Storage Water Lease Auction - Available to Lyon County Farmers and Ranchers

The Conservancy is making 3,000 acre-feet of storage water available for lease – 2,500 acre-feet from Bridgeport Reservoir and 500 acre-feet from Topaz Lake. The Conservancy invites current Walker River Irrigation District (WRID) users interested in leasing storage water to complete and submit a Bid Form below. Limit one bid per person.

Storage water will be awarded to the highest price/AF bid ($5 increments) and then awarded to the second highest price/AF bid and so on, until allocated.

Leasing Format

WRID users submit a Bid Form on the Walker Basin Conservancy website stating the desired volume (in acre-feet), bid price ($/acre-foot), contact information, desired water source, and willingness to accept a lesser bid volume if demand exceeds available storage. The total storage water quantity available for lease is 3,000 acre-feet: 2,500 acre-feet from Bridgeport Reservoir and 500 acre-feet from Topaz Lake. The acre-feet of storage water will be awarded to the highest price/AF bid ($5 increments) and then awarded to the second highest price/AF bid ($5 increments) and so on, until allocated. If submissions have the same bid price, storage water will be awarded in 10 acre-feet increments to those bidders through rounds until volume demand is satisfied or until allocated.

The Bid Form will be available for enrollment on the Walker Basin Conservancy beginning May 15, 2026 at 8:00 am and remain open until May 26, 2026 at 5:00 pm.

Bid Submission and Auction Details:

  • All qualified bids are binding;

  • Limit one bid per person;

  • Bid Forms will be accessible, completed, and submitted through the Conservancy website http://www.walkerbasin.org/storage-lease-auction between May 15, 2026 and May 26, 2026;

  • If bidder cannot submit bid through the Conservancy website accommodations can be made by contacting Carlie Henneman;

  • All uses of leased storage water are subject to WRID rules and regulations;

  • Bidders must be current WRID patrons;

  • Bids shall specify a price per acre-foot in $5 increments;

  • Bids will be awarded to the highest price/AF bid ($5 increments) and then awarded to the second highest price/AF bid ($5 increments) and so on, until allocated;

  • Bids shall specify volume of storage water desired to be leased in 10 acre-feet increments;

  • Bidders shall indicate whether they will accept a lower volume in the event their bid can only be partially filled;

  • Winning bidders will sign a lease agreement and the WRID transfer form for the Conservancy’s approval and signature;

  • Winning bidders must complete and sign all forms and provide a check for the entire amount within five (5) days of winning a bid. Failure to do so will result in the bid going to the next person in queue; and

  • The Conservancy reserves the right to alter, amend, or modify any provision of this solicitation, or to withdraw this solicitation, at any time prior to the award of a lease at Conservancy’s sole determination.

If you have questions, need help making a bid, or a bid form cannot be completed online, please contact Carlie Henneman for help:

Carlie Henneman - Email: carlie.henneman@walkerbasin.org Telephone: (760) 417-9987