Map showing proposed lithium extraction sites

Potential Hydrologic Impacts of Lithium Extraction

As the United States and other countries shift from fossil fuels to renewable energy, more lithium will need to be produced to meet the increased demand for energy storage. With 85% of the known lithium deposits in the United States, Nevada has the potential to be a key lithium producer. Lithium-containing brines, hard rock, and clay are the target geological settings for producing economical amounts of lithium. The mined lithium will be used primarily for energy storage in rechargeable batteries, which are widely used in electric vehicles and portable electronic devices.

Remote Sensing Estimates of Evapotranspiration from Irrigated Agriculture, Northwestern Nevada and Northeastern California

Groundwater Discharge from Phreatophyte Vegetation, Humboldt River Basin, Nevada

Groundwater evapotranspiration (ETg) from phreatophyte vegetation is the primary component of natural groundwater discharge within the Humboldt River Basin. This report summarizes previous study estimates of ETg, and details methods and results of updated groundwater discharge areas, ETg rates, and ETg volume estimates developed in this study.