Nevada Climate Impacts and Costs

The report details how climate change is accelerating in Nevada, leading to increased drought, extreme heat, and erratic precipitation. It outlines the resulting economic burdens, including the costs of wildfire suppression, water conservation efforts to protect Lake Mead, and the need for infrastructure upgrades to mitigate flooding and heat-related health risks.

• Nevada is the driest state in the U.S. and is projected to see drought and evapotranspiration increase 3-15 times from historical levels by the end of the century, primarily driven by rising temperatures.
• Wildfires are increasing in severity and frequency in Nevada, with 3,052 fires burning over 1.5 million acres between 2018 and 2022. The average cost to extinguish a single wildfire is $74,409.
• Water security is severely threatened, particularly for the 2.3 million residents (75% of the population) who rely on Lake Mead. The reservoir's volume has declined by 71% since 2000, leading to federal water shortage declarations in 2022 and 2023 and a May 2023 agreement for Nevada to reduce water consumption by 25% over 3.5 years.
• Nevada is experiencing significant warming, with average annual temperatures rising about 2°F since the 1900s. Projections suggest further increases of 3.2°F to 7.3°F by mid-century and 8°F to 12.8°F by the end of the century.
• Extreme heat is causing severe public health crises; in July 2023, at least 16 people died in Nevada due to extreme conditions, and Clark County saw double the heat-related emergency visits compared to July 2022.
• Climate-driven cooling costs for schools in Nevada are expected to exceed $64 million by 2025, affecting more than 400,000 students.
• While average annual precipitation remains stable, climate change is intensifying individual storm events, leading to flash flooding in areas like Las Vegas and Reno where soil compaction and impermeable surfaces exacerbate runoff.

APA

Center for Climate Integrity (2025). Nevada Climate Impacts and Costs. https://climateintegrity.org/uploads/media/CCI_Nevada_Impacts_Costs_2023.pdf

Chicago

Center for Climate Integrity. Nevada Climate Impacts and Costs. 2025. https://climateintegrity.org/uploads/media/CCI_Nevada_Impacts_Costs_2023.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Center for Climate Integrity |title=Nevada Climate Impacts and Costs |date=2025 |url=https://climateintegrity.org/uploads/media/CCI_Nevada_Impacts_Costs_2023.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{centerforclimateintegrity2025nevada, author = {{Center for Climate Integrity}}, title = {{Nevada Climate Impacts and Costs}}, institution = {Center for Climate Integrity}, year = {2025}, url = {https://climateintegrity.org/uploads/media/CCI_Nevada_Impacts_Costs_2023.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }