Since the first dam diversion in 1906, Pyramid Lake has lost over 45 feet of vertical shoreline, threatening vital rookeries and wildlife habitats. The Paiute Indian Tribe, its members historically gatherers, fishermen, and protectors of Pyramid Lake, has been entangled in complex legal battles for years seeking redress for the lost water. Yet the growing metropolitan areas in northern Nevada and California, along with ranching and farming, now depend on the water from the Truckee River. Given that this area recently suffered from many years of drought, and is normally quite arid, the demands upon the water system are creating a crisis of scarcity. The Needles area is considered sacred to the Paiutes of Pyramid Lake. After having it repeatedly trashed by non-Native visitors, the Paiutes closed off the area to non-Tribal people.