Big Sandy River (Arizona)
Encyclopedia
The Big Sandy River is in northwestern Arizona
in Mohave County
. It begins where Cottonwood Wash and Trout Creek converge in the Hualapai Indian Reservation
near Hualapai Peak then flows past Wikieup
south of Kingman
. It has a length of 55.7 miles (89.6 km) and joins the Santa Maria River to form Bill Williams River
at Alamo Lake State Park
. It has the Hualapai Mountains to the west, the Aquarius
and Mohon Mountains to the east and southeast, the Juniper Mountains further east, and the Peacock Mountains and Cottonwood Cliffs to the north. It is an intermittent stream flowing as a stream after local rain. Its watershed
covers approximately 1900 square miles (4,921 km²). The dry bed is about a mile (2 km) across. The alluvium along the stream floodplain is up to 40 feet (12.2 m) thick and provides an unconsolidated aquifer
that can supply up to 1,000 US gallons per minute (63 L/s) of well flow. Much of the water pumped from the basin is used in mining
operations in the Bill Williams area.
In 2001 the Arizona Corporation Commission
denied a request to build a power plant in the basin citing environmental and ecology concerns and objections by the, people of Wikieup and Hualapai Nation. An endangered
bird, the southwestern willow flycatcher, resides in the basin.
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...
in Mohave County
Mohave County, Arizona
Mohave County is located in the northwestern corner of the U.S. state of Arizona. As of the 2010 census, its population was 200,186, an increase of 45,154 people since the 2000 census count of 155,032. The county seat is Kingman...
. It begins where Cottonwood Wash and Trout Creek converge in the Hualapai Indian Reservation
Hualapai
The Hualapai or Walapai are a tribe of Native Americans who live in the mountains of northwestern Arizona, United States. The name is derived from "hwa:l," the Hualapai word for ponderosa pine, "Hualapai" meaning "people of the ponderosa pine"...
near Hualapai Peak then flows past Wikieup
Wikieup, Arizona
Wikieup is a small unincorporated community located on U.S. Route 93 in Mohave County, Arizona. It is located approximately south of Interstate 40 and approximately northwest of Phoenix, Arizona. In 2000, the population of Wikieup's ZCTA was 305....
south of Kingman
Kingman, Arizona
Kingman is located in a desert climate on the edge of the Mojave Desert, but its higher elevation and location between the Colorado Plateau and the Lower Colorado River Valley tempers summer high temperatures and contributes to winter cold and rare snowfall. Summer daytime highs reach above 90 °F ...
. It has a length of 55.7 miles (89.6 km) and joins the Santa Maria River to form Bill Williams River
Bill Williams River
The Bill Williams River is a river in western-central Arizona in Mohave County; the river proper is the northern border of La Paz County which it drains in the north, as well as areas of far western Yavapai County...
at Alamo Lake State Park
Alamo Lake State Park
Alamo Lake State Park is a state park of Arizona, USA, centered around Alamo Lake, a flood control and recreational reservoir. The park is located in western Arizona about north of Wenden. It is accessed via dirt road off either U.S. Route 60 to the south or U.S. Route 93 to the east...
. It has the Hualapai Mountains to the west, the Aquarius
Aquarius Mountains
The Aquarius Mountains are a 45-mi long mountain range in southeast Mohave County, Arizona. The range lies in the northwest of the Arizona transition zone, and at the southwest of the Coconino Plateau, a subsection of the Colorado Plateau....
and Mohon Mountains to the east and southeast, the Juniper Mountains further east, and the Peacock Mountains and Cottonwood Cliffs to the north. It is an intermittent stream flowing as a stream after local rain. Its watershed
Drainage basin
A drainage basin is an extent or an area of land where surface water from rain and melting snow or ice converges to a single point, usually the exit of the basin, where the waters join another waterbody, such as a river, lake, reservoir, estuary, wetland, sea, or ocean...
covers approximately 1900 square miles (4,921 km²). The dry bed is about a mile (2 km) across. The alluvium along the stream floodplain is up to 40 feet (12.2 m) thick and provides an unconsolidated aquifer
Aquifer
An aquifer is a wet underground layer of water-bearing permeable rock or unconsolidated materials from which groundwater can be usefully extracted using a water well. The study of water flow in aquifers and the characterization of aquifers is called hydrogeology...
that can supply up to 1,000 US gallons per minute (63 L/s) of well flow. Much of the water pumped from the basin is used in mining
Mining
Mining is the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials from the earth, from an ore body, vein or seam. The term also includes the removal of soil. Materials recovered by mining include base metals, precious metals, iron, uranium, coal, diamonds, limestone, oil shale, rock...
operations in the Bill Williams area.
In 2001 the Arizona Corporation Commission
Arizona Corporation Commission
The Arizona Corporation Commission is the Public Utilities Commission of the State of Arizona, established by Article 15 of the Arizona Constitution. There are currently five members of the commission . Arizona is one of only a handful of states with elected commissioners...
denied a request to build a power plant in the basin citing environmental and ecology concerns and objections by the, people of Wikieup and Hualapai Nation. An endangered
Endangered species
An endangered species is a population of organisms which is at risk of becoming extinct because it is either few in numbers, or threatened by changing environmental or predation parameters...
bird, the southwestern willow flycatcher, resides in the basin.