The Nevada Supreme Court is rejecting a Mormon church appeal on a narrow legal question in a broad water rights dispute stemming from a proposal to pipe groundwater to Las Vegas from areas along the Nevada-Utah border.

The state high court on Thursday unanimously rejected a church contention that Nevada's top water official misinterpreted state law when he decided in March 2012 to allow "incremental development" of pumping operations in the Spring Valley area.

The court noted the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and its sprawling Cleveland Ranch in Nevada's White Pine County is just one of hundreds of parties contesting the Southern Nevada Water Authority proposal.

The justices last year sent the larger water rights question back to Nevada state Engineer Jason King for more hearings.