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Michael Moreo (Former Employee)

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Meadow Valley Wash near Caliente, Nevada

Science in the Colorado River Basin

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...
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Nevada Water Science Center
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Science in the Colorado River Basin

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...
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Eddy covariance equipment at Stump Spring, Nev.

Groundwater Discharge by Evapotranspiration from Areas of Spring-Fed Riparian Vegetation, Stump Spring and Hiko Springs, Nev.

Stump Spring has been designated as an Area of Critical Environmental Concern by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), and Hiko Springs currently is in the designation process. Both springs flow intermittently in drainages where the depth to groundwater is shallow. The shallow groundwater flowing to and from the springs sustain scarce desert riparian habitats. BLM has recognized a need for accurate...
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Nevada Water Science Center
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Groundwater Discharge by Evapotranspiration from Areas of Spring-Fed Riparian Vegetation, Stump Spring and Hiko Springs, Nev.

Stump Spring has been designated as an Area of Critical Environmental Concern by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), and Hiko Springs currently is in the designation process. Both springs flow intermittently in drainages where the depth to groundwater is shallow. The shallow groundwater flowing to and from the springs sustain scarce desert riparian habitats. BLM has recognized a need for accurate...
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Eddy-covariance sensors at Lake Mohave, Nevada

Evaporation from Lake Mead and Lake Mohave, Lower Colorado River Basin, Nevada and Arizona

The Bureau of Reclamation currently utilizes a model (24-Month Study) that projects future Colorado River reservoir volumes and potential dam operations based on current and forecasted hydrologic conditions and operational policies and guidelines. Each month, a water budget is developed, and Colorado River reservoir volumes and releases are projected for the next 24-month period. Reservoir...
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Nevada Water Science Center
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Evaporation from Lake Mead and Lake Mohave, Lower Colorado River Basin, Nevada and Arizona

The Bureau of Reclamation currently utilizes a model (24-Month Study) that projects future Colorado River reservoir volumes and potential dam operations based on current and forecasted hydrologic conditions and operational policies and guidelines. Each month, a water budget is developed, and Colorado River reservoir volumes and releases are projected for the next 24-month period. Reservoir...
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Evapotranspiration station in the Amargosa Desert, Nye County, Nevada

Groundwater Discharge by Evapotranspiration, Flow of Water in Unsaturated Soil, and Stable Isotope Water Sourcing in Areas of Sparse Vegetation, Amargosa Desert, Nye County, Nevada

The USGS conducted a study to evaluate the potential for groundwater discharge from sparsely vegetated areas in the Amargosa Desert. The study objectives were to: (1) compute groundwater discharge based on evapotranspiration and precipitation measurements at instrumented sites, and (2) improve understanding of hydrologic-continuum processes controlling groundwater discharge through analysis of...
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Nevada Water Science Center
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Groundwater Discharge by Evapotranspiration, Flow of Water in Unsaturated Soil, and Stable Isotope Water Sourcing in Areas of Sparse Vegetation, Amargosa Desert, Nye County, Nevada

The USGS conducted a study to evaluate the potential for groundwater discharge from sparsely vegetated areas in the Amargosa Desert. The study objectives were to: (1) compute groundwater discharge based on evapotranspiration and precipitation measurements at instrumented sites, and (2) improve understanding of hydrologic-continuum processes controlling groundwater discharge through analysis of...
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Supplemental Evapotranspiration Gap-filled Datasets from Stump Spring and Hiko Springs, Clark County, Nevada, 2016-18

This USGS data release represents supplemental tabular data for an annual groundwater discharge by evapotranspiration (ET) from areas of spring-fed riparian vegetation, Stump Spring and Hiko Springs, Clark County, Nevada, 2016-18. The raw ET dataset contained multiple data gaps that were simulated and gap-filled with the water-level model utility in SeriesSEE, a USGS developed Microsoft Excel addi
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Nevada Water Science Center

Meteorological Data for Lake Mead and Lake Mohave, Nevada and Arizona, April 2013 to April 2017

In cooperation with the Bureau of Reclamation (Lower Colorado Region), the U.S. Geological Survey collected meteorological data from 4/22/2013 to 4/25/2017 at Lake Mead and 4/11/2013 to 9/30/2016 at Lake Mohave. Meteorological monitoring equipment were mounted to a floating platform located at each lake. The data presented in this data release includes 30-minute mean air temperature, relative humi
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Nevada Water Science Center

Selected Evapotranspiration Data, Amargosa Desert Research Site, Nye County, Nevada, 7/5/2011-1/1/2017

Selected evapotranspiration data were collected from 7/5/2011 to 1/1/2017 at the Amargosa Desert Research Site (ADRS, https://nevada.usgs.gov/adrs/) in support of ongoing research to improve the understanding of hydrologic and contaminant-transport processes in arid environments. The data presented in this data release includes 30-minute and daily evapotranspiration and associated energy-balance f
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Nevada Water Science Center

Supplemental data from: A Process to Estimate Net Infiltration using a Site-Scale Water-Budget Approach, Rainier Mesa, Nevada National Security Site, 2002-05

This USGS data release represents tabular data for a process to estimate net infiltration using a site-scale water-budget approach, Rainier Mesa, Nevada National Security Site, 2002-05. This dataset consists of the following: (1) Measured and corrected precipitation data from A12 weather station, Rainier Mesa, Nevada National Security Site, July 1, 2002 to June 30, 2005. (2) Inventory of net radia
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Nevada Water Science Center
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Evaporation from Lake Mead and Lake Mohave, Nevada and Arizona, 2010–2019

Evaporation-rate estimates at Lake Mead and Lake Mohave, Nevada and Arizona, were based on eddy covariance and available energy measurements from March 2010 through April 2019 at Lake Mead and May 2013 through April 2019 at Lake Mohave. The continuous data needed to compute monthly evaporation were collected from floating-platform and land-based measurement stations located at each reservoir. Coll
Authors
Katherine J. Earp, Michael T. Moreo
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Water Resources Mission Area, Nevada Water Science Center

Estimates of groundwater discharge by evapotranspiration, Stump Spring and Hiko Springs, Clark County, southern Nevada, 2016–18

This report documents methodology and results of a study that estimated groundwater discharge by evapotranspiration (GWET) from phreatophytic vegetation in two desert riparian areas with ephemeral spring discharge in Clark County, southern Nevada. The phreatophytes consisted primarily of western honey mesquite [Prosopis glandulosa var. torreyana (L.D. Benson) M.C. Johnst.] at Stump Spring and mixe
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Michael T. Moreo, Susan G. Buto, David W. Smith, Nora C. Nelson
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Water Resources Mission Area, Nevada Water Science Center

Shrubland carbon sink depends upon winter water availability in the warm deserts of North America

Global-scale studies suggest that dryland ecosystems dominate an increasing trend in the magnitude and interannual variability of the land CO2 sink. However, such model-based analyses are poorly constrained by measured CO2 exchange in open shrublands, which is the most common global land cover type, covering ∼14% of Earth’s surface. Here we evaluate how the amount and seasonal timing of water avai
Authors
Joel A. Biederman, Russell L. Scott, John A. Arnone, Richard L. Jasoni, Marcy E. Litvak, Michael T. Moreo, Shirley A. Papuga, Guillermo E. Ponce-Campos, Adam P. Schreiner-McGraw, Enrique R. Vivoni
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Water Resources Mission Area, Toxic Substances Hydrology, Nevada Water Science Center

A process to estimate net infiltration using a site-scale water-budget approach, Rainier Mesa, Nevada National Security Site, Nevada, 2002–05

This report documents a process used to estimate net infiltration from precipitation, evapotranspiration (ET), and soil data acquired at two sites on Rainier Mesa. Rainier Mesa is a groundwater recharge area within the Nevada National Security Site where recharged water flows through bedrock fractures to a deep (450 meters) water table. The U.S. Geological Survey operated two ET stations on Rainie
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David W. Smith, Michael T. Moreo, C. Amanda Garcia, Keith J. Halford, Joseph M. Fenelon
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Water Resources Mission Area, Nevada Water Science Center

Groundwater discharge by evapotranspiration, flow of water in unsaturated soil, and stable isotope water sourcing in areas of sparse vegetation, Amargosa Desert, Nye County, Nevada

This report documents methodology and results of a study to evaluate groundwater discharge by evapotranspiration (GWET) in sparsely vegetated areas of Amargosa Desert and improve understanding of hydrologic-continuum processes controlling groundwater discharge. Evapotranspiration and GWET rates were computed and characterized at three sites over 2 years using a combination of micrometeorological,
Authors
Michael T. Moreo, Brian J. Andraski, C. Amanda Garcia
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Water Resources Mission Area, Nevada Water Science Center

Delineation of the Pahute Mesa–Oasis Valley groundwater basin, Nevada

This report delineates the Pahute Mesa–Oasis Valley (PMOV) groundwater basin, where recharge occurs, moves downgradient, and discharges to Oasis Valley, Nevada. About 5,900 acre-feet of water discharges annually from Oasis Valley, an area of springs and seeps near the town of Beatty in southern Nevada. Radionuclides in groundwater beneath Pahute Mesa, an area of historical underground nuclear test
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Joseph M. Fenelon, Keith J. Halford, Michael T. Moreo
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Water Resources Mission Area, Nevada Water Science Center

Groundwater discharge by evapotranspiration, Dixie Valley, west-central Nevada, March 2009-September 2011

With increasing population growth and land-use change, urban communities in the desert Southwest are progressively looking toward remote basins to supplement existing water supplies. Pending applications by Churchill County for groundwater appropriations from Dixie Valley, Nevada, a primarily undeveloped basin east of the Carson Desert, have prompted a reevaluation of the quantity of naturally dis
Authors
C. Amanda Garcia, Jena M Huntington, Susan G. Buto, Michael T. Moreo, J. LaRue Smith, Brian J. Andraski
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Water Resources Mission Area, Nevada Water Science Center

Hydroclimate of the Spring Mountains and Sheep Range, Clark County, Nevada

Precipitation, potential evapotranspiration, and actual evapotranspiration often are used to characterize the hydroclimate of a region. Quantification of these parameters in mountainous terrains is difficult because limited access often hampers the collection of representative ground data. To fulfill a need to characterize ecological zones in the Spring Mountains and Sheep Range of southern Nevada
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Michael T. Moreo, Gabriel B. Senay, Alan L. Flint, Nancy A. Damar, Randell J. Laczniak, James Hurja
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Water Resources Mission Area, Nevada Water Science Center

Evaporation 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 the
Authors
Michael T. Moreo, Amy Swancar
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Water Resources Mission Area, Nevada Water Science Center

Transient effects on groundwater chemical compositions from pumping of supply wells at the Nevada National Security Site, 1951-2008

Nuclear testing and support activities at the Nevada National Security Site have required large amounts of water for construction, public consumption, drilling, fire protection, hydraulic and nuclear testing, and dust control. To supply this demand, approximately 20,000 million gallons of water have been pumped from 23 wells completed in 19 boreholes located across the Nevada National Security Sit
Authors
James B. Paces, Peggy E. Elliott, Joseph M. Fenelon, Randell J. Laczniak, Michael T. Moreo
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Water Resources Mission Area, Nevada Water Science Center

Groundwater withdrawals and associated well descriptions for the Nevada National Security Site, Nye County, Nevada, 1951-2008

From 1951 to 2008, groundwater withdrawals totaled more than 25,000 million gallons from wells on and directly adjacent to the Nevada National Security Site. Total annual groundwater withdrawals ranged from about 30 million gallons in 1951 to as much as 1,100 million gallons in 1989. Annual withdrawals from individual wells ranged from 0 million gallons to more than 325 million gallons. Monthly wi
Authors
Peggy E. Elliott, Michael T. Moreo
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Water Resources Mission Area, Nevada Water Science Center

Data network, collection, and analysis in the Diamond Valley flow system, central Nevada

Future groundwater development and its effect on future municipal, irrigation, and alternative energy uses in the Diamond Valley flow system are of concern for officials in Eureka County, Nevada. To provide a better understanding of the groundwater resources, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with Eureka County, commenced a multi-phase study of the Diamond Valley flow system in 2005. Grou
Authors
Lari A. Knochenmus, David L. Berger, Michael T. Moreo, J. LaRue Smith
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Water Resources Mission Area, Nevada Water Science Center

Non-USGS Publications**

Moreo, M.T., Damar, N.D., and Laczniak, R.J., 2008, ET--the key to improving water budgets in the Southwest: Southwest Hydrology, v. 7, no. 1, p. 28.

**Disclaimer: The views expressed in Non-USGS publications are those of the author and do not represent the views of the USGS, Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Government.

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