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Nevada

Nevada groundwater dependent ecosystems stressors and threats

May 31, 2022

Torrance Ranch Preserve, NV
Torrance Ranch, NV Springs at Torrance Ranch Preserve, NV © Simon Williams / TNC

The purpose of the assessment presented here was to identify and evaluate stressors and threats to groundwater-dependent ecosystems (GDEs) in Nevada by using the Nevada iGDE database along with additional data. Stressors were considered things that are currently impacting GDEs, whereas threats were things that could potentially impact GDEs in the future. In consultation with managers and scientists, we identified five themes of stressors and threats:

  • groundwater withdrawals
  • climate
  • ungulates
  • non-native species
  • additional impacts due to human development

A couple of key findings were that almost 40 percent of the over 6,500 wells we analyzed had significantly falling groundwater level trends, and all of Nevada is projected to be more "droughty" in the future, which could increase the importance of groundwater as a buffer for less reliable surface water. Raw spatial data from this assessment as well as the original Nevada iGDE database can be downloaded here.

Report

  • Nevada GDE Stressor and Threat Fact Sheet

    Fact Sheet

    Fact sheet for Stressor and Threat Assessment of Nevada Groundwater Dependent Ecosystems

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  • Executive Summary of Stressor and Threat Assessment of Nevada Groundwater Dependent Ecosystems

    Executive Summary

    Executive Summary of Stressor and Threat Assessment of Groundwater Dependent Ecosystems (May 2022)

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  • Stressor and threat assessment of Nevada groundwater dependent ecosystems (no appendices)

    Report without appendices

    Report and Executive Summary of Stressor and Threat Assessment of Nevada Groundwater Dependent Ecosystems (no appendices)

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  • Appendices A-Q for 2022 Nevada Stressor and Threat Assessment report

    All Appendices

    Appendices A through Q of the Stressor and Threat Assessment of Nevada Groundwater Dependent Ecosystems

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  • Appendices A-C for NV Stressor and Threat Assessment

    Appendices A through C

    Appendix A: Entities who discussed assessment with TNC staff; Appendix B: Examples of complexity of groundwater withdrawal with distance; Appendix C: Examples of calculations due to falling groundwater levels.

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  • Appendix D of NV GDE Stressor and Threat Assessment

    Appendix D

    Appendix D: Maps of groundwater level trends in hydrographic areas.

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  • Appendices E-F of the NV GDE Stressor and Threat Assessment

    Appendices E and F

    Appendix E: Groundwater withdrawal stressor maps; Appendix F: Groundwater withdrawal threat maps

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  • Appendices G-I of NV GDE Stressor and Threat Assessment

    Appendices G through I

    Appendix G: Equations for calculating climate threat; Appendix H: Climate stressor maps; Appendix I: Climate threat maps.

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  • Appendices J-K of NV GDE Stressor and Threat Assessment

    Appendices J and K

    Appendix J: Ungulate stressor maps; Appendix K: Ungulate threat maps.

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  • Appendices L-N of NV GDE Stressor and Threat Assessment

    Appendices L through N

    Appendix L: Non-native species considered; Appendix M: Non-native species stressor maps; Appendix N: Non-native species threat maps.

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  • Appendices O-P of NV GDE Stressor and Threat Assessment

    Appendices O and P

    Appendix O: Human development stressor maps; Appendix P: Human development threat maps.

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  • Appendix Q of NV GDE Stressor and Threat Assessment

    Appendix Q

    Appendix Q: Overall stressor and threat maps.

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