Environmental Law in the Classroom Connecting Environmental Law Practice and Education This fall marks my second year teaching Environmental Law at the University of Nevada, Reno. I also taught NEPA Compliance last spring and will return to that course again this spring. Teaching these courses provides an opportunity to bring together several parts of my
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Wildland Fire and Our Watersheds An increasingly Important Connection The sheer number and size of wildland fires in 2026 is astounding. It seems this year we all know someone who At Schroeder Law Offices, we individually experienced all these factors this year. Whether these fires were human caused or nature caused after years of drought
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Irrigation Return Flow Exemption The U.S. Supreme Court declined to review a Ninth Circuit ruling that preserved the Clean Water Act’s permit exemption for irrigation return flows. The dispute centered on California’s Grassland Bypass Project. The Project conveys farm drainage from about 97,000 acres in the San Joaquin Valley into the San Luis Drain. From
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Don’t miss out on the 2026 USCID Conference in Reno Nevada! The USCID 2026 Annual Conference Schroeder Law Offices’ Therese Stix is the President of USCID. She personally invites water professionals, irrigation districts, engineers, consultants, and policy makers to mark their calendars! October 20-23, 2026 marks the U.S. Committee on Irrigation and Drainage (USCID) 2026
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Duck-Rice Farming: An Ancient Practice with Modern Sustainability Benefits For centuries across Asia, farmers have combined rice cultivation with raising ducks. This creates a system that benefits both agriculture and the environment. Known as aigamo in Japan, duck-rice farming can reduce the need for herbicides, pesticides, and fertilizer. It also gives rice farmers an additional
Choosing the Right Entity for an Oregon Drinking Water System Communities, homeowners’ associations, and businesses in Oregon face a key structural question: what is the best legal entity to own and operate a shared drinking water system? The answer depends on governance needs, regulatory context, and the structure of underlying water rights. Selecting the right
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Title: The long awaited Middle Humboldt River Basin Model is out! The Nevada Division of Water Resources announced the Middle Humboldt River Basin Model is released! While a few portions of the model were identified as needing further updates, this release was long awaited by all Humboldt River water users. From NDWR Model Release: June
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Attorney Job in Portland Oregon Associate Attorney in Water Law and Real Property Really interesting attorney jobs in Portland Oregon are hard to come by! Schroeder Law Offices, PC, (SLO) is a small law firm. It has been a leader in water rights and real property for nearly 35 years! What We Do With offices
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Bureau of Reclamation Cuts Red Tape Secretarial Order 3446: A Practical Path to Faster, Lower-Cost Reclamation Projects For irrigation districts, contractors, and water users, water infrastructure projects often depend as much on process and coordination as on engineering and funding. When schedules extend, costs and delivery risk can increase, and communities may face added uncertainty
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While the legal journey may have ended for Iron Bar Holdings and Brad Cape and his companions, the saga continues on other legal fronts. On May 14, 2026, two conservation organizations filed a lawsuit in Lewis and Clark District Court in Montana. The purpose: to clarify corner crossing law in the state. Federal Corner Crossing
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Are You Prepared for a Potential Adjudication? The Nevada State Engineer has announced it will begin initiating new Nevada adjudications. Vested water users have until December 31, 2027 to submit their vested claims, or Proofs of Appropriation that assert their pre-water code use. But vested rights holders should start now completing their historical research to
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The impacts of drought are felt by all, but perhaps none more than those who rely on water for their livelihoods. Amidst predictions of growing drought throughout Oregon, a timely primer on navigating the state’s Emergency Groundwater Use (Drought) Permit process. Introduction to Oregon Drought Permits When the well is dry, we know the worth
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Northern Nevada has experienced a significant economic boom in recent years, driven by the growth of technology companies, manufacturing facilities, logistics hubs, and expanding residential developments. As these communities grow, concerns about long term water availability have become increasingly urgent. This article explores how ongoing development is intersecting with the region’s water systems and what
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Foodscaping – A New Trend! With spring just around the corner, many homeowners are starting to plan what flowers to plant to welcome the season. This year, try “foodscaping.” It’s a smart, space-saving approach that lets even those with limited outdoor space grow edible plants alongside ornamentals. Foodscaping blends vegetables, fruits, herbs, and edible shrubs
An Act to Approve a New Pipeline Through Sloan Canyon in the Las Vegas Area! Southern Nevada is one of the driest places in the country. And it is experiencing significant growth in population. Residents and businesses in areas like Henderson and Las Vegas receive 40 percent of their drinking water from a single pipeline.
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Record low snow accumulation and warm temperatures in Western river basins raise concern about water supply in the Western U.S.[1]. The future of the Colorado River Basin, one of the most contested water resources in the nation, impacts over 5 million acres of agricultural land and drinking water for a population of over 40 million.
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Idaho Water Management Challenges Take Center Stage at IWUA’s 89th Annual Convention The 89th Annual Convention of the Idaho Water Users Association (IWUA) brought more than 200 water leaders to Boise January 21–22, 2026. There were two days of policy updates, technical briefings, and forward-looking discussions about the most pressing Idaho water management challenges. This
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EPA and Army Propose Update to the Definition of WOTUS On November 17, 2025, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) and the U.S. Department of the Army (“the agencies”) released a proposed rule that updates the definition of “Waters of the United States” (“WOTUS”) under the Clean Water Act (“CWA”). The proposal aims to bring
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The City of Portland’s Big Pipe Project: What it Does and Why it Maters The City of Portland’s Big Pipe Project was a major effort to reduce the amount of pollution entering the Willamette River and the Columbia Slough. This project cost about $1.4 billion and took 20 years to finish. Thanks to this work,
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Tracking Nevada Snowpack A Forecast for the Next Water Year Whether their interests lie on the ski slopes, in agricultural fields, or both, Nevadans “in the know” closely watch the snow forecast over the winter. Tracking Nevada snowpack in the various mountain ranges is not only indicative of the quality of winter recreation. It provides
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