Walker Basin Conservancy announced Tuesday it has acquired additional land and water rights in Smith Valley to benefit Walker Lake.
Over appropriation and agricultural diversions have lowered the lake’s level dramatically over the decades, resulting in increased salinity and nearly nonexistent wildlife and fish populations.
The nonprofit conservancy acquired a 320-acre parcel on the West Walker River, which terminates in Walker Lake near Hawthorne, along with 3.6 cubic feet per second of surface water rights and 635-acre feet of storage water rights on the river.
The parcel is part of the Compston Ranch. With the acquisition, both sides of the river along a 2-mile stretch are protected, and the conservancy now administers nearly 56 percent of the water needed for the long-term restoration of the lake.
The $6.3 million in funding for the transaction was provided by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation through the Walker Basin Restoration Program.