Elko, NV

Moderate Risk (55/100)

Transparent derived index from EPA TRI / SDWIS / Superfund extracts: not an official EPA rating. Fixed caps: facilities ≤25 pts (50+ = max), log10 releases ≤25 pts, Superfund ≤25 pts (5/site), health-violation systems ≤15 pts (3/system), high-chemical facilities ≤10 pts. Bands: High ≥60, Moderate ≥30. See methodology. This is a different measure than the EJ Screening score for this county, which ranks it by percentile against other tracked counties rather than against these fixed caps.

Environmental data for Elko in Nevada · Population: 53,852

TRI sites such as Nevada Gold Mines LLC - Goldstrike Mines Inc; Jerritt Canyon Mine; Nevada Gold Mines Llc- Long Canyon Mine; SDWIS systems such as ELKO CITY OF; GREAT BASIN WATER CO SPRING CREEK; ELY MUNICIPAL WATER DEPARTMENT anchor Elko, NV's EPA extract. Derived burden score 55/100 (Moderate Risk) uses fixed national caps on density, log release volume, Superfund count, and health-flagged systems - not an official EPA rating.

Health-flagged SDWIS rows in Elko include JACKPOT WATER SYSTEM; Duck Valley Newtown; MONTELLO WATER SYSTEM, while Nevada Gold Mines LLC - Goldstrike Mines Inc leads reported TRI pounds among local Form R filers. AQS median AQI 23 / peak 113 in 2024.

Burden score 55/100 (Moderate Risk) is the only weighted composite on this page. The tables below list every TRI facility, SDWIS system, and Superfund site EPA has on record for Elko -- not just the names called out above -- reproducing the disclosure history as filed, not a current-safety verdict. Extract current as of 2026-08-25.

Release-over-release change

What changed for Elko, NV: EPA TRI 2023 reporting year

2022 → 2023

Same facilities, both years

-55.3%

7 facilities that filed in 2022 and 2023

Whole inventory

-55.3%

211.3 million lb → 94.5 million lb, every facility that filed

Between the two reporting years, 1 facility filed for the first time and 0 stopped filing. Facilities entering or leaving the inventory are excluded from the same-facility comparison above.

  • Elko, NV's total reported releases fell from 211.3 million lb in 2022 to 94.5 million lb in 2023, based on EPA TRI filings.
  • Elko, NV's land releases fell from 211.0 million lb in 2022 to 94.1 million lb in 2023, based on EPA TRI filings.
  • Elko, NV's air releases fell from 84.6 thousand lb in 2022 to 43.1 thousand lb in 2023, based on EPA TRI filings.
  • Elko, NV's chemicals reported fell from 40 in 2022 to 36 in 2023, based on EPA TRI filings.
County population (Census ACS)
53,852
TRI Facilities
10
Water Systems
16
Superfund Sites
0
Total Releases
939.8M lbs

Air Quality History (2020–2024)

EPA Air Quality Index (AQI) data showing how many days per year fall into each air quality category.

Year Good Moderate Unhealthy (SG) Max AQI
2024 318 (87%) 46 1 113
2023 318 (87%) 46 0 74
2022 321 (88%) 42 2 149
2021 282 (77%) 73 9 156
2020 304 (84%) 55 1 169
2024 Good Air Quality: 87% of days
Unhealthy days: 1
Median AQI: 23

Source: EPA Air Quality System (AQS) Annual AQI by County AQI categories: Good (0-50), Moderate (51-100), Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups (101-150), Unhealthy (151-200), Very Unhealthy (201-300), Hazardous (301+)

For real-time air quality readings and pollutant breakdowns in Nevada, see the EPA's AirNow.gov.

Water Systems (16)

System System pop (SDWIS) Violations
ELKO CITY OF 23,000 0
GREAT BASIN WATER CO SPRING CREEK 9,340 0
ELY MUNICIPAL WATER DEPARTMENT 5,000 0
WEST WENDOVER WATER SYSTEM 4,535 0
GREAT BASIN WATER CO SPRING CREEK MHP 3,640 0
WELLS MUNICIPAL WATER DEPARTMENT 1,300 0
JACKPOT WATER SYSTEM 1,240 1
Duck Valley Newtown 450 4
MONTELLO WATER SYSTEM 287 1
LAMOILLE WATER USERS ASSOC 200 1
JARBIDGE WATER SYSTEM 200 1
Duck Valley Owyhee 150 1
TUSCARORA WATER SYSTEM 72 0
South Fork (Te-Moak) 40 15
COLD CREEK MHP 35 0
MOUNTAIN CITY WATER AND SEWER 30 1

TRI Facilities (10)

# Facility Total Releases
1 Nevada Gold Mines LLC - Goldstrike Mines Inc 930.8M lbs
2 Jerritt Canyon Mine 4.0M lbs
3 Nevada Gold Mines Llc- Long Canyon Mine 2.4M lbs
4 Nevada Gold Mines LLC - Arturo Mine 2.4M lbs
5 Graymont Western US Inc Pilot Peak Lime Production 109.0K lbs
6 Midas Project 42.1K lbs
7 Hollister Mine 1.1K lbs
8 Pilot Thomas Logistics LLC - Carlin Nv 535 lbs
9 Joy Global Elko 20 lbs
10 Joy Global Elko 5 lbs

Cities in Elko (11)

Carlin
5 facilities · 1 water
Elko
4 facilities · 7 water
West Wendover
1 facilities · 1 water
Midas
1 facilities · 0 water
Oasis
1 facilities · 0 water
Spring Creek
0 facilities · 3 water
Owyhee
0 facilities · 2 water
Jackpot
0 facilities · 1 water
Lamoille
0 facilities · 1 water
Mountain City
0 facilities · 1 water
Wells
0 facilities · 1 water

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the environmental risk level in Elko, Nevada?
Elko, NV has an environmental risk score of 55/100 (Moderate Risk), based on 10 TRI facilities, 0 Superfund sites, and 16 water systems on record. 8 water systems have health-based violations. Source: EPA TRI, SDWIS, and Superfund NPL.
Are there Superfund sites in Elko?
No Superfund National Priorities List (NPL) sites are currently registered in Elko, NV in the EPA database.
How many toxic release facilities are in Elko?
Elko, NV has 10 TRI-reporting facilities on record with the EPA Toxic Release Inventory, with a combined total of 939.8M lbs in reported toxic releases. TRI facilities self-report annual chemical release data to the EPA.
What is the air quality in Elko?
In 2024, Elko, NV recorded a median AQI of 23 and a peak AQI of 113. 87% of monitored days had "Good" air quality (AQI 0–50). Source: EPA Air Quality System (AQS) Annual AQI by County.
Is the drinking water safe in Elko?
Elko, NV has 16 EPA-regulated water systems. 8 systems have reported health-based violations (MCL exceedances). A past violation does not necessarily mean water is currently unsafe. For current water quality, contact your local water utility. Source: EPA SDWIS.
What environmental agencies cover Elko?
Environmental compliance in Elko, Nevada is overseen by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) at the federal level and the Nevada state environmental agency. Facilities report to the EPA Toxic Release Inventory, water systems are regulated under the Safe Drinking Water Act, and contaminated sites are managed under the Superfund program. Contact your state environmental agency for local concerns.

What does this county environmental profile show?

This county environmental profile rolls up EPA Toxics Release Inventory facility reports, Safe Drinking Water Information System public-water-system filings, and Superfund National Priorities List sites for the county boundary defined by the U.S. Census Bureau. Facility counts reflect facilities with a reporting address inside the county, not where downstream environmental effects may be observed. Population figures are from the most recent Census ACS 5-year estimate. The county detail page is updated whenever the upstream EPA programs publish revised data; see the methodology page for the documented ingest cadence and the editorial choices governing how aggregations are computed.

Related

Data sourced from U.S. EPA environmental datasets. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainEnviro