Results of this study will provide needed information on the aquifer system in White Pine County to help water-resource agencies and interested stakeholders make informed decisions about future water-supply issues. Understanding the hydrologic characteristics and the factors that influence the inflows and outflows from the aquifer system is critical for evaluating how future ground-water development may impact such issues as spring discharge and associated ecosystems or the volume of ground water available to users. Potential impacts from pumping are best evaluated by using a numerical model to simulate ground-water flow; however, this simulation is not part of the current study. A calibrated transient ground-water flow model will not be constructed for the study area.

The conceptual description developed by this study, however, provides the necessary hydrogeologic information for future development of a ground-water flow model to better assess potential impacts, if any, to important discharge areas from proposed water-development strategies.

The study must be completed within 36 months beginning December 2004. The results of each task will be summarized into one USGS Scientific Investigations Report; the draft publication will be presented to Congress no later than June 1, 2007, and published no later than December 1, 2007.