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Nye County Water Resources Plan

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Nye County Water Resources Plan NYE COUNTY WATER RESOURCES PLAN Department of Natural Resources and Federal Facilities AUGUST 2004 Prepared for Nye County by: Thomas S Buqo Consulting Hydrogeologist P.O. Box 127 Blue Diamond, Nevada 89004 NYE COUNTY WATER RESOURCES PLAN TABLE OF CONTENTS SECTION PAGE No. CHAPTER 1. OVERVIEW, GOALS, AND GUIDELINES ......................................................................................................................1 Introduction...........................................................................................................................................................................1 Statement of Purpose and Goals ........................................................................................................................................1 Institutional Framework .......................................................................................................................................................2 Development Process ..........................................................................................................................................................4 Relationship to Other Plans.................................................................................................................................................5 CHAPTER 2. SOCIOECONOMIC AND DEMOGRAPHY ASSESSMENT ............................................................................................8 Socioeconomic Background ...............................................................................................................................................8 Demographics.......................................................................................................................................................................9 CHAPTER 3. WATER RESOURCE ASSESSMENT AND ISSUES....................................................................................................14 Topography .........................................................................................................................................................................14 Climate.................................................................................................................................................................................14 Surface Water Resources ..................................................................................................................................................17 Groundwater Resources ....................................................................................................................................................28 CHAPTER 4. WATER DEMAND TRENDS AND FORECASTS..........................................................................................................41 Historic Demands and Trends...........................................................................................................................................41 Current Demand..................................................................................................................................................................41 Forecasted Future Demand 2000-2050 .............................................................................................................................47 CHAPTER 5. WATER MANAGEMENT AND PLANNING ISSUES ....................................................................................................53 Regulatory Framework.......................................................................................................................................................53 Water Supply Issues...........................................................................................................................................................56 Environmental Issues.........................................................................................................................................................68 Federal Water Management Issues...................................................................................................................................73 CHAPTER 6. COMMUNITY AND BASIN WATER ISSUES................................................................................................................79 Amargosa Valley and Crystal.............................................................................................................................................80 Beatty - Oasis Valley...........................................................................................................................................................85 Manhattan - Round Mountain ............................................................................................................................................87 Pahrump ..............................................................................................................................................................................88 Railroad Valley ..................................................................................................................................................................100 Tonopah.............................................................................................................................................................................101 Surface Water and Watershed Requirements................................................................................................................102 Mining Requirements .......................................................................................................................................................105 Self-Supplied Domestic Requirements...........................................................................................................................106 Federal Lands Requirements...........................................................................................................................................107 CHAPTER 7. WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT ALTERNATIVES.........................................................................................109 No Action Alternative........................................................................................................................................................109 Advisory Alternative .........................................................................................................................................................110 Administrative Alternatives..............................................................................................................................................111 Legal Alternatives .............................................................................................................................................................115 Combined Advisory, Administrative, and Legal Alternatives .......................................................................................118 LIST OF TABLES Table 1. Guiding Principles for the Development of the Nye County Water Resources Plan.......................................................2 Table 2. 1999 Nevada State Water Plan - Issues and Recommendations.......................................................................................7 Table 3. Population Forecasts ............................................................................................................................................................9 Table 4. Historic Nye County Population and Baseline Forecast..................................................................................................10 Table 5. Private Land Uses in Nye County.......................................................................................................................................11 Table 6. Planned and Proposed Developments in Nye County .....................................................................................................12 Table 7. Lakes and Reservoirs of Nye County ................................................................................................................................19 Table 8. Selected Stream Discharge Measurements in Nye County .............................................................................................20 Table 9. Summary of surface Water Rights and Applications in Nye County ..............................................................................24 Table 10. Flow Systems of Nye County.............................................................................................................................................31 Table 11. Estimated Groundwater Budgets and Perennial Yield for Basins in Nye County........................................................33 Table 12. Summary of Underground Water Rights in Nye County Through March 1999 .............................................................36 Table 13. Underground Water Rights Abstract Summary by Type of Use for Nye County Basins .............................................37 Table 14. Nye County Water Withdrawals, 1985, 1990, 1995, Estimated Annual Water Use by Type .........................................41 Table 15. Public Water Supply Systems in Nye county that Responded to Survey Questions ...................................................42 Table 16. Projected Future Water Demand .......................................................................................................................................48
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