USGS Science in Nevada

USGS Science in Nevada http://nevada.usgs.gov/water — Providing reliable, unbiased scientific information about Nevada's water resources

http://usgs.gov/ — The USGS serves the Nation by providing reliable scientific information to describe and understand the Earth; minimize loss of life and property from nature.

Quality matters, especially when it come to our water. 💧We were recently collecting a water sample from Truckee River n...
05/29/2026

Quality matters, especially when it come to our water. 💧

We were recently collecting a water sample from Truckee River near Tracy, NV as part of a national water quality study that includes monitoring for trifluoroacetic acid (TFA). TFA is a type of PFAS chemical, sometimes called a “forever chemical,” because it doesn’t break down easily in the environment.

By monitoring TFA in rivers like the Truckee, scientists can better understand where these chemicals are coming from, how they move through the environment, and what that means for water quality and ecosystem health. This work helps support informed decisions that protect both people and the environment.

📷: Hydrologist Harold Jones pours a small amount of water collected from the Truckee River using a depth-integrated sampler (the white fish-looking device hanging from the bridge crane) into a smaller vial for TFA analysis.

💧 Does groundwater pumping affect river flow? A new report describes how USGS scientists modeled the effects of groundwa...
05/26/2026

💧 Does groundwater pumping affect river flow?

A new report describes how USGS scientists modeled the effects of groundwater pumping on the middle Humboldt River in northern Nevada. 📑

As pumping increased over the decades, more river water was drawn into the groundwater system, reducing natural river flow. In the 1960s, impacts were small, but by the late 1990s, thousands of acre feet of river water were being captured each year.

If current pumping continues, river losses could grow even more. Mining operations temporarily boosted river flow in the past by discharging pumped groundwater back into the river, but once that stops, flows are expected to decline gradually over decades.

New maps also highlight where pumping is most likely to affect the river, especially near the Humboldt River and its northern tributaries.

Find the report here: https://ow.ly/tBTh50Z1Tpu

📷: USGS streamgage 10322500: Humboldt River at Palisade, NV.

05/14/2026

Does anyone else feel the wind blowing in the changing of the seasons? The strong Nevada winds seem to blow relentlessly sometimes, and these tumbleweeds rolling across the open desert near the Humboldt River by Rose Creek make for a perfect visual indicator of shifting conditions.
 
As temperatures rise, mountain snowpack begins to melt, contributing to increased discharge in rivers and streams. Some of that meltwater infiltrates downward, recharging local aquifers and supporting early‑season groundwater availability. As we move farther into summer, however, surface flows typically recede as snowpack dwindles, evapotranspiration increases, and basin soils dry.
 
A simple tumbleweed migration ends up telling a pretty elegant story about seasonal hydrology here in Nevada.
 
📹: Tumbleweeds blowing across the eastern Nevada desert. Video credit: Cory Rogaczewski

04/22/2026

There's usually one brave enough to take that first step — they just may need a little nudge from a friend. 🙂🐴

These visitors stopped to eye our equipment on the banks of the Quinn River in northern Nevada. Across Nevada, and the whole country, our dedicated technicians are out year-round measuring the water that matters — for our communities, our landscapes, and everything that relies on it.

Sometimes the herd follows the leader, but we always follow the water data! 💧

📹: A narrow view of our streamgaging site on the Quinn River. The numbered staff plate sticking up from the riverbed is used to measure the water depth. The yellow instrument leaning against the post is used to measure stream velocity at even intervals across the river (the thin tagline stretched across the river keeps the intervals even).

Our USGS field crews were recently out on the Carson River upstream of Lahontan Reservoir collecting a water-quality sam...
04/09/2026

Our USGS field crews were recently out on the Carson River upstream of Lahontan Reservoir collecting a water-quality sample to support ongoing mercury monitoring in the watershed.

Using a suspended sampler from the bridge, the team collected a representative sample of river water to assess mercury transported in both dissolved and particulate forms.

Back at our USGS sample preparation laboratory, the sample was processed and filtered to isolate particulate material for mercury analysis. 🤓 These data help us better understand mercury movement through the system—supporting long-term monitoring, scientific research, and resource management in the region.

🔬 Field to lab, every step helps build a clearer picture of water quality in Carson River system.

📷1: Hydrographer, Mike Denicola, uses a bridge crane to lower the sampler into the Carson River. Photo credit: Venus Cruz, USGS.
📷2: A sample of Carson River water is processed through a membrane filter in a vacuum filtration chamber. The particulate matter caught on the filter will be sent in for mercury analyses (a measure of mercury adhered to the sediment). Photo credit: Venus Cruz, USGS.

Out on the dried lakebed, the mud was cracking jokes… literally. These are mudcracks, formed when soaked sediment dries ...
04/02/2026

Out on the dried lakebed, the mud was cracking jokes… literally. These are mudcracks, formed when soaked sediment dries out and shrinks—basically the ground’s way of saying, “I miss water, but I’m trying to stay positive.” 💧

Mudcracks aren’t just pretty patterns—they record how fast the sediment dried, how much it shrank, and how recently water was here. Nature’s own notebook, written in polygons. As the mud tightens, it breaks into those cool little geometric tiles. Scientists get especially excited about “triple junctions”—spots where 3 cracks meet like they’re having a tiny mud‑conference at perfect 120‑degree angles. It’s nature doing tidy math, which frankly feels a bit show‑offy. 🙃

But here’s the twist: despite looking like a giant pan of overbaked brownies, some of these cracks are shockingly deep. Deep enough that you could lose a boot, a shoe, a small amount of dignity, or—based on today’s fieldwork—half an arm before hitting the softer mud below.

So, if you visit spots like this, take that “DEEP MUD” sign seriously. The ground may look solid, but it’s the geological equivalent of a trust fall gone wrong.

📷1: The "Deep Mud" warning sign near the edge of Crystal Reservoir in Nye County, NV. Photo credit: Joshua Gonzales
📷2: An adult-sized hand inserted between mud cracks gives perspective of just how deep these mudcracks can be. Photo credit: Joshua Gonzales

USGS Water Resources

We had an incredible time representing the USGS Nevada Water Science Center at the Nevada Water Resources Association an...
03/23/2026

We had an incredible time representing the USGS Nevada Water Science Center at the Nevada Water Resources Association annual conference in Las Vegas last month! 🎉

Events like this remind us how proud we are to be part of Nevada’s water‑resources community. NWRA brings together dedicated professionals from across the state, and we’re honored to contribute to an organization that continually advances collaboration, innovation, and informed decision‑making in Nevada’s water future. ⭐

As always, our team takes immense pride in the science we deliver. From discrete and continuous monitoring to long‑term hydrologic studies — we take our role in providing reliable, impartial science seriously.

Already looking forward to next year! 💧🌄

And congratulations retired USGS hydrologist Michael Dettinger for receiving the NWRA Lifetime Achievement Award and to our Northern Nevada Studies Chief, Jena Huntington, for being elected the new Nevada Water Resources Association vice president. 💙

📷1: Michael Dettinger says a few words after receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award.
📷2: Phil Garnder (USGS hydrologist), Cara Nadler (Desert Research Institute hydrologist), and Jena Huntington (USGS Studies Chief) at the conference.

On this International Day of Awesomeness (that's today!), we’re celebrating the hydrologic processes that turn one of th...
03/10/2026

On this International Day of Awesomeness (that's today!), we’re celebrating the hydrologic processes that turn one of the driest landscapes into a carpet of color.

Winter precipitation increases soil moisture, feeds short‑lived streamflows, and helps dormant seeds burst into color—painting Death Valley and adjacent areas with spring wildflowers.

These desert bloom photos were taken by hydrologist Joshua Gonzales while he was out measuring groundwater levels within the Amargosa Integrated Monitoring Network.

Learn more about the network here: https://ow.ly/W7Nx50Ypowq

Here’s to the scientists, technicians, and partners who keep the data flowing and communities prepared—keep blooming, water community! 💧🌼

📷1: Light purple flowers sprout from a dry and cracked area of Stewart Valley in mid-February.
📷2: Yellow and purple flowers contribute to a desert carpet of flowers in Stewart Valley in mid-February.
📷3: Dark purple flowers observed blooming in Death Valley in mid-February.

less

Happy Employee Appreciation Day! 💚⭐💚Today we celebrate the exceptional water science staff of the USGS Nevada Water Scie...
03/06/2026

Happy Employee Appreciation Day! 💚⭐💚

Today we celebrate the exceptional water science staff of the USGS Nevada Water Science Center. Your dedication to collecting, analyzing, and sharing reliable water data strengthens our communities, guides decision‑makers, and protects our nation’s water resources.💧

Whether you're in the field before sunrise, troubleshooting instruments in challenging conditions, modeling complex systems, or supporting the science behind the scenes—your work matters. Your expertise, perseverance, and commitment to scientific integrity are the foundation of everything we do. 🌄

Thank you for safeguarding our water future. 🤓We appreciate you—today and every day.

📷: Sunset data collection at Hot Creek in eastern Nevada - a USGS scientist operates acoustic equipment installed on a small boat used to measure area and stream velocity, which is then used to compute streamflow.

A streamgage is like a river’s speedometer and measuring stick. It keeps track of how much water is in the river at all ...
03/04/2026

A streamgage is like a river’s speedometer and measuring stick. It keeps track of how much water is in the river at all times. Because Nevada’s water‑rights system depends on accurate measurements, the streamgage provides the official data used to fairly distribute water to ranchers, communities, and others who rely on it. 📏💧

We recently installed a new streamgage in northern Nevada on the Humboldt River near Rose Creek to provide more data for the Nevada Division of Water Resources to use in water accounting.

Link to the new streamgage's monitoring page: https://ow.ly/8Fe350YitYT

📷1: New streamgage on the Humboldt River near Rose Creek
📷2: Hydrologist Kuritss Schmidt manually measures streamflow at the new Humboldt River near Rose Creek streamgage

Address

2730 N Deer Run Road
Carson City, NV
89701

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 8am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

Telephone

+17758877600

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when USGS Science in Nevada posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Organization

Send a message to USGS Science in Nevada:

Shortcuts

Share

Category