition, the public, ranchers, and our partners unite on projects for which we have similar ideas about implementation,” Houston explained to The Progress. “Updates are given on current projects and grants and ideas are shared for future ones. Educational topics are given by presenters.”

VRC’s Rob Sutter, who runs the strategic planning firm Enduring Conservation Outcomes, served as facilitator of the get-together.
“All of the city’s history is really important to me,” Sutter said before introducing the mayor. “I like to understand human and ecological history.”

Litman, who lived in such water-rich places as Hawaii and Minnesota before moving to Mesquite in 2004, spoke about the history of the Virgin River and its impact on the city. The tributary, for instance, was initially called Adams River by settlers circa 1826.

Decades later, pioneers named the town Mesquite and created an irrigation system to grow crops – which paved the way for automobiles, camps, hotels, and a casino, Litman said.
“Eventually, city leaders developed a plan for 2030, given that our top asset is water,” the mayor continued.

That proposal is based on pillars consisting of: expanding housing for the workforce; a vibrant downtown; sports tourism, which is growing daily; and diversifying the local economy.
Litman also mentioned the Mesquite Works STEAM Center for educating youth with an eye toward the future labor force.

The road ahead boils down to the waterway, however. “We want to take care of that river – make sure it isn’t overused,” Litman concluded.

Up to the microphone stepped farmer Brian Haviland, member of the Bunkerville Town Advisory Board. His slideshow was titled “Through The Farmer’s Eye.”

Haviland began with the old joke: “The most terrifying words are: ‘I’m from the government, and I’m here to help.’”

As a fifth-generation Bunker who married into the family in 1996, he spoke from a sons-of-the soil perspective.
“We have invested time, energy, and money for generations. Our fear is that a government agency will come and say, ‘We want to use your water for something else,’” he explained.

Haviland broached the hot-button subject of ditches and pipes: “Whoever is responsible, it’s a major problem.”

Even so, he asserted his reason for attending such meetings is to find solutions, despite disagreements between Mesquite officials and his beloved Bunkerville “because we want to stay rural, small, with slow growth.”

After a short break, Aaron Bunker – water resource manager for the Virgin Valley Water District – stood front and center.
“Water is our lifeblood, and you can’t have a community without it,” Bunker said while referencing four valley settlements: Mesquite, Bunkerville, Littlefield, and Beaver Dam.

He noted the process of settling Mesquite was labor-intensive and took no fewer than three attempts.

Bunker narrated an exhibition of archived photos and videos centered on the Virgin River: its flood history, the challenge of crossing it, and precipitation gauge sites. Included were images from the 2005 and 2010 Mesquite floods, which stranded residents and cattle alike – in addition to washing out roads and bridges.

Sutter was grateful for the May 2 turnout and discourse during the presentations.
“It’s helpful to have different people from around the valley come together and have back-and-forth exchanges,” he said.
“The public is always invited to attend and learn,” Houston added.