NWI's methods, datasets, and tools are being applied to evaluate water availability, demands, and groundwater budgets in the Pine Valley and Railroad Valley hydrographic basins. These assessments aim to update our understanding of current and future water availability. Ultimately, these investigations will provide NDWR with updated water science, groundwater budgets, and estimates of water availability to assist with long-term management of water resources within these specific hydrographic basins.
The next step in these basins will be to leverage climate projection data to forecast future water availability. This data will be utilized to evaluate the potential impact of changing climate—such as variations in solar radiation, temperature, humidity, wind speed, and precipitation—on future water demand and groundwater recharge. The assessment will specifically focus on gauging the sensitivity of groundwater recharge to changing climatic conditions, employing relevant tools from the recharge toolbox as previously described.
The investigations conducted in these demonstration basins will serve as a blueprint for utilizing NWI data in reevaluating science, water budgets, and availability in hydrographic basins across Nevada. This framework will guide future investigations as the program advances and funding is secured.
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