The U.S. Geological Survey and the Nevada Division of Water Resources, Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, divided the state into discrete hydrologic units for water planning and management purposes. These administrative boundaries have been identified as 232 Hydrographic Basins (1-232; hydrographic sub-basins designated A, B, C, etc.) within 14 major Hydrographic Regions. There are a total of 256 hydrographic basins and sub-basins. Field investigation regions are included to support field offices for effective resource management. The designation indicates whether a hydrographic basin has been identified as a basin where permitted groundwater rights approach or exceed the estimated average annual recharge and the water resources are being depleted or require additional administration. Under such conditions, the State Engineer may designate a groundwater basin and, in the interest of public welfare, declare preferred uses (e.g., municipal and industrial, domestic, agriculture, etc.) (Nevada Revised Statute 534.120). The State Engineer has additional authority in the administration of the water resources within a designated groundwater basin.Last updated May 4, 2023.

Geospatial data about Nevada Hydrographic Basin Boundaries. Export to CAD, GIS, PDF, CSV and access via API.

This data set consists of sub delineations of the hydrographic area (HA) boundaries and polygons drawn at 1:1,000,000 scale for the Great Basin supplemented by information from HA drawn at 1:750,000 scale where necessary. See the process steps for more information.

This dataset consists of digitized 1:24,000-scale polylines and polygons representing hydrographic areas for the Walker River basin, California and Nevada.

Hydrographic areas (HA) or hydrographic basins in Nevada were delineated by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and Nevada Division of Water Resources in the late 1960s (Cardinalli and others, 1968; Rush, 1968) for scientific and administrative purposes. In 1988, the USGS published Hydrologic Atlas 694-C where the hydrographic areas of Nevada delineated in the 1960's (and hydrographic areas from surrounding states) were used to define the groundwater flow systems of the Great Basin (Harrill and others, 1988). These data were digitized and released in GIS format by the USGS in 2009 (Buto and Reichelt, 2009). As part of the Nevada Water Initiative project, NDWR has updated the 2009 USGS dataset to include flow systems occurring within the State of Nevada that were previously excluded because they were outside of the Great Basin region. Additionally, NDWR has updated existing HAs overlapping the state boundary with adjacent states HUC boundaries to form more hydrologically based units. Within the State of Nevada, the 1:1,000,000-scale HAs digitized by the USGS were spatially joined to the 1:750,000-scale hydrographic areas used by NDWR for administering water rights in the State and the groundwater flow system attributes were transferred from the USGS dataset to the NDWR HAs. Outside of the State, the 1,000,000-scale HAs were spatially joined to the corresponding USGS 10-Digit Hydrologic Units (HUC10) which overlapped with each HA. Along the State boundary, the 1:750,000-scale NDWR HAs were merged with the rest of the hydrologically continuous basin (as a HUC10 boundary) that exist adjacent to the State. In the NDWR HAs where there was no corresponding groundwater flow system delineated by the USGS, each HA was assigned a flow system based on the following: Within the Truckee, Carson, Walker, and Colorado River systems, several NDWR HAs adjacent to the Nevada State boundary were excluded from the original dataset. Based on the known watersheds of these surface water systems, previously delineated NDWR HAs were assigned to the groundwater flow system based on the watershed boundary.Along the northern border of Nevada with Idaho and Oregon, NDWR HAs belonging to tributary watersheds of the Snake River basin were assigned groundwater flow systems based on watershed area. These systems include those belonging to the Owyhee River, Bruneau River, Salmon Falls Creek, and Goose Creek. Along the northwestern border of Nevada with Oregon and California, small portions of several endorheic basins within the adjacent states extend into Nevada. Due to the potentially complex nature of these groundwater flow systems, the NDWR HAs associated with these endorheic basins were assigned an 'Undetermined' groundwater flow system and may be revisited as part of the Nevada Water Initiative in the future.To document the delineation source and status of each groundwater flow system boundary, a line dataset was produced categorizing each boundary into one of five types: 1. Delineated by NDWR, 2. Delineated by NDWR, Extends Beyond Area Shown, 3. Delineated by USGS, 4. Delineated by USGS, Modified by NDWR, and 5. Undetermined. The Nevada State boundary was also included with these data to better show where the HA data source was merged from the NDWR HAs to the USGS HUC10 boundaries. A polygon dataset of all groundwater flow systems was also created by merging all the HAs and HUC10 boundaries associated with each flow system into a single polygon. Each dataset includes the following attributes:Hydrographic Basin-scale polygons: NDWR Basin Number (ID), NDWR Basin Name, NDWR Basin Sub-Area Name, Groundwater Flow System ID, Groundwater Flow System Name, Groundwater Flow System Source, and Polygon Data Source (NDWR HA or USGS HUC10) Boundary lines: boundary typeFlow system scale polygons: Groundwater Flow System Number (ID), Groundwater Flow System Name, and Groundwater Flow System Source Known issues associated with these data include the following:The boundaries of the NDWR HA and the USGS HUC10 datasets do not necessarily align where they were merged along the Nevada State border. This results in apparent jogs in the boundaries along the State border where the data source switches.Along the border with Oregon, the three NDWR HAs of Macy Flat, Guano Valley, and Sage Hen Valley (HAs 010, 006, and 005 respectively) align with two HUC10 boundaries in Oregon and could not be merged with the associated HUC10s without removing one of the NDWR HAs.The extents of the bordering endorheic basin flow systems have not been determined.The southern extent of the Owens River system is known to extend beyond the delineated boundary.References Cited:Buto, S.G. and Reichelt, J.C., 2009, 1:1,000,000-scale Hydrographic Areas of the Great Basin: U.S. Geological Survey data release, https://doi.org/10.5066/P9VCBUAUCardinalli, J.L., Roach, L.M., Rush, F.E., and Vasey, B.J., 1968, State of Nevada hydrographic areas, scale 1:500,000, in Rush, F.E., ed., Index of hydrographic areas: Nevada Division of Water Resources Information Report 6, 38 p, http://images.water.nv.gov/images/publications/Information%20series/6.pdfHarrill, J.R., Gates, J.S., and Thomas, J.M., 1988, Major ground-water flow systems in the Great Basin region of Nevada, Utah, and adjacent states: U.S. Geological Survey Hydrologic Investigations Atlas HA-694-C, scale 1:1,000,000, 2 sheets, https://doi.org/10.3133/ha694C

The dataset represents the hydrographic basin boundaries for the State of Nevada. The dataset is a combination of basin boundaries completed at 1:750,000 scale and at 1:24,000 scale. Those basins delineated at 1:24,000 have had the boundaries reviewed for agreement with State Engineer Basin Designation Orders and Applications to Appropriate Water, filed with the Nevada State Engineer. The basin boundaries at 1:750,000 scale have not been reviewed for compliance with Designation Orders or Applications to Appropriate. Nevada State Engineer Designation Orders describe the areal extent and level of administrative regulation of the groundwater resource of the designated portion of a given hydrographic basin.

This data release consists of 1:24,000-scale polylines and polygons representing hydrographic areas for the middle Carson River basin, Nevada.

This data set consists of the administrative hydrographic area (HA) boundaries for Nevada at 1:750,000-scale and estimates of natural recharge, artificial recharge, pumpage, and net ground-water flow for each basin where the information is available. Formal hydrographic areas in Nevada were delineated systematically by the U.S. Geological Survey and Nevada Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Division of Water Resources (NDWR) in the late 1960's (Rush, 1968; Cardinalli and others, 1968) for scientific and administrative purposes. The official hydrographic area names, numbers, and geographic boundaries continue to be used in U.S. Geological Survey scientific reports and NDWR administrative activities. Although the boundary lines between hydrographic areas generally coincide with true topographic basin divides, some of the lines are arbitrary divisions that have no topographic control. The pumpage, recharge, and interbasin flow estimates were derived from a variety of sources and methods. The data were tabulated and published by Lopes and Evetts in 2004. References Cited Cardinalli, J.L., Roach, L.M., Rush, F.E., and Vasey, B.J., comps., 1968, State of Nevada hydrographic areas: Nevada Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Division of Water Resources map, scale 1:500,000. Lopes, T.J. and Evetts, D.M., 2004, Ground-water pumpage and artificial recharge for 2000 and average annual natural recharge and inter-basin flow by hydrographic area: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2004-5239, 81 p. Rush, F.E., 1968, Index to hydrographic areas in Nevada: Nevada Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Division of Water Resources, Information Report 6, 38 p. Rush, F.E., 1974, Static ground water levels of Nevada: Nevada Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Division of Water Resources map, 1 sheet, scale 1:750,000.

The Nevada Division of Water Resources (NDWR) publishes annual pumpage inventory reports or crop inventory reports for certain hydrographic basins across the state. The purposes of these reports is to estimate the amount of groundwater pumped under vested claims, permits, and certificates issued by the State Engineer, as well as the amount pumped by exempt domestic wells. Pumpage inventory reports represent the status and usage of all groundwater rights in a basin, while crop inventory reports represent the status and usage of groundwater rights for irrigation purposes only. The Pumpage Inventory Dashboard compiles the pumpage data contained in the published inventory reports, including the Statewide Pumpage Inventories (years 2013, 2015, and 2017). The pumpage data are organized by manner of use (MOU) and presented by hydrographic basin. Surface water use is not included in this dataset. Pumpage and crop inventories are conducted for select hydrographic basins for the calendar year (January-December) or water year (October-September). Pumpage represents an estimate of the total amount of groundwater pumped by basin by MOU in the State of Nevada for a certain reporting year. The Pumpage Inventory Dashboard does not distinguish between calendar year and water year reports. The source of the pumpage data is either a pumpage inventory report (PIR), a crop inventory report (CIR), the Statewide Pumpage Inventory, NDWR's Well Log Database, or the hydrographic abstract of a basin. Methods to estimate pumpage from these data sources are described in the published inventory reports, available at water.nv.gov. Manner of Use Code DescriptionsCOM - CommercialCON - ConstructionDOM - DomesticENV – EnvironmentalIND – IndustrialIRR - IrrigationMM – Mining and MillingMUN - MunicipalOTH - OtherPWR - PowerQM – Quasi-MunicipalREC - RecreationalSTK - StockwaterSTO - StorageWLD - Wildlife

This dataset was created in support of a U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) study focusing on groundwater resources in the Great Basin carbonate and alluvial aquifer system (GBCAAS). The GBCAAS is a complex aquifer system comprised of both unconsolidated and bedrock formations covering an area of approximately 110,000 square miles. The aquifer system is situated in the eastern portion of the Great Basin Province of the western United States. The eastern Great Basin is experiencing rapid population growth and has some of the highest per capita water use in the Nation. These factors, combined with its arid setting, have levied intensive demand upon current groundwater resources and, thus, predictions of future shortages. Because of the large regional extent of the aquifer system, rapid growth in the region, and the reliance upon groundwater for urban populations, agriculture, and native habitats, the GBCAAS was selected by the USGS Water Resources program as part of the National Water Census Initiative to evaluate the nation's groundwater availability. This dataset contains hydrographic area (HA) boundaries and polygons for the GBCAAS study area. The study area consists of 165 HAs based on Great Basin HAs defined by the USGS in 1988 (Harrill and others, 1988; Buto, 2009). The study area is characterized by north-south trending alluvial basins separated by intervening mountain ranges. HA boundaries generally coincide with the topographic highs separating these basins but may also contain arbitrary divisions that have no topographic control. HAs generally consist of thick layers of unconsolidated geologic deposits in the basins and consolidated bedrock in the mountain ranges. The basins are underlain by bedrock at varying depths. Much of the bedrock in the study area consists of permeable carbonate and volcanic rock strata, both of which allow some degree of hydraulic connection between hydrographic areas. The hydrographic area boundaries in this dataset have been assigned a code identifying each boundary as a potential barrier, conduit, or neutral zone to groundwater flow between basins. References cited: Buto, S.G., 2009, Digital representation of 1:1,000,000-scale Hydrographic Areas of the Great Basin: U.S. Geological Survey Digital Data Report 457, 5 p., https://pubs.usgs.gov/ds/457/ Harrill, J.R., Gates, J.S., and Thomas, J.M., 1988, Major ground-water flow systems in the Great Basin region of Nevada, Utah, and adjacent states: U.S. Geological Survey Hydrologic Investigations Atlas HA-694-C, 2 sheets, scale 1:1,000,000. http://pubs.er.usgs.gov/usgspubs/ha/ha694C

description: This data set contains the topographic and administrative hydrographic area boundaries for the Humboldt River Basin at 1:24,000-scale.; abstract: This data set contains the topographic and administrative hydrographic area boundaries for the Humboldt River Basin at 1:24,000-scale.

This data set contains the topographic and administrative hydrographic area boundaries for the Humboldt River Basin at 1:24,000-scale.

Statewide inventories are only conducted on years in which National Agricultural Imagery Program imagery is available. The estimate includes pumpage of all public waters appropriated by permits and certificates issued by the State Engineer, by adjudicated and unadjudicated pre-statutory claims of vested right, and by domestic wells. Primary sources of data includes existing inventories, pumpage records from water right owners, duty of water rights, and known irrigated acres. Methods to estimate pumpage from these data sources are described in the Statewide Groundwater Pumpage Inventories available on NDWR's website. The pumpage amounts are organized by manner of use and presented by hydrographic basin. Surface water use is not included in this dataset.Pumpage data has been split by basin (or county) and manner of use based on the location of the point of diversion of water rights. Data has been normalized to the calendar year and is reported in units of acre/feet. Pumpage represents an estimate of the total amount of groundwater pumped by basin by manner of use in the State of Nevada for a certain calendar year. Commitments represents an estimate of the total amount of groundwater committed in the State of Nevada for a certain calendar year. Manner of use category totals vary over time, as rights are not necessarily static. Rights may be subject to change applications, certification, withdrawals, forfeiture and cancellations; each of these circumstances could affect the duty, diversion rate and acreage associated with a given right. The value associated with each manner of use category does not include those portions that have been relinquished in support of domestic wells.Displayed symbology for the basin totals layers is calculated using (pumpage/committed) * 100. Values symbolized as other have zero pumpage and commitments.Manner of Use Code DescriptionsCOM - CommercialCON - ConstructionDOM - DomesticENV – EnvironmentalIND – IndustrialIRR - IrrigationMM – Mining and MillingMUN - MunicipalPWR - PowerQM – Quasi-MunicipalREC - RecreationalSTK - StockwaterWLD - Wildlife

This data set contains polygons representing the groundwater discharge areas for the 14 hydrographic areas in the middle Humboldt River Basin, north-central Nevada.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has the statutory mandate to collect hydrographic data in support of nautical chart compilation for safe navigation and to provide background data for engineers, scientific, and other commercial and industrial activities. Hydrographic survey data primarily consist of water depths, but may also include features (e.g. rocks, wrecks), navigation aids, shoreline identification, and bottom type information. NOAA is responsible for archiving and distributing the source data as described in this metadata record.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has the statutory mandate to collect hydrographic data in support of nautical chart compilation for safe navigation and to provide background data for engineers, scientific, and other commercial and industrial activities. Hydrographic survey data primarily consist of water depths, but may also include features (e.g. rocks, wrecks), navigation aids, shoreline identification, and bottom type information. NOAA is responsible for archiving and distributing the source data as described in this metadata record.

This dataset contains the amalgamation of the hydrographic area (HA) boundaries and polygons for the GBCAAS study area. The study area consists of 165 HAs based on Great Basin HAs defined by the USGS in 1988 (Harrill and others, 1988; Buto, 2009). This dataset does not contain the HA boundaries or geologic details included in the source dataset. For that information, please see the metadata for the source dataset at https://water.usgs.gov/GIS/metadata/usgswrd/XML/sir2010_5193_ha1000.xml The study area boundary dataset is used by the Office of Groundwater, U.S. Geological Survey, in its hyrogeological framework website.

Accurate delineations of irrigated acreage are critical in the development of water-use estimates and in determining an accurate water budget for the hydrographic basins of the BARCAS study area. Currently, irrigated acreage is estimated routinely for only a few basins in the study area and these acreages are calculated and reported by township range section, quarter, and quarter-quarter. Satellite imagery from the Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) platform was used to delineate irrigated acreage for the BARCAS study area on a field by field basis. Six hundred and forty-three fields were delineated by interpreting satellite data. The water source, irrigation system, crop type, and field activity were identified and verified through field reconnaissance. These data were integrated into the geodatabase and analyzed to develop reasonably accurate estimates of irrigated acreage for the 2000, 2002, and 2005 growing seasons by hydrographic area and sub-area. Estimated average annual potential evapotranspiration and average annual precipitation were incorporated into the geodatabase as ancillary data. Irrigated acreage in 2005 totaled nearly 32,000 acres ranging from less than 200 acres in Butte, Cave, Jakes, Long, and Tippett Valleys to 9,200 acres in Snake Valley. Cave, Irrigated acreage increased about 20 percent from 2000 to 2005, with Snake and White River Valleys experiencing the greatest increases. The source for about 80 percent of irrigation water applied during drier years is ground water pumped from wells. About 80 percent of irrigation water applied in 2005 was through sprinkler systems, and about 20 percent was through flood systems. Fields planted in alfalfa accounted for about 88 percent of the irrigated acreage.

Link to the ScienceBase Item Summary page for the item described by this metadata record. Service Protocol: Link to the ScienceBase Item Summary page for the item described by this metadata record. Application Profile: Web Browser. Link Function: information

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has the statutory mandate to collect hydrographic data in support of nautical chart compilation for safe navigation and to provide background data for engineers, scientific, and other commercial and industrial activities. Hydrographic survey data primarily consist of water depths, but may also include features (e.g. rocks, wrecks), navigation aids, shoreline identification, and bottom type information. NOAA is responsible for archiving and distributing the source data as described in this metadata record.