The Muddy River, formerly known as the Moapa River, is a short river

River

A river is a natural watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, a lake, a sea, or another river. In a few cases, a river simply flows into the ground or dries up completely before reaching another body of water. Small rivers may also be called by several other names, including...

 located in the southern part of the state in Clark County, Nevada

Clark County, Nevada

-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 1,375,765 people, 512,253 households, and 339,693 families residing within the MSA. The racial makeup of the MSA was 71.6% White , 9.1% Black, 5.7% Asian, 0.8% American Indian and 12.8% of other or mixed race. 22.0% were Hispanic of any race...

, United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

. It is in the Mojave Desert

Mojave Desert

The Mojave Desert occupies a significant portion of southeastern California and smaller parts of central California, southern Nevada, southwestern Utah and northwestern Arizona, in the United States...

, approximately 60 miles north of Las Vegas

Las Vegas, Nevada

Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...

.

Geography

The Muddy River is approximately 32 miles (51.5 km) long. It begins as a series of thermal springs in the Moapa Valley before continuing on its course to Lake Mead

Lake Mead

Lake Mead is the largest reservoir in the United States. It is located on the Colorado River about southeast of Las Vegas, Nevada, in the states of Nevada and Arizona. Formed by water impounded by the Hoover Dam, it extends behind the dam, holding approximately of water.-History:The lake was...

, where it drains into the northern arm of the lake near Overton, Nevada

Overton, Nevada

Overton is an Unincorporated Town located in Clark County, Nevada. The town is on the north end of Lake Mead. The town is home to Perkins Field airport and Echo Bay Airport....

. Before the Hoover Dam

Hoover Dam

Hoover Dam, once known as Boulder Dam, is a concrete arch-gravity dam in the Black Canyon of the Colorado River, on the border between the US states of Arizona and Nevada. It was constructed between 1931 and 1936 during the Great Depression and was dedicated on September 30, 1935, by President...

's construction, the Muddy River flowed into the Virgin River

Virgin River

The Virgin River is a tributary of the Colorado River in the U.S. states of Utah, Nevada, and Arizona. The river is about long. It was designated Utah's first wild and scenic river in 2009, during the centennial celebration of Zion National Park.-Course:...

.

Near the town of Glendale

Glendale, Nevada

Glendale is an unincorporated community in Clark County, Nevada, United States. The community is an elevation of ....

 the Muddy River collects the flow from the Meadow Valley Wash

Meadow Valley Wash

The Meadow Valley Wash is a southern Nevada stream draining the Meadow Watershed that is bordered on 3 sides by the Great Basin Divide. The wash's Lincoln County headpoint is in the Wilson Creek Range, and the wash includes 2 upper confluences . Panaca is along the upper wash, and downstream of...

, forming the principal drainage system for southeastern Nevada.

Moapa National Wildlife Refuge

The Moapa Valley area is home to a wide variety of rare and endangered species, including fish, invertebrates, birds, and plants. Two endangered fish inhabit the area: the Moapa dace

Moapa dace

The moapa dace is a rare cyprinid fish of Southern Nevada, United States, found only in the warm springs that give rise to the Muddy River, and in the upper parts of the river...

 (Moapa coriacea) and the Virgin River chub (Gila seminuda). These species can be found throughout the various springs, called the Muddy Springs, that feed the Muddy River.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has created the Moapa National Wildlife Refuge at the Warm Springs Natural Area, as part of the Desert National Wildlife Refuge Complex

Desert National Wildlife Refuge Complex

The Desert National Wildlife Refuge Complex is a protected wildlife refuge, administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, located north and west of Las Vegas, Nevada in northwestern Clark, southwestern Lincoln, and southern Nye counties in southern Nevada...

.In another effort to help protect and preserve the fragile habitats in the Muddy Springs area, the Southern Nevada Water Authority

Southern Nevada Water Authority

The Southern Nevada Water Authority was formed in 1991 to manage Southern Nevada's water needs on a regional basis. The Authority comprises seven member agencies including the City of Henderson, City of Las Vegas, City of North Las Vegas, Big Bend Water District , Clark County Water Reclamation...

 (SNWA) and various environmental associations have organized an effort to conserve these species.

History

The area was part of the Native American Paiute

Paiute

Paiute refers to three closely related groups of Native Americans — the Northern Paiute of California, Idaho, Nevada and Oregon; the Owens Valley Paiute of California and Nevada; and the Southern Paiute of Arizona, southeastern California and Nevada, and Utah.-Origin of name:The origin of...

 peoples homeland for centuries, with the Mojave to the south. "Moapa" is a Southern Paiute language word meaning "muddy"; although "Moapa River" was formerly the official name, local usage tended to translate the name, and it was made official in 1960.

Mormon

Mormon

The term Mormon most commonly denotes an adherent, practitioner, follower, or constituent of Mormonism, which is the largest branch of the Latter Day Saint movement in restorationist Christianity...

 settlers established several settlements in the Muddy River area in 1864, including the town of St Thomas, which is now submerged under Lake Mead. Some Paiutes fought to protect and reclaim their homeland. For a variety of reasons, including the harsh climate, unpredictable periods of drought, and a tax dispute with the State of Nevada, the Mormons abandoned the area in 1871.

See also

• Mormon Corridor
  Mormon Corridor
  The Mormon Corridor is a term for the areas of Western North America that were settled between 1850 and approximately 1890 by members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , who are commonly known as Mormons....
  
  

Category: Desert National Wildlife Refuge Complex