The University of Nevada Las Vegas (UNLV) will conduct research ranging from a modeling approach to testing and evaluation of recycled water reuse mixing in reservoirs over a three year period, beginning in FY 2017 and ending in FY201 9. The research will be based on the latest findings from the literature
review and expert oversight from UNLV staff, coupled with Reclamation technical staff in Denver, Colorado.
UNLV is currently engaging the Southern Nevada Water Authority (SNWA) to simulate limnologic conditions in Lake Mead (Nevada/Arizona) and has expertise related to recycled water mixing in San Vicente Reservoir in San Diego County, California.
UNLV’s expertise with Lake Mead and San Vicente reservoirs will be leveraged to contribute a better understanding of recycled water mixing in the Oklahoma-Texas area office of Reclamation.
The research is anticipated to address the following question:
In the event that reuse water will be incorporated into each reservoir to meet water supply needs, what is the most appropriate and verifiable modeling approach, for each type of reservoir, that can determine environmental impacts and ultimately be used to set a limit, if any, on the amount of reuse water that could be contributed to the water supply?