The Lahontan Valley Environmental Alliance (LVEA) has coordinated a ten month Centennial Celebration of the Newlands Project that began in June 2002 with a kickoff event at Lahontan Reservoir and will end in March of 2003.

Up coming activities will include Centennial Moments broadcasts on KVLV radio that will spotlight pioneer families in the area, a weekly Time Capsule column in the Lahontan Valley News that will tell of historic happenings and a spring lecture series sponsored by the Churchill County Museum. Also in conjunction with the museum, the In Focus magazine will highlight the Newlands Project. A mobile museum is being assembled which will consist of a large trailer containing historic displays of the Newlands Project and information that relates to water issues. This mobile museum will be available to schools and other groups for educational purposes.

It is the vision of the LVEA that as a result of the Newlands Celebration residents of Western Nevada will recognize and value the role of the Newlands Reclamation Project in the development and settlement of the Western United States. The celebration has provided opportunities for non-agricultural residents to experience first-hand the positive aspects of Western irrigation projects, as well as to experience current rural life in Western Nevada. The celebration has increased the awareness of the central and pivotal role of the Newlands Project in opening the door for similar projects all over the West, and raised awareness of the current economic and positive community impacts of the continued operation and maintenance of the Newlands Project.

The 2003 Ag Expo, sponsored by the Newlands Water Protective Association, will be held Thursday, January 16^th and Friday January 17^th 8:00 am to 4:00 pm at the Convention Center in Fallon. The focus of the Expo will be Ag Production in the New Millennium. A renowned group of speakers have been assembled to bring information to the Lahontan Valley that will benefit all areas of agriculture. Break out sessions will be held and will cover topics such as Irrigation Water Management, Air and Water Quality and Ag Sustainability.

In conjunction with the Newlands Water Protection Associations Ag Expo and the Churchill County Farm Bureau, the Newland Celebration working group is coordinating a banquet honoring the past and present members of the Truckee Carson Irrigation District board. The banquet will be held Thursday evening, January 16^th at the Convention Center in Fallon following the Thursday session of the Ag Expo.