Journal of Nevada Water Resources Association

Technical Journal of NWRA

Editors: Ramon Naranjo and Kip Allander

 

Are you working on important issues in Nevada Hydrology and want to share your results with fellow hydrologists in Nevada and the world? Consider submitting a manuscript to the Journal of the Nevada Water Resources Association (JNWRA). We are seeking manuscripts that focus on scientific, technical, economic, and innovative managerial hydrological aspects of Nevada and Great Basin hydrology.

The Summer 2025 (August) Edition will be posted online August, 2025 and will have an associated ISSN number and a digital object identifier so that they can be searched and cataloged by libraries. To be included in the Summer 2025 (August) Edition,  papers must be submitted to Tina Triplett at admin@nvwra.org by May 1, 2025. Manuscripts will receive at least two technical and editorial reviews.

Instructions for Submitting for the NWRA Technical Journal

Outstanding Paper award(s) for the  Journal of the Nevada Water Resources Association

In honor of Dr. Michael Rosen, whose commitment and dedication to Nevada Water Resources Association (NWRA) was instrumental in maintaining the high quality and persistence of the Journal of the Nevada Water Resources Association (JNWRA), NWRA has established an award for an Outstanding Paper associated with annual editions of the journal. NWRA has also established an award for an Outstanding Student Paper.  Please read more about these two awards HERE.  

2024 Michael Rosen Outstanding Paper Award Winner - David Prudic
2023 Michael Rosen Outstanding Paper Award Winner - Stephanie McAfee et al.
2022 Michael Rosen Outstanding Paper Award Winner - Michael Taylor, Ph.D.

2022 Outstanding Student Paper Award Winner - Porraket Dechdacho

 

2024 Winter Technical Journal

Andrew Aryes and Michael Taylor, Advantages of a Market-based Approach to Conjunctive Management in the Humboldt River Basin, Nevada, USA
Keith Halford and Erica Gallegos, Potential recharge for groundwater-flow models in north-central Nevada
Supplementary Materials
David Prudic, Trends in flow of the Humboldt River, North-Central Nevada, 1945 to 2020
Supplementary Materials

Advantages of a Market-based Approach to Conjunctive Management in the Humboldt River Basin, Nevada, USA

Andrew Aryes and Michael Taylor

ABSTRACT
In basins with a hydrologic connection between groundwater pumping and stream flow, it can be valuable to jointly, or conjunctively, manage groundwater and surface water. Nevada, like many other states, is currently revising its water management approaches and policies to support the implementation of conjunctive management. Nevada’s efforts are focused on the Humboldt River, where groundwater-pumping-induced losses in surface flows have resulted in legal action and where the State is currently leading a stakeholder-involved process to develop a strategy for conjunctive management. This article advocates for a market-based approach to conjunctive management in the Humboldt River Basin. The proposed market-based approach would require groundwater extractors to obtain “offsets” that introduce a volume of water into the river during the irrigation season equivalent to the amount their pumping is estimated to capture. Groundwater pumpers holding offsets could pump their full duty each year without imposing an external cost on downstream surface water right holders through reduced streamflow. We argue that this approach (i) aligns with Nevada water law, including prior appropriations and the Humboldt Decree, (ii) protects the rights of senior surface water users, and (iii) minimizes the negative economic consequences of restricting groundwater extraction in the basin. This article is a commentary paper focused on the potential advantages of a market-based approach and issues related to its implementation in the Humboldt River Basin; further quantitative analysis is necessary to determine the merits of this approach relative to other viable alternatives.

Keywords: groundwater, surface water, conjunctive management, water rights, water markets, offsets
Authors: ANDREW B. AYRES, Department of Economics, University of Nevada, Reno, 1664 N. Virginia Street, Reno, NV 89557 (andrew.ayres@unr.edu); MICHAEL H. TAYLOR, Department of Economics, University of Nevada, Reno, 1664 N. Virginia Street, Reno, NV 89557 (taylor@unr.edu)
Citation: Ayres, Andrew B. and Taylor, Michael H., 2024, Advantages of a Market-based Approach to Conjunctive Management in the Humboldt River Basin, Nevada, USA. Journal of the Nevada Water Resources Association, Winter 2024, p. 4-17. DOI: 10.22542/jnwra/2024/1/1.
DOI: 10.22542/jnwra/2024/1/1.

Potential recharge for groundwater-flow models in north-central Nevada

Keith Halford and Erica Gallegos

ABSTRACT
A potential precipitation-recharge distribution was estimated across 23 hydrographic areas (HAs) to constrain water balances of groundwater-flow models in north-central Nevada that are operated by Nevada Gold Mines. This recharge distribution was estimated from the annual 1991–2020 PRISM precipitation distribution. Precipitation volumes were reduced to representative published recharge volumes using the Maxey-Eakin method, where recharge efficiencies varied as a function of elevation, latitude, and longitude instead of precipitation rates. Estimated potential recharge agreed with the conceptual model, where potential recharge primarily occurs in mountains. In Nevada, potential precipitation recharge commonly occurs over low-permeability rocks in mountain blocks, and this study illustrates how to estimate an in-place recharge distribution for this condition, with an example from the Carlin Trend model.
Authors: KEITH J. HALFORD, Halford Hydrology LLC, 1000 W. Robinson St., Carson City, NV 89703 (khalford@halfordhydrology.com); ERICA R. GALLEGOS, Nevada Gold Mines, 1655 Mountain City Hwy Elko, Nevada 89801, (egallegos@nevadagoldmines.com)
Citation: Halford, Keith J. and Gallegos, Erica R. 2024, Potential recharge for groundwater-flow models in north-central Nevada. Journal of the Nevada Water Resources Association, Winter 2024, p. 18-42.
DOI: 10.22542/jnwra/2024/1/2

Trends in flow of the Humboldt River, North-Central Nevada, 1945 to 2020

David Prudic
ABSTRACT
The Humboldt River flows from its headwater areas east of Elko to the Humboldt Sink southwest of Lovelock. Water in the river is used primarily for irrigation of crops and the river has been fully appropriated and adjudicated since the 1930’s. Groundwater pumping for irrigation began increasing in the 1960’s. Dewatering of mines began in the early 1990’s. Pumping of groundwater has raised concerns over its effects on flow in the river, particularly during periods of drought. Five continuously operated gaging stations on the Humboldt River were used to evaluate if groundwater pumping since the 1960’s could be causing a decrease in flow.  

Various analysis using annual, monthly, and daily flows at Humboldt River gaging stations indicate flow between the Comus and Imlay gaging stations showed an increase in loss that exceeded estimated measurement errors. The mean difference in flow between gaging stations during two droughts—water years (WYs) 1953 to 1955 and 2012 to 2015 also indicate increased loss between the two gaging stations. Daily mean flows at the gaging stations show little difference between October 1945 to September 1969 and January 2007 to September 2020 except for the Imlay gaging station where the daily mean flow for the latter period was less 90 percent of the time than the earlier period. The lack of a change in flow at the Comus gaging station is consistent with the number of days when daily mean flow at the gaging station was less than 1 cubic foot per second (cfs) for two 13-year periods with nearly the same mean flow (1,297 days during WYs 1951 to 1964 and 1,291 days during WYs 2007 to 2020). However, the number of days when the daily mean flow at the Imlay gaging station was less than 1 cfs increased from 64 days during the earlier period to 941 days during the later period. In conclusion, flow at gaging stations upstream of Comus indicates no measurable decrease that could be attributed to groundwater pumping, whereas a measurable decrease in flow at the Imlay gaging station is best explained by groundwater pumping near the river downstream of Comus.
Authors: DAVID E. PRUDIC, 702 Crain Street, Carson City, NV 89703 (davideprudic@gmail.com)
Citation: Prudic, David E. 2024, Trends in flow of the Humboldt River, North-Central Nevada, 1945 to 2020. Journal of the Nevada Water Resources Association, Winter 2024, p. 43-64.
DOI: 10.22542/jnwra/2024/1/3.

 

Winter 2020

All articles
Garrett, Alexes et al., Experimental Halophyte Growth in Saline Environments
Prudic, David, Estimates of pit-lake evaporation and its potential effects on groundwater interactions with the Humboldt River
Saito, Laurel et al., Mapping indicators of groundwater dependent ecosystems in Nevada: Important resources for a water-limited state

Winter 2019

All articles
Shortridge, Adora et al., Rise in coincidence of extreme heat in Nevada’s largest areas.

Summer 2018

All articles
Zampirro, Danny, An update on the hydrogeology of Clayton Valley, Nevada.
Zhan, Guosheng and Fennemore, George, Excess mine water management through rapid infiltration basins.

Winter (Jan) 2018

All articles
Raynor, Daniel et al., Quantifying contributions of snow to surface water supply in the western U.S.

Summer 2017

All articles
Newman, Connor, Design and Implementation of a Geochemical and Hydrologic Database for Nevada Mine Sites
Vitale, Matthew et al., Downhole Distributed Temperature Sensing in Fractured Rock.

Winter 2016

All articles
Iubelt, Mirte et al., Grazing Impacts on Infiltration Rates at Vernal Pools in the Modoc Plateau
Saito, Laurel and K.A. Berry, Broadening perspectives on water resources: The Student World Water Forum.

Winter 2015

All articles
Andrews et al., Evaluation of alternative streamflows to improve aquatic and riparian habitat in the Walker River Basin, Nevada
Andrews et al., Appendices
Gustin et al., Investigation of methylmercury concentrations in irrigation drains and impacts on receiving waters, Nevada, USA
Gustin et al., Supplementary data
Table of Contents; Editorial - Journal of the NWRA_Winter 2015

Volume 6, Number 1, Summer 2011

All articles

Western Surface and Ground Water

Bunk article: "Impacts of changing water demands in the Lower Colorado River Basin under different climate scenarios"
Carlson article: "What to drill: red or blue? Using CSAMT and NSAMT in siting groundwater production wells in southeastern Nevada"
Jensen article: "New Lake Mead intake for Las Vegas – and new challenges"
Leising article: "Fate and transport of EDCs and PPCPs through soils on a reuse golf course"
Miller article: "Assessment of risk and uncertainty under changing climate scenarios over the San Juan River Basin"
Philips article: "A review of methods for characterization of site infiltration with design recommendations"
Rajadbeen article: "Application of piezoceramic elements for the study of seismic body wave propagation in saturated granular media"
Sengebush article: "Characterization and recovery of San Diego’s Mission Valley Aquifer for future reuse"
Shrestha article: "The carbon footprint associated with water management policy options in the Las Vegas Valley"
Strobel article: "Climate trends in snowpack in the Western US"
Xiaoping article: "Sediment quality assessment in the Las Vegas Wash and its tributaries"

Foundation and Construction Elements

Esmaeili article: "Factors affecting jet grouting applicability in stabilizing loose railway subgrades"
Jones article: "Design considerations for porous concrete applications above collapsible soils"
Keaton article: "Scour at bridge foundations on rock: NCHRP Project 24–29 overview"
Lynn article: "The dynamics of the economy on the built environment in Clark County"
Peterson article: "Hoover Dam Bypass - Colorado River Bridge geotechnical characterization"
Vanderpool article: "Drilled foundation and earth retention systems for settlement control in the Las Vegas Valley"

Landslide Hazards

Barrett article: "Case studies in shallow landslide repair and severe erosion mitigation in sensitive coastal and riparian areas"
Chinchiolo article: "Over 40 years of geotechnical research leads to lower cost landslide repair methods"
Daggett article: "A numerical study of displacements in pile-reinforced slopes"
Joslin article: "Expedited landslide remediation"

Earthquake Hazards

Lamichhane article: "A probabilistic analysis of earthquake ground-shaking hazard in Las Vegas Valley, Nevada using updated source data"
Louie articel: "Next-Level ShakeZoning for earthquake hazard definition in the Intermountain West"
Murvosh article: "Comparison of three, three-dimensional, shear-wave velocity models of Las Vegas Valley, Nevada, sediments"
Jackson article: "Seismic hazards to fuel tank farms and groundwater contamination"
Price article: "The present and future roles of state geological surveys in earthquake science and related public policy"
Savran article: "Comparing physics-based Next-Level ShakeZoning computations with USGS ShakeMap statistics for S NV earthquake     scenarios"

Paleoseismic Studies

Bell article: "InSAR reveals new insights into the behavior of seismically active faults in the western Basin and Range"
Carter article: "Investigating the seismic hazards of the Pahrump segment of the Stateline fault system" dePolo article: "Quaternary faults in Nevada"
Hylland article: "The West Valley fault zone, Salt Lake Valley, Utah — Paleoseismic summary and preliminary results from recent trenching"
Kent article: "Advances in marine paleoseismology: Application to the southern San Andreas Fault"
Lund article: "Preliminary results: Paleoseismic study of the northern section of the Washington fault zone, SW Utah and NW Arizona"
McCalpin article: "Changing direction in paleoseismology: Where are faults in their current seismic cycle?"
Ridley article: "Geotechnical and geological site evaluation, Corn Creek Visitors Center, Corn Creek Field Station, Clark County, Nevada"
Taylor article: "The southern edge of the active fault system, southern Nevada, central Basin and Range" 

In situ Characterization and Field Observations

Hammam article: "Collapse behavior of hard indurated gravelly sand soils"
Hudyma article: "Ground characterization using cross-hole radar: ZOP configuration in weathered limestone"
Kittipongdaja article: "Comparing Rayleigh-wave dispersion curves from passive and active sources at three sites in Las Vegas Valley, Nevada"
Liu article: "Experience of a large scale unintentionally long surcharge on organic soils"
Roos article: "The effects of thermal strain, permanent strain and mechanical fatigue on strain-sensing fiber optic cable"
Tamrakar article: "Practical considerations for characterizing shallowly buried bedrock using Rayleigh wave data"
Yang article: "Dynamic cone penetrometer for high alkaline sulfate subsurface soil characterization"

Soil and Rock Properties and Modeling

Attom article: "Specimen size effect on shear strength parameters of tested clay"
Edgar article: "Interfacing a rotary stage and DSLR camera for an automated core photography system"
El-Emam article: "Experimental study of at-rest static lateral earth pressure for overconsolidated sand"
He article: "Experimental study on the engineering and geological behaviors of Sanya Holocene marine clay in China"
Jayakody article: "Spatial and temporal structure of unsaturated flow in porous crushed stone"
MacLaughlin article: "Unconfined compressive strength of 4-inch plaster cubes containing large voids"
Mokwa article: "Nondestructive measurements of geomaterials using X-ray computed tomography, some practical applications"
Nguyen article: "Recovery of liquefied sand with increasing undrained shear strain"
Norris article: "Internal friction as a function of surface roughness"
Petteys article: "Influence of spherical voids on the unconfined compressive strength of plaster cylinders: preliminary results"
Siddharthan article: "Characteristics of laboratory-measured saturated soil behavior under multidirectional shaking"
Ulamis article: "Soil permeability related to liquefaction potential under anisotropic cyclic triaxial test"

Volume 5, Number 1, Summer 2010

All articles
Anpalaki article: "Water Quality Data Modeling to Minimize Eutrophication in the Truckee River, Nevada"
Epstein article: "Development and Uncertainty Analysis of an Empirical Recharge Prediction Model for Nevada's Desert Basins"
Widmer article: "Recent Judicial Court Decisions Affecting Nevada Water Law"

Volume 4, Number 2, Fall 2007

All articles
Lopes article: "Precipitation Zones of West-Central Nevada"
Sims article: "Environmental Hazards Associated With Historic Mining on Water Quality in Nelson, Nevada"
Watermolen article: "California and Nevada Geographic Response Maps for Lake Tahoe, Truckee, Carson and Walker River Basins"
 

Volume 4, Number 1, Winter 2007

JNWRA 2006 Lake Tahoe Special Edition
 

Volume 3, Number 2, Fall 2006

All articles
Editor's Notes
Bache article: "Developing a Synthetic, Long-Term Flow Record for the Lower Virgin River Using Flow-Duration Curves"
Baggs article: "Where does the water go? Agreement Investigation"
Ragavan article: "Technical Note: New method for calculating activity coefficients of surface bions in concentrated electrolytes"
Thodal article: "Trace Element and Radionuclide Concentrations in Walker River Bottom Sediment and Weber Reservoir Sediment Core, West-Central Nevada, 2005"

Volume 3, Number 1, Spring 2006

All articles
Letters to NWRA
Editorial
Boyer article: "Water Supply Accounting and Categorization in the Truckee Basin Using the RiverWare Model"
Brown article: "Characterization of Mercury Behavior in Steamboat Creek and Wetland Mesocosm"
Coors article: "Stimulating Operations in the Truckee-Carson RiverWare Modeling System"
Dana article: "Suspended Sediment Loading in the Middle Reach of the Truckee River, California, 2002-03"
Mann article: "Hydrologic Forecasting in the Truckee-Carson RiverWare System"
Penrose article: "Public Process and the Glendale Water Supply Improvement Project"

Volume 2, Number 2, Fall 2005

All articles
Editorial
Maholland article: "Sediment-Related Road Effects on Stream Channel Networks in an Eastern Sierra Nevada Watershed"
Ragavan article: "Spring-Water Quality of Owens Valley California through Biological Procedures"
Shanafield article: "Analysis of Hungry Valley Groundwater Pumping and Management, Washoe County, Nevada"
Tumbusch article: "Comparison of Bowen-Ratio and Eddy-Correlation Data from an Irrigated Pasture in Carson Valley, Nevada, April-June 2004"

Volume 2, Number 1, Spring 2005

All articles
Tahoe editorial
Halsing article: "The no-project alternative analysis: An early product of The Tahoe Decision Support System"
 Kleppe article: "A study of ancient trees rooted 36.5 m (120') below the surface level of Fallen Leaf Lake, California"
Patel article: "Pilot filtration studies for turbidity and nutrient removal at Lake Tahoe"
Rowe article: "Relation between urbanization and relative toxicity of semipermeable membrane device extracts in the Lake Tahoe Basin and Truckee River watershed, Nevada and California"
Tarnay article: "Modeled inputs of atmospheric nitrogen to the Lake Tahoe Basin due to gaseous pollutant deposition"

Volume 1, Number 1, Fall 2004

All articles
Editorial
Buqo article: "Allometric Responses in Coupled Groundwater - Surface Water - Reservoir Systems"
Maurer article: "Updated Estimates of the Distribution of Average Annual Precipitation in Carson Valley, 1971-2000, Douglas County, Nevada, and Alpine County, California"
Minor article: "Estimation of Impervious Cover in the Lake Tahoe Basin Using Remote Sensing and Geographic Information Systems Data Integration"
Smith article: "Climate and Barometric Pressure Influences on Pederson Spring Discharge and the Carbonate Aquifer near the Muddy Springs, Southern Nevada"
Tootle article: "Evaluation of Climate Factors to Forecast Streamflow of the Upper Truckee River"