Nora Nelson
Nora Nelson is a Hydrologist in the Northern Nevada Hydrologic Studies Unit
Science and Products
Data from two tracer investigations in the Snake Creek drainage, Great Basin National Park, White Pine County, Nevada
This U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) data release consists of data from two tracer investigations in the Snake Creek drainage of Great Basin National Park, White Pine County, Nevada. The first investigation, occurring from April to September 2019, involved injecting a fluorescein dye tracer below a diversion point in Snake Creek and monitoring 13 sites in the Snake Creek and neighboring Big Wash dra
MODFLOW-2005 and PEST models used to simulate the 2016 carbonate-rock aquifer test and characterize hydraulic properties of carbonate-rock and basin-fill aquifers near Long Canyon, Goshute Valley, northeastern Nevada
A three-dimension groundwater-flow model (MODFLOW-2005) was developed to improve understanding of groundwater flow and pumping effects near the Long Canyon Mine in Goshute Valley, northeastern Nevada. Bulk hydraulic properties of carbonate rocks and basin-fill aquifers were characterized by simultaneously interpreting steady-state flow during predevelopment conditions and changes in groundwater le
MODFLOW-2005 models used to simulate effects of pumping in the Death Valley Regional Groundwater Flow System, Nevada and California—Selected management scenarios projected to 2120
A three-dimensional, groundwater-flow model developed by Halford and Jackson (https://doi.org/10.3133/pp1863) was used to simulate effects of future (2020—2120) groundwater pumping on water levels and natural discharges in the Alkali Flat–Furnace Creek Ranch (AFFCR), Ash Meadows, Pahute Mesa–Oasis Valley (PMOV), and Pahrump to Death Valley South (PDVS) groundwater basins, southern Nevada and Calif
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
Electrical Geophysical Data Collected in the Scott M. Matheson Wetlands Preserve Near Moab, Utah
Quantitative evaluation of groundwater/surface water exchange dynamics is universally challenging in large river systems, because existing physical methodology often does not yield spatially-distributed data and is difficult to utilize in deeper water. Here we apply combined frequency domain electromagnetic induction (EMI) and direct contact vertical electrical sounding (VES) measurements to ident
Quantifying stream-loss recovery in a spring using dual-tracer injections in the Snake Creek drainage, Great Basin National Park, Nevada, USA
Simultaneous short-pulse injections of two tracers (sodium bromide [Br–] and fluorescein dye) were made in a losing reach of Snake Creek in Great Basin National Park, Nevada, USA, to evaluate the quantity of stream loss through permeable carbonates that resurfaces at a spring approximately 10 km down drainage. A revised hydrogeologic cross section for a possible flow path of the infiltrated Snake
Authors
C. Eric Humphrey, Philip M. Gardner, Lawrence E. Spangler, Nora C. Nelson, Laura Toran, D. Kip Solomon
Simulated effects of pumping in the Death Valley Regional Groundwater Flow System, Nevada and California—Selected management scenarios projected to 2120
Declining water levels and reduced natural discharge at springs, seeps, and phreatophyte areas primarily are the result of decades of groundwater development in the Death Valley regional flow system, in Nevada and California. A calibrated groundwater-flow model was used to simulate potential future effects of groundwater pumping on water levels and natural groundwater discharge in the study area.
Authors
Nora C. Nelson, Tracie R. Jackson
Rethinking a groundwater flow system using a multiple-tracer geochemical approach: A case study in Moab-Spanish Valley, Utah
The Glen Canyon Group Aquifer (GCGA) is the sole source of public water supply for the city of Moab, Utah, a domestic and international tourist destination. Population and tourism growth are likely to target the GCGA for future water resources, but our analysis indicates that additional withdrawals would likely be sourced from groundwater storage and not be sustained by recharge. A quantitative es
Authors
Philip M. Gardner, Nora C. Nelson, Victor M. Heilweil, John E. Solder, Douglas K. Solomon
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
Authors
Michael T. Moreo, Susan G. Buto, David W. Smith, Nora C. Nelson
Evaluation of groundwater resources in the Spanish Valley Watershed, Grand and San Juan Counties, Utah
Groundwater resources in the Spanish Valley watershed in southern Utah were quantified for the first time since the early 1970s. The primary objectives of this study were (1) to better understand sources of recharge to, groundwater flow directions within, and discharge points for both the valley-fill and Glen Canyon Group aquifers (VFA and GCGA), and (2) to quantify groundwater budget components o
Authors
Melissa D. Masbruch, Philip M. Gardner, Nora C. Nelson, Victor M. Heilweil, John E. Solder, Michael D. Hess, Tim S. McKinney, Martin A. Briggs, D. Kip Solomon
Wetland-scale mapping of preferential fresh groundwater discharge to the Colorado River
Quantitative evaluation of groundwater/surface water exchange dynamics is universally challenging in large river systems, because existing methodology often does not yield spatially‐distributed data and is difficult to apply in deeper water. Here we apply a combined near‐surface geophysical and direct groundwater chemical toolkit to refine fresh groundwater discharge estimates to the Colorado Rive
Authors
Martin A. Briggs, Nora C. Nelson, Philip M. Gardner, D. Kip Solomon, Neil Terry, John W. Lane
Assessment of managed aquifer recharge at Sand Hollow Reservoir, Washington County, Utah, updated to conditions through 2016
Sand Hollow Reservoir in Washington County, Utah, was completed in March 2002 and is operated primarily for managed aquifer recharge by the Washington County Water Conservancy District. From 2002 through 2016, surface-water diversions of about 256,000 acre-feet (acre-ft) to Sand Hollow Reservoir have allowed the reservoir to remain nearly full since 2006. Groundwater levels in monitoring wells nea
Authors
Thomas M. Marston, Nora C. Nelson
Science and Products
Data from two tracer investigations in the Snake Creek drainage, Great Basin National Park, White Pine County, Nevada
This U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) data release consists of data from two tracer investigations in the Snake Creek drainage of Great Basin National Park, White Pine County, Nevada. The first investigation, occurring from April to September 2019, involved injecting a fluorescein dye tracer below a diversion point in Snake Creek and monitoring 13 sites in the Snake Creek and neighboring Big Wash dra
MODFLOW-2005 and PEST models used to simulate the 2016 carbonate-rock aquifer test and characterize hydraulic properties of carbonate-rock and basin-fill aquifers near Long Canyon, Goshute Valley, northeastern Nevada
A three-dimension groundwater-flow model (MODFLOW-2005) was developed to improve understanding of groundwater flow and pumping effects near the Long Canyon Mine in Goshute Valley, northeastern Nevada. Bulk hydraulic properties of carbonate rocks and basin-fill aquifers were characterized by simultaneously interpreting steady-state flow during predevelopment conditions and changes in groundwater le
MODFLOW-2005 models used to simulate effects of pumping in the Death Valley Regional Groundwater Flow System, Nevada and California—Selected management scenarios projected to 2120
A three-dimensional, groundwater-flow model developed by Halford and Jackson (https://doi.org/10.3133/pp1863) was used to simulate effects of future (2020—2120) groundwater pumping on water levels and natural discharges in the Alkali Flat–Furnace Creek Ranch (AFFCR), Ash Meadows, Pahute Mesa–Oasis Valley (PMOV), and Pahrump to Death Valley South (PDVS) groundwater basins, southern Nevada and Calif
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
Electrical Geophysical Data Collected in the Scott M. Matheson Wetlands Preserve Near Moab, Utah
Quantitative evaluation of groundwater/surface water exchange dynamics is universally challenging in large river systems, because existing physical methodology often does not yield spatially-distributed data and is difficult to utilize in deeper water. Here we apply combined frequency domain electromagnetic induction (EMI) and direct contact vertical electrical sounding (VES) measurements to ident
Quantifying stream-loss recovery in a spring using dual-tracer injections in the Snake Creek drainage, Great Basin National Park, Nevada, USA
Simultaneous short-pulse injections of two tracers (sodium bromide [Br–] and fluorescein dye) were made in a losing reach of Snake Creek in Great Basin National Park, Nevada, USA, to evaluate the quantity of stream loss through permeable carbonates that resurfaces at a spring approximately 10 km down drainage. A revised hydrogeologic cross section for a possible flow path of the infiltrated Snake
Authors
C. Eric Humphrey, Philip M. Gardner, Lawrence E. Spangler, Nora C. Nelson, Laura Toran, D. Kip Solomon
Simulated effects of pumping in the Death Valley Regional Groundwater Flow System, Nevada and California—Selected management scenarios projected to 2120
Declining water levels and reduced natural discharge at springs, seeps, and phreatophyte areas primarily are the result of decades of groundwater development in the Death Valley regional flow system, in Nevada and California. A calibrated groundwater-flow model was used to simulate potential future effects of groundwater pumping on water levels and natural groundwater discharge in the study area.
Authors
Nora C. Nelson, Tracie R. Jackson
Rethinking a groundwater flow system using a multiple-tracer geochemical approach: A case study in Moab-Spanish Valley, Utah
The Glen Canyon Group Aquifer (GCGA) is the sole source of public water supply for the city of Moab, Utah, a domestic and international tourist destination. Population and tourism growth are likely to target the GCGA for future water resources, but our analysis indicates that additional withdrawals would likely be sourced from groundwater storage and not be sustained by recharge. A quantitative es
Authors
Philip M. Gardner, Nora C. Nelson, Victor M. Heilweil, John E. Solder, Douglas K. Solomon
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
Authors
Michael T. Moreo, Susan G. Buto, David W. Smith, Nora C. Nelson
Evaluation of groundwater resources in the Spanish Valley Watershed, Grand and San Juan Counties, Utah
Groundwater resources in the Spanish Valley watershed in southern Utah were quantified for the first time since the early 1970s. The primary objectives of this study were (1) to better understand sources of recharge to, groundwater flow directions within, and discharge points for both the valley-fill and Glen Canyon Group aquifers (VFA and GCGA), and (2) to quantify groundwater budget components o
Authors
Melissa D. Masbruch, Philip M. Gardner, Nora C. Nelson, Victor M. Heilweil, John E. Solder, Michael D. Hess, Tim S. McKinney, Martin A. Briggs, D. Kip Solomon
Wetland-scale mapping of preferential fresh groundwater discharge to the Colorado River
Quantitative evaluation of groundwater/surface water exchange dynamics is universally challenging in large river systems, because existing methodology often does not yield spatially‐distributed data and is difficult to apply in deeper water. Here we apply a combined near‐surface geophysical and direct groundwater chemical toolkit to refine fresh groundwater discharge estimates to the Colorado Rive
Authors
Martin A. Briggs, Nora C. Nelson, Philip M. Gardner, D. Kip Solomon, Neil Terry, John W. Lane
Assessment of managed aquifer recharge at Sand Hollow Reservoir, Washington County, Utah, updated to conditions through 2016
Sand Hollow Reservoir in Washington County, Utah, was completed in March 2002 and is operated primarily for managed aquifer recharge by the Washington County Water Conservancy District. From 2002 through 2016, surface-water diversions of about 256,000 acre-feet (acre-ft) to Sand Hollow Reservoir have allowed the reservoir to remain nearly full since 2006. Groundwater levels in monitoring wells nea
Authors
Thomas M. Marston, Nora C. Nelson