Agua Dulce Mountains
Encyclopedia
The Agua Dulce Mountains are a mountain range in the north-central Sonoran Desert
of southwestern Arizona
. The range is located in the extreme southwestern portion of Pima County, Arizona
, immediately north of the international boundary with Mexico
and about 30 miles southwest of Ajo, Arizona
. The range has three main sections that total about 15 miles in length and about nine miles in width. The range is located entirely within the Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge
. The highpoint of the range is 2,852 feet (869 meters) above sea level and is located at 32°01'32"N, 113°08'44"W (NAD 1983 datum). The summit is unnamed, but is marked on U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) maps for the "Quitovaquita" benchmark that was placed on the summit in 1920. The original surveyed height was 2,850 feet above sea level, but recent datum adjustments calculate the summit to be two feet higher.
The name of the range has been in use for at least 100 years, though it has been called the "Sierra del Ojo" and the "Sonoyta Mountains" on some older maps. A map created by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers around 1920 labeled the range the "Quitovaquita Mountains." This is in reference to Quitobaquito Springs, which lie approximately nine miles southeast of the range in what are now called the Quitobaquito Hills. The Quitobaquito Hills, however, do not share a connection with the Agua Dulce Mountains. "Agua Dulce" means "sweet water", in Spanish, and refers to pools of non-saline water on the Sonoyta River
several miles to the south in Mexico. These pools are in contrast to "Agua Salada," which is located further downstream on the river and yields only highly mineralized and brackish water. The range also contains a small spring on its southern slope that also bears the name Agua Dulce, though it is likely that the range is named for the pools on the river rather than the spring, since the pools played prominently in the history of the area whereas the spring is small and well away from the historical Sonoyta River travel corridor.
The range is home to a number of abandoned mines, most notably the Papago Mine and the Legal Tender Mine, which were worked in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Papago Well was drilled nearby during the same period to provide water to the mines. Later the well was used to provide water to cattle that grazed in the area, and now the windmill pumps water to a guzzler for wildlife. The Davidson Canyon area and the associated bajada to the south of the range contain the northernmost populations of senita cactus (Pachycereus
schottii). This columnar cactus is very common further south in Mexico, but in the United States it is restricted to small areas of Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument
and this isolated population in the Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge.
Sonoran Desert
The Sonoran Desert is a North American desert which straddles part of the United States-Mexico border and covers large parts of the U.S. states of Arizona and California and the northwest Mexican states of Sonora, Baja California, and Baja California Sur. It is one of the largest and hottest...
of southwestern Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
. The range is located in the extreme southwestern portion of Pima County, Arizona
Pima County, Arizona
-2010:Whereas according to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau:*74.3% White*3.5% Black*3.3% Native American*2.6% Asian*0.2% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander*3.7% Two or more races*12.4% Other races*34.6% Hispanic or Latino -2000:...
, immediately north of the international boundary with Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
and about 30 miles southwest of Ajo, Arizona
Ajo, Arizona
Ajo is a census-designated place in Pima County, Arizona, United States. The population was 3,705 at the 2000 census. Ajo is located on State Route 85 just from the Mexican border. It is the closest community to Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument....
. The range has three main sections that total about 15 miles in length and about nine miles in width. The range is located entirely within the Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge
Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge
The Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge is located in the Sonoran Desert in southwestern Arizona in the United States. The refuge, established in 1939 to protect Desert Bighorn Sheep, is located along of the U.S.-Mexico border, and covers 860,010 acres — larger than the land area of the state...
. The highpoint of the range is 2,852 feet (869 meters) above sea level and is located at 32°01'32"N, 113°08'44"W (NAD 1983 datum). The summit is unnamed, but is marked on U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) maps for the "Quitovaquita" benchmark that was placed on the summit in 1920. The original surveyed height was 2,850 feet above sea level, but recent datum adjustments calculate the summit to be two feet higher.
The name of the range has been in use for at least 100 years, though it has been called the "Sierra del Ojo" and the "Sonoyta Mountains" on some older maps. A map created by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers around 1920 labeled the range the "Quitovaquita Mountains." This is in reference to Quitobaquito Springs, which lie approximately nine miles southeast of the range in what are now called the Quitobaquito Hills. The Quitobaquito Hills, however, do not share a connection with the Agua Dulce Mountains. "Agua Dulce" means "sweet water", in Spanish, and refers to pools of non-saline water on the Sonoyta River
Sonoyta River
-References:*Atlas of Mexico, 1975 .*The Prentice Hall American World Atlas, 1984.*Rand McNally, The New International Atlas, 1993....
several miles to the south in Mexico. These pools are in contrast to "Agua Salada," which is located further downstream on the river and yields only highly mineralized and brackish water. The range also contains a small spring on its southern slope that also bears the name Agua Dulce, though it is likely that the range is named for the pools on the river rather than the spring, since the pools played prominently in the history of the area whereas the spring is small and well away from the historical Sonoyta River travel corridor.
The range is home to a number of abandoned mines, most notably the Papago Mine and the Legal Tender Mine, which were worked in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Papago Well was drilled nearby during the same period to provide water to the mines. Later the well was used to provide water to cattle that grazed in the area, and now the windmill pumps water to a guzzler for wildlife. The Davidson Canyon area and the associated bajada to the south of the range contain the northernmost populations of senita cactus (Pachycereus
Pachycereus
Pachycereus is a genus of 9–12 species of large cacti native to Mexico and just into southern Arizona, USA. They form large shrubs or small trees up to 5–15 m or more tall, with stout stems up to 1 m diameter....
schottii). This columnar cactus is very common further south in Mexico, but in the United States it is restricted to small areas of Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument
Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument
Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument is a U.S. National Monument and UNESCO biosphere reserve located in extreme southern Arizona which shares a border with the Mexican state of Sonora. The park is the only place in the United States where the Organ Pipe Cactus grows wild...
and this isolated population in the Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge.