NEVADA TEST AND TRAINING RANGE (NTTR) Land Withdrawal Application Packages/ Case File and Legislative EIS WATER REQUIREMENTS STUDY OF THE NEVADA TEST AND TRAINING RANGE FINAL March 2017 FINAL WATER REQUIREMENTS STUDY OF THE NEVADA TEST AND TRAINING RANGE (NTTR) MARCH 2017 FINAL Water Resources Report TABLE OF CONTENTS 2.1 NEVADA TEST AND TRAINING RANGE ................................................................................ 12 2.2 PURPOSE OF THE STUDY ..................................................................................................... 12 3.1 CURRENT WITHDRAWN AREA .............................................................................................. 15 3.1.1 North Range ........................................................................................................................ 17 3.1.2 South Range ....................................................................................................................... 17 3.2 EXPANSION AREAS ................................................................................................................ 18 4.1 ABOUT WATER RESOURCE MANAGEMENT IN NEVADA ................................................... 24 4.1.1 Brief Introduction to Nevada Water Law ............................................................................. 24 4.1.2 Water Rights Terminology ................................................................................................... 25 4.1.3 Groundwater Management ................................................................................................. 26 4.1.4 Surface Water Management ............................................................................................... 29 4.2 INFORMATION SOURCES AND PROJECT APPROACH ...................................................... 29 4.3 HYDROGEOLOGIC SETTING OF THE NTTR ........................................................................ 31 4.4 HYDROGRAPHIC UNITS OF THE NTTR ................................................................................ 35 5.1 HYDROGEOLOGIC SYSTEMS ................................................................................................ 38 5.1.1 Groundwater Occurrence and Flow .................................................................................... 38 5.1.2 Groundwater Quality ........................................................................................................... 39 5.2 GROUNDWATER QUANTITY, RIGHTS, AND USE ON THE NTTR ....................................... 42 5.2.1 Basin 141 – Ralston Valley ................................................................................................. 46 5.2.2 Basin 144 – Lida Valley ....................................................................................................... 47 5.2.3 Basin 145 – Stonewall Flat .................................................................................................. 48 5.2.4 Basin 146 – Sarcobatus Flat ............................................................................................... 49 5.2.5 Basin 147 – Gold Flat .......................................................................................................... 50 5.2.6 Basin 148 – Cactus Flat ...................................................................................................... 52 5.2.7 Basin 149 – Stone Cabin Valley .......................................................................................... 54 5.2.8 Basin 157 – Kawich Valley .................................................................................................. 56 5.2.9 Basin 158A – Emigrant Valley-Groom Lake Valley ............................................................. 57 5.2.10 Basin 158B – Emigrant Valley-Papoose Lake Valley ......................................................... 58 5.2.11 Basin 159 – Yucca Flat ....................................................................................................... 59 5.2.12 Basin 160 – Frenchman Flat ............................................................................................... 59 5.2.13 Basin 161 – Indian Springs Valley ...................................................................................... 60 5.2.14 Basin 168 – Three Lakes Valley (Northern Part) ................................................................ 65 5.2.15 Basin 169A – Tikapoo Valley (Northern Part) ..................................................................... 66 5.2.16 Basin 169B – Tikapoo Valley (Southern Part) .................................................................... 67 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 2 FINAL Water Resources Report 5.2.17 Basin 170 – Penoyer Valley (Sand Spring Valley) .............................................................. 69 5.2.18 Basin 173A – Railroad Valley (Southern) ........................................................................... 70 5.2.19 Basin 209 – Pahranagat Valley ........................................................................................... 71 5.2.20 Basin 210 – Coyote Spring Valley....................................................................................... 72 5.2.21 Basin 211 – Three Lakes Valley (Southern Part) ................................................................ 73 5.2.22 Basin 212 – Las Vegas Valley ............................................................................................ 76 5.2.23 Basin 225 – Mercury Valley ................................................................................................ 78 5.2.24 Basin 227A – Fortymile Canyon – Jackass Flats ................................................................ 78 5.2.25 Basin 227B – Fortymile Canyon – Buckboard Mesa .......................................................... 79 5.2.26 Basin 228 – Oasis Valley .................................................................................................... 79 5.2.27 Basin 229 – Crater Flat ....................................................................................................... 82 5.3 SUMMARY ................................................................................................................................ 83 6.1 HYDROLOGIC SETTING ......................................................................................................... 85 6.1.1 Surface Water Occurrence and Flow .................................................................................. 85 6.1.2 Surface Water Quality ......................................................................................................... 85 6.2 SURFACE WATER QUANTITY, RIGHTS, AND USE ON THE NTTR..................................... 85 6.2.1 Basin 141 – Ralston Valley ................................................................................................. 90 6.2.2 Basin 144 – Lida Valley ....................................................................................................... 90 6.2.3 Basin 145 – Stonewall Flat .................................................................................................. 90 6.2.4 Basin 146 – Sarcobatus Flat ............................................................................................... 91 6.2.5 Basin 147 – Gold Flat .......................................................................................................... 92 6.2.6 Basin 148 – Cactus Flat ...................................................................................................... 92 6.2.7 Basin 149 – Stone Cabin Valley .......................................................................................... 94 6.2.8 Basin 157 – Kawich Valley .................................................................................................. 94 6.2.9 Basin 158A – Emigrant Valley – Groom Lake Valley .......................................................... 96 6.2.10 Basin 158B – Emigrant Valley – Papoose Lake Valley ...................................................... 96 6.2.11 Basin 159 – Yucca Flat ....................................................................................................... 97 6.2.12 Basin 160 – Frenchman Flat ............................................................................................... 97 6.2.13 Basin 161 – Indian Springs Valley ...................................................................................... 97 6.2.14 Basin 168 – Three Lakes Valley (Northern Part) ................................................................ 98 6.2.15 Basin 169A – Tikapoo Valley (Northern Part) ..................................................................... 98 6.2.16 Basin 169B – Tikapoo Valley (Southern Part) .................................................................... 99 6.2.17 Basin 170 – Penoyer Valley (Sand Spring Valley) ............................................................ 100 6.2.18 Basin 173A – Railroad Valley (Southern Part) .................................................................. 101 6.2.19 Basin 209 – Pahranagat Valley ......................................................................................... 101 6.2.20 Basin 210 – Coyote Spring Valley..................................................................................... 102 6.2.21 Basin 211 – Three Lakes Valley (Southern Part) .............................................................. 102 6.2.22 Basin 212 – Las Vegas Valley .......................................................................................... 102 6.2.23 Basin 225 – Mercury Valley