b'Its aOut ThereL as Vegas is booming. There is growth on nearly every front, from real estate to business to tourism and more. Its a welcome departure from the feelings of uncertainty and stagnation the area experienced during the recession. But, before we get too comfortable with the growth in the area, theres a challenge that needs to be sufficiently addressed: The conservation of water in the area.Water in the Southwest United States is finite. Most of Las Vegas water comes from Lake Mead. Although were currently consuming less water than we were 10 years ago, water conservationists have warned that the Las Vegas Valley will need to createand stick toan aggressive strategy in order to continue providing water to the growing Valley. In an area that adds more than 50,000 new residents annually, staying on top of the water conservation problem is more than essential. It is vital to the lifeblood of the area.Waterconservationcameintofocusintheearly2000swhen,in2002,theLas Vegas Valley experienced the driest year ever recorded, which depleted about 8 billion gallons of water. Conserving water in the area immediately went from a hypothetical need to an imperative one. The Valleys drought has been multi-faceted: As Lake Mead is fed by the Colorado River, lack of snowmelt and precipitation in the Colorado Rocky Mountains has decreased the amount of runoff into the Colorado River. Because of that, Lake Mead is more than three trillion gallons below capacity, or only 39 percent full. That, combined with the consistent growth in the area, has left Lake Mead on par to be unable to serve the men, women and families in Las Vegas in the very near future.Water Conservation TipsWondering how you can do your part? Here are some things you can easily incorporate into your daily lives which will make a difference: Use the cycle and soak method to water your landscape. Checkyourirrigationsystemaftereachmowingforany misdirected or broken sprinklers.8'