Basin and Range Aquifer System
7 states · 490,000 sq km · basin-fill
High Depletion Risk
About the Basin and Range Aquifer System
The Basin and Range aquifer system consists of hundreds of individual basin-fill aquifers in the intermountain west. Each basin contains alluvial sediments eroded from adjacent mountains.
Area
490,000 km²
Depth Range
100–3,000 ft
States
7
Rock Type
Basin-fill sediments
Key Facts
- ▸Primary water source for most of Nevada and parts of 6 other states
- ▸Each basin operates as a semi-independent hydrologic unit
- ▸Many basins are mined (pumped faster than recharged)
- ▸Supports unique desert ecosystems and endemic species
- ▸Fossil water in some deep basins is thousands of years old
States Overlying the Basin and Range Aquifer System
Explore Water Assets Over the Basin and Range Aquifer System
See every tracked spring, well, and water right that draws from this aquifer on our interactive map.
Open Map Explorer