Project: Little Mondeaux Ranch
Client: Little Mondeaux Limousin Corp.
Location: Genoa, Nevada
Description:
Site: A 3,000-acre property located north of Genoa, Nevada with elevation ranges from 8,400 feet along the steep slopes of the Sierra Nevada Mountains to the low-lying wetlands on the Carson Valley floor. The project will include 395 single-family homes and a championship golf course surrounded by nearly 2,200 acres of conservation and open space areas.
Challenge: Because of the ranch’s special location and variety of land uses, the owner’s water rights represented a significant portion of the property’s value. Rights included groundwater, Carson River surface water and water from perennial James Canyon stream and its tributaries, which originate high above the property on the eastern slope of the Sierras. The existence of varied water rights sources and potential uses required careful documentation and development of land use plans to fully and beneficially use the subject rights.
Solution: We assisted the client in keeping its water rights in good standing while it evaluated and ultimately realized and implemented extensive plans for the property, including open space, a golf course and a planned residential community. The water rights from James Canyon are the primary water source for the golf course, and underground water rights have been developed to meet the water demands for the planned residential area through the owner-constructed and -operated community water system. Creatively applying our knowledge of water rights laws and permitting requirements together with our land use planning and entitlements allowed the original owner to realize his objectives and successfully divest the bulk of this ranch property and the appurtenant water rights. R.O. Anderson is now assisting the successors-in-interest to maintain and perfect these water rights for their beneficial uses.