This section is intended to provide information on the relationship between Nevada's counties and the 14 Hydrographic Basins and 256 Hydrographic Areas and Sub-Areas. Click on individual counties within the Nevada county map below to view that county's relationship to Hydrographic Regions (Basins), Areas, and Sub-Areas. This information may also be selected from the county listing to the right of the map. A listing of all of Nevada's Hydrographic Regions (Basins), Areas, and Sub-Areas is accessible either under the map title "Nevada" or from "State of Nevada."
See Chart of Formation of Nevada's Counties
See Map of Nevada's Basin and Range Topography
A Basin is defined as a geographic area drained by a single major stream or an area consisting of a drainage system comprised of streams and often natural or man-made lakes. Also referred to as Drainage Basin, Watershed, or Hydrographic Region. The U.S. Geological Survey and the Nevada Division of Water Resources, Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, have divided the state into discrete hydrologic units for WaterPlanning and management purposes. These have been identified as 232 Hydrographic Areas (256 areas and sub-areas, combined) within 14 major Hydrographic Regions or Basins. Designated groundwater basins are basins where permitted ground water rights approach or exceed the estimated average annual recharge and the water resources are being depleted or require additional administration. Under such conditions, a state's water officials will so designate a groundwater basin and, in the interest of public welfare, declare preferred uses (e.g., municipal and industrial, domestic, agriculture, etc.). Also referred to as Administered Groundwater Basins. For Nevada, in the interest of public welfare, the Nevada State Engineer, Division of Water Resources, Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, is authorized by statute (Nevada Revised Statute 534.120) and directed to designate a groundwater basin and declare preferred uses within such designated basin. The State Engineer has additional authority in the administration of the water resources within a designated groundwater basin.
Source Data: Office of the State Engineer, Nevada Division of Water Resources, Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.
Information on Nevada's Hydrographic Basins
| Nevada's Hydrographic Basins or Regions | |
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Nevada's Hydrographic
[1] Northwest RegionBasins, Regions or Watersheds: [2] Black Rock Desert Region [3] Snake River Basin [4] Humboldt River Basin [5] West Central Region [6] Truckee River Basin [7] Western Region [8] Carson River Basin [9] Walker River Basin [10] Central Region [11] Great Salt Lake Basin [12] Escalante Desert Basin [13] ado River Basin [14] Death Valley Basin |
This information on Nevada's Hydrographic Basins, Areas, and Sub-Areas and their relationship to Nevada's seventeen counties was researched and written by Gary Horton, WaterPlanning Economist
Nevada Division of Water
Resources
Department of Conservation and Natural Resources
901 S. Stewart St., Ste. 2002
Carson City, NV 89701-5250
Telephone: (775) 684-2800
FAX: (775) 684-2811
![[Nevada_1.gif]](../../WaterPlanning/cty-bsn/images/nevada_1.gif)