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.
Summary of floods in the United States during 1990 and 1991
Data on quality of shallow ground water, Las Vegas urban area, Nevada, 1993
Flood on the Virgin River, January 1989, in Utah, Arizona, and Nevada
Dissolved-solids contribution to the Colorado River from public lands in southeastern Nevada, through September 1993
Distribution of carbonate-rock aquifers and the potential for their development, southern Nevada and adjacent parts of California, Arizona, and Utah
Simulated effects of proposed ground-water pumping in 17 basins of east-central and southern Nevada
Ground-water conditions in Las Vegas Valley, Clark County, Nevada; Part II, Hydrogeology and simulation of ground-water flow
Accounting for Consumptive Use of Lower Colorado River Water in Arizona, California, Nevada, and Utah
Method to identify wells that yield water that will be replaced by Colorado River water in Arizona, California, Nevada, and Utah
Selected data on water quantity and quality at four sites on streams draining public lands, Colorado River basin, southeastern Nevada, October 1988 - September 1991
Hydrologic implications of measured changes in gravity during pumping at a carbonate-rock well near Moapa, Clark County, 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: 89Summary of floods in the United States during 1990 and 1991
This volume contains 50 articles describing severe, widespread, or unusual flooding in 28 of the 50 States during 1990 and 1991. Each flood is described to an extent commensurate with its significance and the availability of data on the hydrology and the damages. Each article includes one or more maps showing the general area of flooding. Most articles include tables of data that allow comparisonAuthorsPaul Robert Jordan, L. J. CombsData on quality of shallow ground water, Las Vegas urban area, Nevada, 1993
No abstract available.AuthorsE.G. Neal, P. F. SchusterFlood on the Virgin River, January 1989, in Utah, Arizona, and Nevada
The impoundment of water in Quail Creek Reservoir in southwestern Utah began in April 1985. The drainage area for the reservoir is 78.4 square miles, including Quail Creek and Leeds Creek watersheds. Water also is diverted from the Virgin River above Hurricane, Utah, to supplement the filling of the reservoir.A dike, which is one of the structures impounding water in Quail Creek Reservoir, failedAuthorsD.D. Carlson, D. F. MeyerDissolved-solids contribution to the Colorado River from public lands in southeastern Nevada, through September 1993
The Bureau of Land Management administers about 9,300 square miles of public lands in southeastern Nevada that are part of the Colorado River Basin. The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Bureau of Land Management, began a 5-year program in October 1988 to assess the contribution of dissolved solids to the fiver from those lands. About 6,200 square miles of public lands are in the MudAuthorsC.L. WestenburgDistribution of carbonate-rock aquifers and the potential for their development, southern Nevada and adjacent parts of California, Arizona, and Utah
In 1985, the State of Nevada entered into a cooperative effort with the U.S. Department of the Interior to study and test the State's carbonate- rock aquifers. The studies were focused on southern Nevada and were intended to address the following concerns: Where is water potentially available in the aquifers?; How much water potentially can bewithdrawn from aquifers?; and What effects might resultAuthorsM. D. Dettinger, J. R. Harrill, D. L. Schmidt, J.W. HessSimulated effects of proposed ground-water pumping in 17 basins of east-central and southern Nevada
The Las Vegas Valley Water District filed 146 applications in 1989 to pump about 180,800 acre- ft/yr in 17 basins for use in Las Vegas Valley. A previously constructed, two-layer computer model of the carbonate-rock province area was configured to simulate transient conditions and used to develop first approximations of the possible effects of these withdrawals. Simulations were made using the phaAuthorsD.H. Schaefer, J. R. HarrillGround-water conditions in Las Vegas Valley, Clark County, Nevada; Part II, Hydrogeology and simulation of ground-water flow
Groundwater withdrawals in Las Vegas Valley, Nevada, primarily for municipal supplies, totaled more than 2.5 million acre-ft between 1912 and 1981, with a peak annual withdrawal rate of 88,000 acre-ft in 1968. Effects of heavy pumping are evident over large areas of the valley but are more pronounced near the major well fields. Secondary recharge from lawn irrigation and other sources is estimatAuthorsD. S. Morgan, M. D. DettingerAccounting for Consumptive Use of Lower Colorado River Water in Arizona, California, Nevada, and Utah
In the Colorado River valley between the east end of Lake Mead and the international boundary with Mexico (see figure), the river is the principal source of water for agricultural, domestic, municipal, industrial, hydroelectric-power generation, and recreational purposes. Water is stored in surface reservoirs and in the river aquifer---permeable sediments and sedimentary rocks that fill the lowerAuthorsSandra J. Owen-Joyce, Richard P. WilsonMethod to identify wells that yield water that will be replaced by Colorado River water in Arizona, California, Nevada, and Utah
Accounting for the use of Colorado River water is required by the U.S. Supreme Court decree, 1964, Arizona v. California. Water pumped from wells on the flood plain and from certain wells on alluvial slopes outside the flood plain is presumed to be river water and is accounted for as Colorado River water. A method was developed to identify wells outside the f1ood plain of the lower Colorado RiverAuthorsRichard P. Wilson, Sandra J. Owen-JoyceSelected data on water quantity and quality at four sites on streams draining public lands, Colorado River basin, southeastern Nevada, October 1988 - September 1991
The Nevada part of the Colorado River basin encompasses about 12,000 sq mi, of which 70 percent is public land. Water-quality monitoring stations existing before 1988 were at or near the mouths of tributaries flowing into Lake Mead on the Colorado River below multiple sources of dissolved solids. Thus, data were insufficient to assess what percentage of the overall dissolved-solids contribution toAuthorsG.C. GortsemaHydrologic implications of measured changes in gravity during pumping at a carbonate-rock well near Moapa, Clark County, Nevada
No abstract available.AuthorsD.H. Schaefer - 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