East Fork Carson River near Markleeville
West Fork Carson River at Woodfords
Carson River near Genoa
Carson River at Deer Run Rd
Carson River near Fort Churchill
The Carson River is an important water resource for residents, agriculture, and wildlife. At the headwaters, precipitation as snow and rain can produce runoff that is unregulated until it reaches Lahontan reservoir. Water flowing in the mainstem may be diverted in Carson Valley for agriculture and for municipal water uses. At Lahontan Reservoir, water imported from the Truckee River Basin is used as needed to supplement natural inflows from the Carson River. Streamflow downgradient of the Lahontan is also used for irrigation and supports habitat critical to migratory birds in the wetlands of the Stillwater National Wildlife Refuge. The USGS provides science support on water quality and quantity, as well as on the impacts of climate change on water resources in the basin.
The Carson River Basin (State of Nevada hydrographic region 8) is about 3,900 square miles and extends about 150 miles from eastern California to Pershing County, Nevada. The Carson River Basin includes the following hydrographic areas: Carson Desert, Churchill Valley, Dayton Valley, Eagle Valley, and Carson Valley. Major cities and towns with the Carson River Basin include Carson City (Nevada's capital), Dayton, Fallon, Gardnerville, and Minden.
USGS Nevada Water Science Center maintains surface and groundwater monitoring locations throughout the Carson River Basin.
AVAILABLE DATA
- Real-Time Streamflow
- Daily Value Streamflow
- Peak Streamflow
- Water Quality for all site types (zip file)
WATER DATA TOOLS
Carson River Basin Hydro Mapper
WATER PLANNING TOOLS
- Assessing potential effects of changes in water use with a numerical groundwater-flow model of Carson Valley, Douglas County, Nevada, and Alpine County, California
By: Richard M. Yager, Douglas K. Maurer, and C.J. Mayers - The distribution and modeling of nitrate transport in the Carson Valley alluvial aquifer, Douglas County, Nevada
By: Ramon C. Naranjo, Toby L. Welborn, and Michael R. Rosen
WATER PLANNING PRESENTATIONS
Presentations related to East Fork and West Fork Carson River Headwater Flow models and Carson Valley Groundwater/Surface Water model are available here.
STUDIES IN THE CARSON RIVER BASIN
Modeling Tools
Water Quality Science
Chemical Quality of Water Deliveries to Stillwater National Wildlife Refuge, Nevada
Nevada Water Science Center projects in the Carson River Basin are linked below.
USGS Nevada Water Science Center data releases and tools listed below. Links to other available tools and data can be found on the Overview tab.
Nevada Water Science Center publications for the Carson River Basin are listed below.
Precipitation and Runoff Simulations of the Carson Range and Pine Nut Mountains, and Updated Estimates of Ground-Water Inflow and the Ground-Water Budgets for Basin-Fill Aquifers of Carson Valley, Douglas County, Nevada, and Alpine County, California
Occurrence of anthropogenic organic compounds in ground water and finished water of community water systems in Eagle and Spanish Springs Valleys, Nevada, 2002-2004
Water-Table Levels and Gradients, Nevada, 1947-2004
Rates of evapotranspiration, recharge from precipitation beneath selected areas of native vegetation, and streamflow gain and loss in Carson Valley, Douglas County, Nevada, and Alpine County, California
Flood chronology of the Carson River basin, California and Nevada web site
Water Budgets and Potential Effects of Land- and Water-Use Changes for Carson Valley, Douglas County, Nevada, and Alpine County, California
Sources of phosphorus to the Carson River upstream from Lahontan Reservoir, Nevada and California, Water Years 2001-02
Methylmercury in water and bottom sediment along the Carson River system, Nevada and California, September 1998
Monitoring of inorganic contaminants associated with irrigation drainage in Stillwater National Wildlife Refuge and Carson Lake, west-central Nevada, 1994-96
Data on stream-water and bed-sediment quality in the vicinity of Leviathan Mine, Alpine County, California, and Douglas County, Nevada, September 1998
Hydrologic data for water years 1978-97 used in daily flow-routing and river-operations models for the upper Carson River Basin, California and Nevada
River-operations model for upper Carson River Basin, California and Nevada
These are the partners that we are working with currently in the Carson River Basin.
The Carson River is an important water resource for residents, agriculture, and wildlife. At the headwaters, precipitation as snow and rain can produce runoff that is unregulated until it reaches Lahontan reservoir. Water flowing in the mainstem may be diverted in Carson Valley for agriculture and for municipal water uses. At Lahontan Reservoir, water imported from the Truckee River Basin is used as needed to supplement natural inflows from the Carson River. Streamflow downgradient of the Lahontan is also used for irrigation and supports habitat critical to migratory birds in the wetlands of the Stillwater National Wildlife Refuge. The USGS provides science support on water quality and quantity, as well as on the impacts of climate change on water resources in the basin.
The Carson River Basin (State of Nevada hydrographic region 8) is about 3,900 square miles and extends about 150 miles from eastern California to Pershing County, Nevada. The Carson River Basin includes the following hydrographic areas: Carson Desert, Churchill Valley, Dayton Valley, Eagle Valley, and Carson Valley. Major cities and towns with the Carson River Basin include Carson City (Nevada's capital), Dayton, Fallon, Gardnerville, and Minden.
USGS Nevada Water Science Center maintains surface and groundwater monitoring locations throughout the Carson River Basin.
AVAILABLE DATA
- Real-Time Streamflow
- Daily Value Streamflow
- Peak Streamflow
- Water Quality for all site types (zip file)
WATER DATA TOOLS
Carson River Basin Hydro Mapper
WATER PLANNING TOOLS
- Assessing potential effects of changes in water use with a numerical groundwater-flow model of Carson Valley, Douglas County, Nevada, and Alpine County, California
By: Richard M. Yager, Douglas K. Maurer, and C.J. Mayers - The distribution and modeling of nitrate transport in the Carson Valley alluvial aquifer, Douglas County, Nevada
By: Ramon C. Naranjo, Toby L. Welborn, and Michael R. Rosen
WATER PLANNING PRESENTATIONS
Presentations related to East Fork and West Fork Carson River Headwater Flow models and Carson Valley Groundwater/Surface Water model are available here.
STUDIES IN THE CARSON RIVER BASIN
Modeling Tools
Water Quality Science
Chemical Quality of Water Deliveries to Stillwater National Wildlife Refuge, Nevada
Nevada Water Science Center projects in the Carson River Basin are linked below.
USGS Nevada Water Science Center data releases and tools listed below. Links to other available tools and data can be found on the Overview tab.
Nevada Water Science Center publications for the Carson River Basin are listed below.
Precipitation and Runoff Simulations of the Carson Range and Pine Nut Mountains, and Updated Estimates of Ground-Water Inflow and the Ground-Water Budgets for Basin-Fill Aquifers of Carson Valley, Douglas County, Nevada, and Alpine County, California
Occurrence of anthropogenic organic compounds in ground water and finished water of community water systems in Eagle and Spanish Springs Valleys, Nevada, 2002-2004
Water-Table Levels and Gradients, Nevada, 1947-2004
Rates of evapotranspiration, recharge from precipitation beneath selected areas of native vegetation, and streamflow gain and loss in Carson Valley, Douglas County, Nevada, and Alpine County, California
Flood chronology of the Carson River basin, California and Nevada web site
Water Budgets and Potential Effects of Land- and Water-Use Changes for Carson Valley, Douglas County, Nevada, and Alpine County, California
Sources of phosphorus to the Carson River upstream from Lahontan Reservoir, Nevada and California, Water Years 2001-02
Methylmercury in water and bottom sediment along the Carson River system, Nevada and California, September 1998
Monitoring of inorganic contaminants associated with irrigation drainage in Stillwater National Wildlife Refuge and Carson Lake, west-central Nevada, 1994-96
Data on stream-water and bed-sediment quality in the vicinity of Leviathan Mine, Alpine County, California, and Douglas County, Nevada, September 1998
Hydrologic data for water years 1978-97 used in daily flow-routing and river-operations models for the upper Carson River Basin, California and Nevada
River-operations model for upper Carson River Basin, California and Nevada
These are the partners that we are working with currently in the Carson River Basin.