Science in the Colorado River Basin Active
Virgin River at Littlefield
Hot Creek near Sunnyside
Muddy River near Glendale
Las Vegas Wash below Lake Las Vegas
Colorado River below Hoover Dam
The Colorado River is one of the longest rivers in the Western United States. It begins in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado and flows southwestward until it reaches Mexico where it becomes a small stream or dry riverbed. The Colorado River forms the border between southeastern Nevada and northwestern Arizona. In Nevada, Hoover Dam and Davis Dam control the flow of the river and create two reservoirs, Lake Mead and Lake Mohave. Hoover Dam and Davis Dam both generate hydroelectric power for Nevada and neighboring states.
Use of water from the Colorado River is carefully controlled by the Colorado River Compact, a 1922 agreement which specifies the allocation of water rights between Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, New Mexico, Arizona, California, and Nevada. In addition to the Colorado River Compact, several other laws, contracts, and guidelines define the "Law of the River."
The Colorado River Basin (Region 13) covers just over 2,500 square miles in southern Nevada and includes the following hydrographic areas: Dry Valley, Rose Valley, Eagle Valley, Spring Valley, patterson Valley, panaca Valley, Clover Valley, Lower Meadow Valley Wash, Kane Springs Valley, White RIver Valley, Pahroc Valley, Pahranagat Valley, Coyote Springs Valley, Three Lakes Valley, Las Vegas Valley, Colorado River Valley, Piute Valley, Black Mountains Area, Garnet Valley, Hidden Valley, California Wash, Muddy River Springs Area, Lower Moapa Valley, Tule Desert, Virgin River Valley, Gold Butte Area, and Greasewood Area.
The Muddy River and Virgin River also are part of the Colorado River Basin.
USGS Nevada Water Science Center maintains several streamflow gages on the Colorado River.
DATA
Real-Time Streamflow :: Daily Values :: Peak-Flow :: Water Quality
ACTIVE STUDIES IN THE COLORADO RIVER BASIN
Evaluation of the Migration of Palliative Chemicals Used for Dust Abatement, Clark County, Nevada
Evaporation from Lake Mead and Lake Mohave, Lower Colorado River Basin, Nevada and Arizona
Monitoring Hydrogeologic Conditions in the Regional Carbonate Aquifer, Clark County, Nevada
COMPLETED STUDIES IN THE COLORADO RIVER BASIN
Not all completed studies are listed here. If you would like additional information about completed studies, please email the NVWSC at GS-W-NVpublic-info@ usgs.gov.
Water Quality of Springs in the Spring Mountains
Delineation of Vegetation Using Satellite Imagery, Clark County
Find out more about our work in the Colorado River Basin from the links below.
Nevada Water Science Center data sets and tools for the Colorado River Basin are listed below.
Nevada Water Science Center publications for the Colorado River Basin are listed below.
Evaporation from Lake Mead, Nevada and Arizona, March 2010 through February 2012
Lake Mead--clear and vital
Bottom sediment as a source of organic contaminants in Lake Mead, Nevada, USA
Evaluating lake stratification and temporal trends by using near-continuous water-quality data from automated profiling systems for water years 2005-09, Lake Mead, Arizona and Nevada
Lake water quality: Chapter 4 in A synthesis of aquatic science for management of Lakes Mead and Mohave
A synthesis of aquatic science for management of Lakes Mead and Mohave
Patterns of metal composition and biological condition and their association in male common carp across an environmental contaminant gradient in Lake Mead National Recreation Area, Nevada and Arizona, USA
Assessment of multiple sources of anthropogenic and natural chemical inputs to a morphologically complex basin, Lake Mead, USA
Importance of benthic production to fish populations in Lake Mead prior to the establishment of quagga mussels
Sources and distribution of organic compounds using passive samplers in Lake Mead National Recreation Area, Nevada and Arizona, and their implications for potential effects on aquatic biota.
Identification of methyl triclosan and halogenated analogues in male common carp (Cyprinus carpio) from Las Vegas Bay and semipermeable membrane devices from Las Vegas Wash, Nevada
Technical Review of Water-Resources Investigations of the Tule Desert, Lincoln County, Southern Nevada
These are the partners that we are working with currently in the Colorado River Basin. A complete list of our partners is available here: Partners page
- Overview
The Colorado River is one of the longest rivers in the Western United States. It begins in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado and flows southwestward until it reaches Mexico where it becomes a small stream or dry riverbed. The Colorado River forms the border between southeastern Nevada and northwestern Arizona. In Nevada, Hoover Dam and Davis Dam control the flow of the river and create two reservoirs, Lake Mead and Lake Mohave. Hoover Dam and Davis Dam both generate hydroelectric power for Nevada and neighboring states.
Use of water from the Colorado River is carefully controlled by the Colorado River Compact, a 1922 agreement which specifies the allocation of water rights between Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, New Mexico, Arizona, California, and Nevada. In addition to the Colorado River Compact, several other laws, contracts, and guidelines define the "Law of the River."
The Colorado River Basin (Region 13) covers just over 2,500 square miles in southern Nevada and includes the following hydrographic areas: Dry Valley, Rose Valley, Eagle Valley, Spring Valley, patterson Valley, panaca Valley, Clover Valley, Lower Meadow Valley Wash, Kane Springs Valley, White RIver Valley, Pahroc Valley, Pahranagat Valley, Coyote Springs Valley, Three Lakes Valley, Las Vegas Valley, Colorado River Valley, Piute Valley, Black Mountains Area, Garnet Valley, Hidden Valley, California Wash, Muddy River Springs Area, Lower Moapa Valley, Tule Desert, Virgin River Valley, Gold Butte Area, and Greasewood Area.
The Muddy River and Virgin River also are part of the Colorado River Basin.
USGS Nevada Water Science Center maintains several streamflow gages on the Colorado River.
DATA
Real-Time Streamflow :: Daily Values :: Peak-Flow :: Water Quality
ACTIVE STUDIES IN THE COLORADO RIVER BASIN
Evaluation of the Migration of Palliative Chemicals Used for Dust Abatement, Clark County, Nevada
Evaporation from Lake Mead and Lake Mohave, Lower Colorado River Basin, Nevada and Arizona
Monitoring Hydrogeologic Conditions in the Regional Carbonate Aquifer, Clark County, Nevada
COMPLETED STUDIES IN THE COLORADO RIVER BASIN
Not all completed studies are listed here. If you would like additional information about completed studies, please email the NVWSC at GS-W-NVpublic-info@ usgs.gov.
Water Quality of Springs in the Spring Mountains
Delineation of Vegetation Using Satellite Imagery, Clark County
- Science
Find out more about our work in the Colorado River Basin from the links below.
- Data
Nevada Water Science Center data sets and tools for the Colorado River Basin are listed below.
- Publications
Nevada Water Science Center publications for the Colorado River Basin are listed below.
Filter Total Items: 89Evaporation from Lake Mead, Nevada and Arizona, March 2010 through February 2012
Evaporation from Lake Mead was measured using the eddy-covariance method for the 2-year period starting March 2010 and ending February 2012. When corrected for energy imbalances, annual eddy-covariance evaporation was 2,074 and 1,881 millimeters (81.65 and 74.07 inches), within the range of previous estimates. There was a 9-percent decrease in the evaporation rate and a 10-percent increase in theAuthorsMichael T. Moreo, Amy SwancarLake Mead--clear and vital
“Lake Mead – Clear and Vital” is a 13 minute documentary relating the crucial role of science in maintaining high water quality in Lake Mead. The program was produced coincident with release of the Lakes Mead and Mohave Circular a USGS publication covering past and on-going research in the lakes and tributaries of the Lake Mead National Recreation Area.AuthorsStephen M. Wessells, Michael RosenBottom sediment as a source of organic contaminants in Lake Mead, Nevada, USA
Treated wastewater effluent from Las Vegas, Nevada and surrounding communities' flow through Las Vegas Wash (LVW) into the Lake Mead National Recreational Area at Las Vegas Bay (LVB). Lake sediment is a likely sink for many hydrophobic synthetic organic compounds (SOCs); however, partitioning between the sediment and the overlying water could result in the sediment acting as a secondary contaminanAuthorsDavid A. Alvarez, Michael R. Rosen, Stephanie D. Perkins, Walter L. Cranor, Vickie L. Schroeder, Tammy L. Jones-LeppEvaluating lake stratification and temporal trends by using near-continuous water-quality data from automated profiling systems for water years 2005-09, Lake Mead, Arizona and Nevada
The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the National Park Service and Southern Nevada Water Authority, collected near-continuous depth-dependent water-quality data at Lake Mead, Arizona and Nevada, as part of a multi-agency monitoring network maintained to provide resource managers with basic data and to gain a better understanding of the hydrodynamics of the lake. Water-quality data-colleAuthorsRonald J. Veley, Michael J. MoranLake water quality: Chapter 4 in A synthesis of aquatic science for management of Lakes Mead and Mohave
Given the importance of the availability and quality of water in Lake Mead, it has become one of the most intensely sampled and studied bodies of water in the United States. As a result, data are available from sampling stations across the lake (fig. 4-1 and see U.S. Geological Survey Automated Water-Quality Platforms) to provide information on past and current (2012) water-quality conditions andAuthorsTodd Tietjen, G. Chris Holdren, Michael R. Rosen, Ronald J. Veley, Michael J. Moran, Brett Vanderford, Wai Hing Wong, Douglas D. DruryA synthesis of aquatic science for management of Lakes Mead and Mohave
Lakes Mead and Mohave, which are the centerpieces of Lake Mead National Recreation Area, provide many significant benefits that have made the modern development of the Southwestern United States possible. Lake Mead is the largest reservoir by volume in the nation and it supplies critical storage of water supplies for more than 25 million people in three Western States (California, Arizona, and NevAuthorsMichael R. Rosen, Kent Turner, Steven L. Goodbred, Jennell M. MillerPatterns of metal composition and biological condition and their association in male common carp across an environmental contaminant gradient in Lake Mead National Recreation Area, Nevada and Arizona, USA
There is a contaminant gradient in Lake Mead National Recreation Area (LMNRA) that is partly driven by municipal and industrial runoff and wastewater inputs via Las Vegas Wash (LVW). Adult male common carp (Cyprinus carpio; 10 fish/site) were collected from LVW, Las Vegas Bay (receiving LVW flow), Overton Arm (OA, upstream reference), and Willow Beach (WB, downstream) in March 2008. Discriminant fAuthorsReynaldo Patiño, Michael R. Rosen, E.L. Orsak, Steven L. Goodbred, Thomas W. May, David A. Alvarez, Kathy R. Echols, Carla M. Wieser, Shane Ruessler, L. TorresAssessment of multiple sources of anthropogenic and natural chemical inputs to a morphologically complex basin, Lake Mead, USA
Lakes with complex morphologies and with different geologic and land-use characteristics in their sub-watersheds could have large differences in natural and anthropogenic chemical inputs to sub-basins in the lake. Lake Mead in southern Nevada and northern Arizona, USA, is one such lake. To assess variations in chemical histories from 1935 to 1998 for major sub-basins of Lake Mead, four sediment coAuthorsMichael R. Rosen, P. C. Van MetreImportance of benthic production to fish populations in Lake Mead prior to the establishment of quagga mussels
Limnologists recently have developed an interest in quantifying benthic resource contributions to higher-level consumers. Much of this research focuses on natural lakes with very little research in reservoirs. In this study, we provide a contemporary snapshot of the food web structure of Lake Mead to evaluate the contribution of benthic resources to fish consumers. In addition, we document the avaAuthorsJohn Umek, Sudeep Chandra, Michael Rosen, Marion Wittmann, Joe Sullivan, Erik OrsakSources and distribution of organic compounds using passive samplers in Lake Mead National Recreation Area, Nevada and Arizona, and their implications for potential effects on aquatic biota.
Th e delineation of lateral and vertical gradients of organic contaminants in lakes is hampered by low concentrations and nondetection of many organic compounds in water. Passive samplers (semipermeable membrane devices [SPMDs] and polar organic chemical integrative samplers [POCIS]) are well suited for assessing gradients because they can detect synthetic organic compounds (SOCs) at pg L-1 concenAuthorsMichael R. Rosen, David A. Alvarez, Steven L. Goodbred, Thomas J. Leiker, Reynaldo PatiñoIdentification of methyl triclosan and halogenated analogues in male common carp (Cyprinus carpio) from Las Vegas Bay and semipermeable membrane devices from Las Vegas Wash, Nevada
Methyl triclosan and four halogenated analogues have been identified in extracts of individual whole-body male carp (Cyprinus carpio) tissue that were collected from Las Vegas Bay, Nevada, and Semipermeable Membrane Devices (SPMD) that were deployed in Las Vegas Wash, Nevada. Methyl triclosan is believed to be the microbially methylated product of the antibacterial agent triclosan (2, 4, 4'-trichlAuthorsT.J. Leiker, S.R. Abney, S. L. Goodbred, Michael R. RosenTechnical Review of Water-Resources Investigations of the Tule Desert, Lincoln County, Southern Nevada
The Nevada State Engineer in Ruling No. 5181 required Lincoln County and Vidler Water Company, Inc., to provide results from additional water-resources studies of Tule Desert in southern Nevada to support water-rights application 64692. As outlined by the ruling, the additional studies were to include the determination of the amount of ground water available from the Tule Desert basin, ground-wateAuthorsDavid L. Berger, Keith J. Halford, Wayne R. Belcher, Michael S. Lico - Web Tools
- Partners
These are the partners that we are working with currently in the Colorado River Basin. A complete list of our partners is available here: Partners page