DRI's Impact in Nevada

The Healthy Nevada Project, run by the Renown Institute for Health Innovation (a collaboration between DRI and Renown Health), is a first-of-its-kind community-based population health study combining genetic, clinical, environmental, and social data.

<a href="https://new-public.dri.edu/problem-plastic-investigating-microplastic-pollution-in-nevadas-waterways/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://new-public.dri.edu/problem-plastic-investigating-microplastic-pollution-in-nevadas-waterways/</a>

From Lake Tahoe in the north to the Mojave Desert in the south, Nevada is home to a unique and diverse array of ecosystems, resources, places, and people. 

Our impact in Nevada: 2019 by the numbers

From microplastic pollution to extreme heat effects, DRI's 2019 projects impacted Nevadans across the state. Explore the map below to learn about some of our recent work.

Community Environmental Monitoring Program

From Lake Tahoe to Lake Mead to the Las Vegas Wash, DRI researchers are investigating microplastic pollution across the state of Nevada to determine how much of this plastic is out there, and where it’s coming from.&nbsp;

In Southern Nevada’s Oasis Valley, DRI scientists are working in cooperation with The Nature Conservancy at 7J Ranch to monitor hydrologic conditions and model how future restoration activities will affect the site’s water resources.

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The Desert Research Institute's team of more than 400 highly skilled scientists, engineers, technicians, staff and students work to understand answer the scientific questions that matter most to people in our state: Questions about climate change, water quality and availability, the sustainability of desert lands, life in extreme environments, education, and more.

The cannabis cultivation and processing industry is growing rapidly across Nevada and other parts of the US, but the impacts of this industry on regional and indoor air quality are not yet well understood. 

The Desert Research Institute conducts research around the world – but some of our most important projects happen close to home.

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$31 Million in sponsored researchOver $9 in total economic benefit to Nevada for every $1 in state appropriations31,590 Nevada students reached in 2018-2019 by K-12 programs758 K-12 Science teachers trained

Researchers are discovering microplastics – small pieces of plastic smaller than a pencil eraser – everywhere from the air we breathe to the deep ocean, but the impacts of microplastic pollution are not yet well understood. 

With research campuses located in Reno and Las Vegas, Nevada, DRI scientists work throughout the state on projects for federal, state, local, and private sponsors. We have more than 40 specialized labs, and conduct research across more than 40 scientific disciplines. 

Working in cooperation with the Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration Nevada Field Office (NNSA/NFO), DRI’s Community Environmental Monitoring Program (CEMP) utilizes a network of local citizen scientist volunteers to monitor radioactivity levels in the air and water in communities surrounding and downwind of the NNSS. The CEMP makes their research results available to the public online and through reports distributed throughout the network communities.&nbsp;

In Las Vegas, DRI researchers are exploring the potential for use of a common species of freshwater green algae to remove EDCs from treated wastewater.

In 2019, DRI researchers published new research identifying a clear connection between heat wave episodes and heat-related deaths in Las Vegas over the last ten years -- a trend we are likely to see more of.

In Southern Nevada, nuclear testing that occurred at the Nevada National Security Site between 1951-1992 has had long-lasting impacts on the surrounding environment and communities.

In Reno, DRI scientists are working in cooperation with Washoe County air quality officials to study emission rates of harmful compounds inside and outside of cannabis growing facilities, and to assess the potential for negative impacts to urban air quality and human health.&nbsp;

Nevada ranks near the bottom in state health outcome rankings. In Washoe County, Nevada, the age-adjusted death rates for heart disease, cancer and chronic lower respiratory disease are 33 percent higher than the national rate. 

Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals (EDCs) are natural hormones found in many plastics and pharmaceuticals, and known to be harmful to wildlife and humans in large concentrations. They have been found in trace amounts (parts per trillion to parts per billion) in treated wastewater, as well as in water samples collected from Lake Mead. 

Many of Nevada’s unique spring and stream ecosystems have been disturbed and degraded by farming and ranching operations. 

Microplastic Pollution in Nevada Waterways

In many parts of the North American Southwest, including Las Vegas, extreme heat events over the last few decades have grown hotter, occurred more frequently, and lasted longer. 