Research
The Nevada Water Science Center is planning for the future by developing new approaches and innovative ways to meet the critical need for sound, objective scientific information. The questions asked by policy makers are more complex than in the past and typically involve more than one area of scientific expertise: water quantity and quality assessments are essential for evaluating ecosystem health and sustainability; predictive hydrologic models are key to evaluating future responses of the water cycle to climate change; water resource assessments are instrumental to policy makers for clearly weighing the competing energy alternatives and evaluating the environmental cost for energy development; accurate, real-time streamflow data continues to safeguard people during flood events; and advances in water-quality monitoring techniques have resulted in detection of emerging and other drinking-water contaminants that pose a risk to public health.
Our current research to meet the need for sound, objective scientific information is listed below by area.
Statewide
Surface-Water/Groundwater Model Development
Central Nevada
Evaluation of Diamond Valley Flow System, phase 3
Water Resources of the Upper Humboldt River Basin
Eastern Nevada
Spring and Snake Valley Aquifers
Southern Nevada
Characterizing Local Climate and Soils, Spring Mountain and Sheep Range
Delineation of Vegetation Using Satellite Imagery, phase 2
Drilling in the Carbonate Aquifer, Clark County
Endocrine Disruption in Lake Mead
Evaluating Groundwater Discharge Rates, Nye County
Southern Amargosa Embedded Model (SAMM)
Spring and Well Data for Federal Lands, Clark County
USGS/U.S. Department of Energy Cooperative Studies
Western Nevada
Algal Studies, East Fork Carson River
Effects of Groundwater Withdrawals, Tracy Segment
Evaluation of Black Rock Desert National Conservation Area
Evaluation of Groundwater Flow, Middle Carson River Basin
Groundwater Discharge and Water Quality in Dixie Valley
Groundwater Nitrogen Budget for Carson Valley
Lake Tahoe Tributary Monitoring
Monitoring Sediment and Water Quality in Clear Creek
Walker Lake Monitoring
About NVWSC Science
The USGS has been collecting water-resources data in Nevada since 1889. Since that time, the NVWSC has been responsible for providing reliable, impartial, and timely information needed to understand Nevada's water resources.
The foundation of our science is our staff. At the NVWSC, our staff is as diverse as the science we study. We have over 70 scientists including hydrologists, modelers, physical scientists, geographers, and hydrologic technicians. We also have more than 20 support staff.
Publishing Science
Publications Warehouse
USGS publications can be searched through the USGS Publications Warehouse.In addition to all the latest USGS publications, the publications warehouse team has scanned thousands of older USGS publications into pDF files. These pDF files are accessible through the search feature of the publications warehouse.
Maps and Geospatial Data
USGS offers several map products: printed maps,
geospatial data, and interactive maps. Not sure what you need? Descriptions of USGS maps can be found here: USGS Maps.
USGS also offers a service called US Topo. From the US Topo site, users can customize and download printable topographic maps for free.
Aerial photos and Satellite Images
USGS has many different kinds of imagery from LiDAR (Light Detection And Ranging) to Astrogeology images: Available Data.
