Nevada State Engineer Adam Sullivan has ended his term. A spokesperson for the Nevada Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Jenny Jackson, confirmed his departure. "DCNR is very appreciative of Adam’s service and wishes him well in his future endeavors," Jackson said. The department did not provide further details about the reason for Sullivan's exit, according to The Nevada Independent.
Adam Sullivan, Nevada’s state engineer, played a key role in managing the state’s water resources, making significant decisions such as in Sullivan v. Lincoln County Water District, which affirmed the state engineer’s authority to limit water usage to protect groundwater and surface water. His leadership, often contentious, earned respect, with Kyle Roerink of the Great Basin Water Network noting, "But Adam is a man who had integrity and his own vision," as reported by Las Vegas Review-Journal.
Chris Thorson now serves as acting administrator of the Nevada Division of Water Resources, facing challenges like depleted groundwater in Diamond Valley and disputes over projects such as the Thacker Pass lithium mine. The community remains attentive to future leadership, with Roerink emphasizing, "We can only hope that that person is not someone who will come into office with a rubber stamp for every application," as noted by Las Vegas Review-Journal.
