Sale of groundwater rights

DAYTON - Lyon County officials have agreed to the sale of a portion of Rolling A groundwater rights.

According to an agreement between the county and ranch owner Christo Bardis, Lyon County had first right of refusal of any sale of the water rights on the 6,600-acre former cattle ranch.

The agreement provided the county with the opportunity to prevent the sale of water to downstream users to the detriment of the Dayton Valley basin.

Assured the county had received confirmation from ranch owners that the water purchase agreement with the buyers says the water must remain in the Dayton area, commissioners waived their right to purchase 100 acre feet of water at $2,700 per acre-foot.

Purchasers of the water are buying the Hughes Sand and Gravel operation in Dayton from Mike Hughes. Hughes is not selling his water rights with the business and the new owners needed to find additional water rights in order to operate.