Downloads Library

Research Phase II

Quarterly Reports

• March 31, 2011
• December 31, 2010
• September 30, 2010

Research Coordination Meetings

Research Presentations — Research Coordination Meeting, March 24, 2011

• Introduction (PDF) | Economic Development (PDF)
• "Alternative agriculture in the Walker Basin"- Part One | Part Two (PDF)
  Presentation by Jay Arnone, Jay Davison, Elizabeth Leger, Wally Miller and Scott Tyler
• "Relationships between River Environment & Benthic Macroinvertebrates"
  Part One | Part Two (PDF)
  Presentation by Donald W. Sada, Sudeep Chandra and Kumud Acharya
• "Phase II -Decision Support Tool (DST) Evaluation of Potential Water Right Acquisitions in the Walker River Basin" (PDF) by Doug Boyle

Presentations

April 19, 2012 — Water Group Meeting

• Walker River Basin DST Version 2.0

April 17, 2012 — Model Seminar

• Development of GIS and Water Rights Information for the DST
• Overview of Headwater Models DST Version 2.0
• Walker Basin Groundwater Models
• Walker River Basin DST Version 2.0 Introduction
• Walker River Basin DST Version 2.0 Overview

January 11, 2012 — Water Group Meeting

• Walker River Basin Support Tool (DST) Version 2.0

October 26, 2010 — Water Group Meeting

• Testing of a Decision Support Tool to Inform Water Right Acquisitions in the Walker River Basin — Continued

August 26, 2010 — Water Group Meeting

• Nevada Water Resources Evaluation Program Remotely Sensing Evapotranspiration

March 11, 2010 — Water Group Meeting

• Walker Basin Groundwater Models A Focus on Mason Valley
• Development of a Geographic Information System (GIS) Database in Support of Water Right Acquisitions in the Walker Basin
• Testing of a Decision Support Tool to Inform Water Right Acquisitions in the Walker River Basin

January 15, 2010 — Water Group Meeting

• Development and Testing of a Decision Support Tool to Inform Water Right Acquisitions in the Walker Basin

Research Phase I

Final Report and Documentation

Walker Basin Project 2010 Final Report

• Hi-res PDF: 1273 pages, 60MB | Low-res PDF: 1273 pages, 35MB
• An executive summary report of the findings is also available. (PDF)

• Read more
  
  

Walker Basin Project: Preserving a desert treasure
The complete Walker Basin Project is captured in this 16-page publication.

• Online edition
  
• PDF, 3.2 MB

Poster and Paper Presentations

Research Presentations and Posters: October 26-29, 2009
International Symposium on Terminus Lakes in Reno, Nevada — hosted by the University of Nevada, Reno and DRI

Download Walker Basin Session and Poster Abstracts [PDF]

• Kenneth D. Adams. Response of Walker River to base-level lowering and minimizing erosion under increased flows.
  
• Kumud Acharya, D. Sada. Are human activities contributing negatively to benthic macro-invertebrate health in the Walker River?
  
• Donald W. Sada, C. Rosamond. Relationships between aquatic environments and Walker River benthic macroinvertebrate communities, Nevada and California.
  
• Clinton J. Davis, C.H. Fritsen, J. Memmott. Periphyton dynamics in the Walker River, California – Nevada.
  
• Sudeep Chandra, J. Umek, C. Fritsen, L. McKinnon-Newton, A. Heyvaert, D. Sada, K. Acharya, M. Stone. The contemporary ecology and food web energetics of Walker Lake, Nevada.
  
• Thomas E. Dilts, P.J. Weisberg, J. Yang, T.J. Olson, P. L. Turner, L.A. Condon, C.R. Gourley. Reconstructing the vegetation of the Walker River Basin at the time of Euro-American settlement using General Land Office survey notes.
  
• Mark Hausner, S. Tyler, E.Carroll-Moore, W.W. Miller. Estimating in-situ soil water content using fiber-optic distributed temperature sensing (DTS) measurements for precise irrigation management.
  
• Katie L. Dean, R. G. Qualls. Relative vertical distribution of soil water use in conjunction with transpirational water use in the invasive exotic crucifer Lepidium latifolium within the riparian area of the Walker River.
  
• Jay C. Davison, E.A. Leger, W.W. Miller, E. Carroll-Moore, E.K. Espeland. An evaluation of alternative grains, warm and cool season grasses under different irrigation regimes as potential alternatives to alfalfa production in western Nevada.
• Kynda R. Curtis, C. Bishop, M. Kobayashi, S. Emm, T. Harris, M. Kim. Economic analysis of water conservation practices for agricultural producers in the Walker River Basin.
  
• Elizabeth R. Fadali, R. Bartholet, T. Oleson. Reducing water for agriculture cultivation in the Walker Basin: economic impacts and economic development opportunities.
  
• Douglas P. Boyle, T.B. Minor, G. Pohll, A. Knust, C. Garner, R. Carroll, D. McGraw, S. Bassett, C. Barth, D. Norpchen, A. Stroud. Development and testing of a decision support tool in support of water right acquisitions in the Walker River Basin.
  
• David B. Herbst, S.W. Roberts, R.B. Medhurst, R.S. Jellison. Walker Lake benthic invertebrate habitat associations by depth and substrate, and tolerance of salinity.

Stakeholder Meetings

Research Presentation — Stakeholders Meeting, February 11, 2009

• "Development and Testing of a Decision Support Tool in Support of Water Right Acquisitions in the Walker River Basin," by Douglas P. Boyle, Ph.D., DRI associate research professor, acting deputy director of DRI’s Division of Hydrologic Sciences and Nevada Water Resources Research Institute director. (Requires PowerPoint viewer)
  • Video demonstration of decision tool:
    • Web-quality Flash file with separate text summary for accessibility, file size: 52 KB (Requires Flash player)
    • High-quality Quicktime video, file size: 151 MB - expect extended download time
      (Requires Quicktime player)
    • A text summary of this video is available.

Research Presentations — Stakeholders Meeting, November 8, 2008:

• "Economic Analysis of Alternative Crops in Northwest Nevada" by Kynda Curtis, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Resource Economics at the University of Nevada, Reno and state specialist for University of Nevada Cooperative Extension.
• "Draft Economic Fiscal Impacts and Economic Development Strategies" by Dick Bartholet, director of research development at the Bureau of Business & Economic Research at the University of Nevada, Reno.

Research Presentation — Stakeholders Meeting, July 14, 2008:

• "Water, Plant and Soil Interactions" by Wally Miller, Ph.D., University of Nevada, Reno Professor of Soils and Hydrology (Requires PowerPoint viewer)

Research Presentation — Stakeholders Meeting, March 14, 2008:

• Comprehensive Walker Lake Basin Overview [PDF]
  Report by Dr. Saxon E. Sharpe, Dr. Mary E. Cablk, and Dr. James M. Thomas
  DRI –May 2007, Revised May 1, 2008
  
  This report describes physical, hydrological, and biological environments of the Walker Lake Basin. The information is based on current data drawn from peer-reviewed scientific literature, agency data sets and reports, and other published sources. Acronyms, tables, figures and a glossary of key terms are included at the beginning of the report. This document is to be used as a starting point for those interested in learning more about, or conducting research in, the Walker Basin.

• Overview Walker River Basin Research Program [PPT]
  Presentation by James M. Thomas, Ph.D., Research Professor, Director, Center for Watershed Environmental Sustainability, DRI – March 2008
  The Walker River Basin was the topic of a panel moderated by James Thomas at the annual Nevada Water Resources Association (NWRA) Conference. The panel focused on ongoing hydrologic studies directed by the University of Nevada System of Higher Education and the US Geological Survey.

Research Presentation — Stakeholders Meeting, March 14, 2008:

• "Fiber Optic Temperature Sensing in the Walker Basin: From Seedbeds to Seepage" by Scott W. Tyler, University of Nevada, Reno, Dept. of Geologic Sciences and Engineering (Requires PowerPoint viewer)

Research Presentations — Stakeholders Meeting, December 12, 2007

• "Biological and Environmental Characteristics of Walker Lake" by Dr. Sudeep Chandra, University of Nevada, Reno, Assistant Professor of Limnology and Conservation Ecology (Requires PowerPoint viewer)
• "Biological and Environmental Characteristics of the Walker River" by Dr. Donald W. Sada, DRI Associate Research Professor (Requires PowerPoint viewer)

K-12 Resources

• Download the Calming the Waters curriculum (PDF)
  What is it? Calming the Waters is designed to teach youth about water conflict in the western United States.
  Who is it for? This material is designed for 12 to 18-year-olds. Certain concepts and skills may be adapted for use with young children.
  What's covered? Calming the Waters integrates many subject areas including geography, history, social studies, language arts, science, speech, art, economics and mathematics. It is designed to improve critical thinking, data organization, mapping and graphing, cooperative problem solving and communication skills.

   

  Order copies of Calming the Waters from the University of Nevada Cooperative Extension office in Yerington, Nev., at (775)463-6541