Numerical simulation of groundwater withdrawal within the Mercury Valley Hydrographic Area, Nevada

A detailed, transient, three-dimensional, finite difference groundwater flow model was created for the Mercury Valley Hydrographic Area (MVHA). The MVHA is a distinct hydrologic basin as defined by the State of Nevada and is located partially within the boundary of the Nevada Test Site. This basin is being studied as a potential location for new industrial facilities and therefore would be subject to state water-use limitations. The MVHA model was used to estimate the volume of water that could be withdrawn from Mercury Valley without inducing laterally or vertically extensive water-table disruption. In each model simulation, water-table drawdown was limited to a maximum of one-half meter at the boundary of the hydrographic area and held within the screened interval of the well. Water withdrawal from Nevada hydrographic areas is also limited to the state-defined perennial yield for that area. The perennial yield defined for MVHA is 8,000 acre-feet per year (27,036 m3 /day). (Abstract shortened by UMI.)...