Governor Brian Sandoval has issued an executive order to create a panel for studying and combating Nevada's severe drought. Reno Public Radio's Michelle Bliss reports that Sandoval announced the order Wednesday during a press conference at Washoe Lake State Park.
The order will create a Nevada Drought Forum designed to study and analyze state water use and potential areas for water savings. Sandoval's order also requires a water audit of all state-owned facilities.
The panel will be required to hold a public stakeholder meeting in September and produce bi-weekly drought impact reports.
In February, the U.S. Department of Agriculture declared most of the state as a natural disaster area due to lingering drought conditions and historically low water levels. And just last week, the Sierra snowpack was found to be at its worst in a century.