Issues On Groundwater Recharge in the Amargosa Desert Region

The rainfall chemistry evolves as it falls from the sky, contacts the earth’s surface, and makes its way into the groundwater. Studies of Amargosa Desert regional groundwater indicate that infiltration of surface runoff occurs in the valleys subsequent to runoff producing storms and this infiltration represents a large portion of the groundwater recharge. Sampling of surface runoff in a desert environment from ephemeral arroyos is complicated by a number of practical concerns. Surface runoff events are uncommon, sometimes separated by gaps of more than a year, sustained flow is rare and base-flow is essentially absent and difficult to forecast in advance.
This study will include precipitation water chemistry, surface water runoff chemistry, soil chemistry, and groundwater chemistry in the study area. The field sampling and analyses are provided the required chemical data for precipitation water, surface water runoff, and sediment analysis. New methods were developed to control the construction and emplacement of the surface runoff samplers. In addition, improved methods for the collection, field testing, and handling of samples from precipitation, surface runoff, and sediment were employed between the time the samples acquisition and chemical analyses obtained. Different analytical methods, mapping, and modeling techniques are employed into achieve the main goals of this research.
In this research, the design and emplacement of sixty surface runoff samplers at thirty separate locations in the vicinity of the Amargosa Desert is explained. Long term data collection of this type will help us to better understand processes controlling groundwater recharge and thus the sustainable yield of groundwater in Nye County.