Ten + Years of Water Level Data from the Regional Deep Carbonate-Rock Aquifer System, Southeastern Nevada

This presentation focuses on the characterization of a deep groundwater flow system in southeastern Nevada using more than a decade of water level data collected from wells completed in the Regional Deep Carbonate-Rock Aquifer System (RDCA). These wells were constructed and developed to define the RDCA that occurs in Tule Desert Hydrographic Basin, located approximately 1 ½ hours north east of Las Vegas, Nevada, as part of a water resource development project. Deep groundwater is going to be developed from this basin as this is the available water source which is the principal aquifer in southeastern Nevada. Deep groundwater, as defined for this conference, as that groundwater that occurs beneath the “typical” depth limits of today’s water supplies. The “typical” depth limit is a constantly moving target, especially in the west, where drilling for access to deeper potable water supplies and piping it longer distances becomes economically feasible.

Characterization of deep groundwater begins with the use of field geologic mapping, surface geophysics, and any subsurface data. Once the basic data is collected, as in any well siting characterization study, the drilling program must be defined. Using the subsurface information that’s been collected from the drilling program, a picture of the groundwater flow system can start to be developed. To understand the deep groundwater flow system you first need to understand the geologic framework that supports the hydrology. Using the water level data that is collected overtime, an understanding of the groundwater flow system can be made.