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.
Determining the source of water pumped from wells along the lower Colorado River
Lithologic properties of carbonate-rock aquifers at five test wells in the Coyote Spring Valley area, southern Nevada, as determined from geophysical logs
Hydrogeologic and geophysical data for selected wells and springs in the Sheep Range area, Clark and Lincoln Counties, Nevada
Geohydrologic reconnaissance of Lake Mead National Recreation Area — Virgin River, Nevada, to Grand Wash Cliffs, Arizona
Chemical and isotopic data for water from wells, springs, and streams in carbonate-rock terrane of southern and eastern Nevada and southeastern California, 1985-88
Shallow ground water in the Whitney area, southeastern Las Vegas Valley, Clark County, Nevada, part I. Description of chemical quality, 1986-87
Changes in water levels and water quality in shallow ground water, Pittman-Henderson Area, Clark County, Nevada, resulting from diversion of industrial cooling water from ditch to pipeline in 1985
Water-level and pumpage data for Las Vegas Valley, Clark County, Nevada, 1986-90
Principal facts for gravity stations in the Elko, Steptoe Valley, Coyote Spring Valley, and Sheep Range areas, eastern and southern Nevada
Water-level data for Las Vegas Valley, Clark County, Nevada, 1986-87
Potential flood and debris hazards at Katherine Landing and Telephone Cove, Lake Mead National Recreation Area, Mohave County, Arizona
Geophysical logs and hydrologic data for eight wells in the Coyote Spring Valley area, Clark and Lincoln counties, 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
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.
Determining the source of water pumped from wells along the lower Colorado River
Lithologic properties of carbonate-rock aquifers at five test wells in the Coyote Spring Valley area, southern Nevada, as determined from geophysical logs
Hydrogeologic and geophysical data for selected wells and springs in the Sheep Range area, Clark and Lincoln Counties, Nevada
Geohydrologic reconnaissance of Lake Mead National Recreation Area — Virgin River, Nevada, to Grand Wash Cliffs, Arizona
Chemical and isotopic data for water from wells, springs, and streams in carbonate-rock terrane of southern and eastern Nevada and southeastern California, 1985-88
Shallow ground water in the Whitney area, southeastern Las Vegas Valley, Clark County, Nevada, part I. Description of chemical quality, 1986-87
Changes in water levels and water quality in shallow ground water, Pittman-Henderson Area, Clark County, Nevada, resulting from diversion of industrial cooling water from ditch to pipeline in 1985
Water-level and pumpage data for Las Vegas Valley, Clark County, Nevada, 1986-90
Principal facts for gravity stations in the Elko, Steptoe Valley, Coyote Spring Valley, and Sheep Range areas, eastern and southern Nevada
Water-level data for Las Vegas Valley, Clark County, Nevada, 1986-87
Potential flood and debris hazards at Katherine Landing and Telephone Cove, Lake Mead National Recreation Area, Mohave County, Arizona
Geophysical logs and hydrologic data for eight wells in the Coyote Spring Valley area, Clark and Lincoln counties, 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