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 (State of Nevada 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.
AVAILABLE DATA
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
Water Quality of Springs in the Spring Mountains
Delineation of Vegetation Using Satellite Imagery, Clark County
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.
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.
Water quality in the Las Vegas Valley area and the Carson and Truckee River basins, Nevada and California, 1992-96
Estimates of bridge scour at two sites on the Virgin River, southeastern Nevada, using a sediment-transport model and historical geomorphic data
Hydrogeology and potential for ground-water development, carbonate-rock aquifers, southern Nevada and southeastern California
Hydrology and water quality of the Beaver Dam Wash area, Washington County, Utah, Lincoln County, Nevada, and Mohave County, Arizona
Pesticides in surface water, bottom sediment, crayfish, and shallow ground water in Las Vegas Valley area, Carson River Basin, and Truckee River Basin, Nevada and California, 1992-95
Water-quality assessment of the Las Vegas Valley area and the Carson and Truckee River basins, Nevada and California: Nutrients, pesticides, and suspended sediment, October 1969-April 1990
Environmental and hydrologic settings of the Las Vegas Valley Area and the Carson and Truckee River basins, Nevada and California
Selected hydrologic data for and location of MX wells in east-central and southern Nevada, January 1980 through May 1996
Distribution of oil and natural-gas wells in relation to ground-water flow systems in the Great Basin region of Nevada and Utah, and adjacent states
Geohydrologic reconnaissance of Lake Mead National Recreation Area: Las Vegas Wash to Virgin River, Nevada
Synthetic organic compounds and carp endocrinology and histology in Las Vegas Wash and Las Vegas and Callville Bays of Lake Mead, Nevada, 1992 and 1995
Geochemistry and isotope hydrology of representative aquifers in the Great Basin region of Nevada, Utah, and adjacent states
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
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 (State of Nevada 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.
AVAILABLE DATA
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
Water Quality of Springs in the Spring Mountains
Delineation of Vegetation Using Satellite Imagery, Clark County
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.
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.
Water quality in the Las Vegas Valley area and the Carson and Truckee River basins, Nevada and California, 1992-96
Estimates of bridge scour at two sites on the Virgin River, southeastern Nevada, using a sediment-transport model and historical geomorphic data
Hydrogeology and potential for ground-water development, carbonate-rock aquifers, southern Nevada and southeastern California
Hydrology and water quality of the Beaver Dam Wash area, Washington County, Utah, Lincoln County, Nevada, and Mohave County, Arizona
Pesticides in surface water, bottom sediment, crayfish, and shallow ground water in Las Vegas Valley area, Carson River Basin, and Truckee River Basin, Nevada and California, 1992-95
Water-quality assessment of the Las Vegas Valley area and the Carson and Truckee River basins, Nevada and California: Nutrients, pesticides, and suspended sediment, October 1969-April 1990
Environmental and hydrologic settings of the Las Vegas Valley Area and the Carson and Truckee River basins, Nevada and California
Selected hydrologic data for and location of MX wells in east-central and southern Nevada, January 1980 through May 1996
Distribution of oil and natural-gas wells in relation to ground-water flow systems in the Great Basin region of Nevada and Utah, and adjacent states
Geohydrologic reconnaissance of Lake Mead National Recreation Area: Las Vegas Wash to Virgin River, Nevada
Synthetic organic compounds and carp endocrinology and histology in Las Vegas Wash and Las Vegas and Callville Bays of Lake Mead, Nevada, 1992 and 1995
Geochemistry and isotope hydrology of representative aquifers in the Great Basin region of Nevada, Utah, and adjacent states
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