Geoscience in Your State: Nevada

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Cover of Geoscience Policy State Factsheet. Image credit: AGI

By the numbers: Nevada

  • 3,819 geoscience employees (excludes self-employed)1
  • 1.44 billion gallons/day: total groundwater withdrawal3
  • $8.68 billion: value of nonfuel mineral production in 20174
  • 68 total disaster declarations, including 47 fire, 11 flood, and 5 severe storm disasters (1953-2017)6
  • $2.04 million: NSF GEO grants awarded in Nevada in...

Agencies Working on Geoscience Issues in nevada

Colorado River Commission of Nevada

The Colorado River Commission of Nevada (CRC) is an executive agency of the State of Nevada responsible for acquiring and managing Nevada's share of water and hydropower resources from the Colorado River.

Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology

The Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology (NBMG) is a research and public service unit of the University of Nevada and is the state geological survey. NBMG conducts research and publishes reports on mineral resources, engineering geology, environmental geology, hydrogeology, and geologic mapping.

Nevada Division of Emergency Management

The Disvision of Emergency Management (DEM) focuses on preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation resources through partnerships to sustain safe and livable communities for Nevada’s residents and visitors

Nevada Division of Environmental Protection

The Colorado River Commission of Nevada (CRC) is an executive agency of the State of Nevada responsible for acquiring and managing Nevada's share of water and hydropower resources from the Colorado River

Nevada Division of State Lands

State Lands provides the expertise to acquire and hold lands for the State of Nevada. They collaborate with private businesses, citizens, federal- and state-based agencies to effectively and responsibly use the resources Nevada has to offer. 

State of Nevada Division of Water Resources

The mission of the Nevada Division of Water Resources (NDWR) is to conserve, protect, manage and enhance the State's water resources for Nevada's citizens through the appropriation and reallocation of the public waters. In addition, the Division is responsible for quantifying existing water rights; monitoring water use; distributing water in accordance with court decrees; reviewing water availability for new subdivisions and condominiums; reviewing the construction and operation of dams; appropriating geothermal water; licensing and regulating well drillers and water rights surveyors; reviewing flood control projects; monitoring water resource data and records; and providing technical assistance to the public and governmental agencies.

Case Studies & Factsheets

Cover of Geoscience Policy State Factsheet. Image credit: AGI

By the numbers: Nevada 3,819 geoscience employees (excludes self-employed)1 1.44 billion gallons/day: total groundwater withdrawal3 $8.68 billion: value of nonfuel mineral production in 20174 68 total disaster declarations, including 47 fire, 11 flood, and 5 severe storm disasters (1953-2017)...

CI_Factsheet_2017_7_ValleyFever_171205_thumb.JPG

What grows in arid, sandy soils? How do these soils become dust? Many small organisms, such as bacteria and fungi, grow among the sand and silt particles in dry valley and desert soils. At the soil’s surface, these organisms often form biological webs (“microbiotic crusts”) that keep small sand and...

Cover of AGI Factsheet 2018-002-Geologic Mapping and Public Health

Using Geologic Maps to Protect Public Health Geologic maps can be used to understand and mitigate public health risks across the US, in addition to their more traditional use in resource and infrastructure decisions. Geologic maps can show the location of naturally occurring hazardous materials and...

Screenshot of the USEITI case studies showing the Elko and Eureka counties case study highlighted

The U.S. Department of the Interior's Office of Natural Resources Revenue, Information and Data Management has produced a series of case studies on extractive industries across the United States, focusing on coal, copper, gold, iron, natural gas, and oil.

Screenshot of the USEITI case studies showing the Humboldt and Lander counties case study highlighted

The U.S. Department of the Interior's Office of Natural Resources Revenue, Information and Data Management has produced a series of case studies on extractive industries across the United States, focusing on coal, copper, gold, iron, natural gas, and oil.

Fig. 1. Gold, 3.3 cm high, Round Mountain Mine, Nye County, Nevada. L. McMaster collection. Credit: J. Scovil

Geologic maps have provided the key to finding new gold deposits in Nevada. Defining the Problem The western states contain many gold deposits (Fig. 1), and a zone of faulted sedimentary and igneous rocks in northeastern Nevada, known as the “Carlin” trend, is the most productive region in the...

CI_Factsheet_2017_5_drywellprograms_170906_thumb.JPG

Introduction Dry wells improve stormwater drainage and aquifer recharge by providing a fast, direct route for rainwater to drain deep into underlying sediment and rock. Dry wells are most common in the western U.S. where clay or caliche layers slow down the natural drainage of water into underlying...

Cover of AGI Factsheet 2018-004 - Present Day Climate Change

Climate Science 101 Climate is the average of weather conditions over several decades.1,2 Geoscientists monitor modern climate conditions (1880 A.D. to present) in part by taking direct measurements of weather data (i.e., air temperature, rainfall and snowfall, wind speed, cloudiness, and so on)...