Piute Valley
Encyclopedia
The Piute Valley is a 45 miles (72.4 km) long north-south valley southeast of Las Vegas, Nevada
, and northwest of Needles
. The north of the valley is at Searchlight
, with some of the valley extending northwest from Searchlight. At the center-north lies Cal-Nev-Ari, Nevada
.
The second valley southeast of Las Vegas borders to the north, the endorheic
Eldorado Valley
, with its dry lake
. The next watershed north is the Las Vegas Wash
Watershed.
The northeast portion of the Mojave National Preserve
makes up the northwestern region of the Piute Valley, at a four-valley water divide
point.
The Piute Valley Watershed is the first watershed southeast of Las Vegas–Lake Mead
to meet the Colorado River; the Piute Wash
outfall with the Colorado River is in California
at Needles. The mountain ranges south of Lake Mead, bordering the river and Lake Mohave
are part of the Havasu-Mohave Lakes Watershed.
with the wash turning easterly at the south to join the Colorado River
at Needles. The valley is bordered by three mountain ranges, all north-south ranges, with the Piute Range
to the west. To the northeast is the Newberry Mountains
, and to the southeast is the Dead Mountains
range, where Piute Wash borders its southwest and south perimeter.
Searchlight
is at the north of the valley, with a 5 miles (8 km) grade of U.S. Route 95 in Nevada
north of Searchlight to the beginning of the Eldorado Valley. U.S. 95 is the route traversing the Piute Valley north-south, connecting at the south to the east-west Interstate 40 in California
and the northern foothills of the Sacramento Mountains
.
The southern end of the extensive McCullough Range converges with four valleys and three mountain ranges. West of the McCullough's lie the endorheic Roach and Ivanpah Dry Lake
s of Ivanpah Valley
; the valley extends north into Las Vegas' southwest, a tributary to the Las Vegas Wash
. Ivanpah Valley turns southeast to meet the water divide
point. Northeast of the water divide point is the southwest Eldorado Valley
, also endorheic with its Eldorado Dry Lake. Southwest the Piute Valley drains south, then Piute Wash
turns east and descends steeply at the Dead Mountains
to its outfall at the Colorado River
and Needles
.
The Mojave National Preserve
is mostly endorheic with the west bordering on Baker, California
and and the twin dry lakes of Silver Dry Lake and Soda Dry Lake. The northeast preserve corner is anchored by the water divide point. The northeast borders of the New York
and smaller Castle Mountains
meet the north of the Piute Range
; to the west of the Piute's, east of the New York Mountains is the southerly draining endorheic Lanfair Valley
.
The Piute Valley Watershed is the first major watershed southeast of Las Vegas to drain into the western side of the south-flowing Colorado River.
Though Piute Wash
drains Piute Valley, the entire watershed includes Sacramento Wash (California) which covers an equivalent area west of the north-south Piute Range, and drains the Lanfair Valley
and surrounding mountain ranges.
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...
, and northwest of Needles
Needles, California
Needles is a city located in the Mojave Desert on the western banks of the Colorado River in San Bernardino County, California. It is located in the Mohave Valley, which straddles the California–Arizona border. The city is accessible via Interstate 40 and U.S. Route 95...
. The north of the valley is at Searchlight
Searchlight, Nevada
Searchlight is an unincorporated town in Clark County, Nevada, at the topographic saddle between two mountain ranges.-History:According to Nevada Senator Harry Reid, who has written extensively about his hometown, the most likely story as to how the town received its name was when George Frederick...
, with some of the valley extending northwest from Searchlight. At the center-north lies Cal-Nev-Ari, Nevada
Cal-Nev-Ari, Nevada
Cal-Nev-Ari is a census-designated place and town in Clark County, Nevada, United States, near the state's southernmost point. As of the 2000 census, the town had a total population of 278...
.
The second valley southeast of Las Vegas borders to the north, the endorheic
Endorheic
An endorheic basin is a closed drainage basin that retains water and allows no outflow to other bodies of water such as rivers or oceans...
Eldorado Valley
Eldorado Valley
Eldorado Valley, or El Dorado Valley, is a Great Basin valley in the Mojave Desert southeast of Las Vegas and southwest of Boulder City, Nevada...
, with its dry lake
Dry lake
Dry lakes are ephemeral lakebeds, or a remnant of an endorheic lake. Such flats consist of fine-grained sediments infused with alkali salts. Dry lakes are also referred to as alkali flats, sabkhas, playas or mud flats...
. The next watershed north is the Las Vegas Wash
Las Vegas Wash
Las Vegas Wash is a 12 mile-long channel which feeds most of Las Vegas Valley's excess water into Lake Mead. The wash is sometimes called an urban river, and it exists in its present capacity because of an urban population. The wash also works in a systemic conjunction with the pre-existing...
Watershed.
The northeast portion of the Mojave National Preserve
Mojave National Preserve
Mojave National Preserve is located in the Mojave Desert of San Bernardino County, California, USA, between Interstate 15 and Interstate 40. The preserve was established October 31, 1994 with the passage of the California Desert Protection Act by the US Congress...
makes up the northwestern region of the Piute Valley, at a four-valley water divide
Water divide
A drainage divide, water divide, divide or watershed is the line separating neighbouring drainage basins...
point.
The Piute Valley Watershed is the first watershed southeast of Las Vegas–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...
to meet the Colorado River; the Piute Wash
Piute Wash
The Piute Wash of extreme southeastern Nevada and northeast San Bernardino County California is the south-flowing drainage of the Piute Valley. The wash and valley are located northwest of Needles, California....
outfall with the Colorado River is in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
at Needles. The mountain ranges south of Lake Mead, bordering the river and Lake Mohave
Lake Mohave
Lake Mohave is a reservoir formed by Davis Dam on the Colorado River, which defines the border between Nevada and Arizona in the United States. The lake lies at an elevation of near Laughlin, Nevada, Searchlight, Nevada, Cottonwood Cove, Nevada, and Bullhead City, Arizona, about downstream from...
are part of the Havasu-Mohave Lakes Watershed.
Piute Valley description
Piute Valley is a 45-mile long valley, and about 10 miles (16.1 km) wide at its southern end. It is drained by Piute WashPiute Wash
The Piute Wash of extreme southeastern Nevada and northeast San Bernardino County California is the south-flowing drainage of the Piute Valley. The wash and valley are located northwest of Needles, California....
with the wash turning easterly at the south to join the Colorado River
Colorado River
The Colorado River , is a river in the Southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico, approximately long, draining a part of the arid regions on the western slope of the Rocky Mountains. The watershed of the Colorado River covers in parts of seven U.S. states and two Mexican states...
at Needles. The valley is bordered by three mountain ranges, all north-south ranges, with the Piute Range
Piute Range
The Piute Range is located in the Mojave Desert, primarily in northeast San Bernardino County, California, United States, with a north portion in Nevada...
to the west. To the northeast is the Newberry Mountains
Newberry Mountains (Nevada)
The Newberry Mountains in Nevada are located east of Cal-Nev-Ari and the United States Coast Guard LORAN station in the southern part of the state. The range is Nevada's southernmost named mountain range, and lies to the northwest of the town of Laughlin and west of Lake Mohave...
, and to the southeast is the Dead Mountains
Dead Mountains
The Dead Mountains are a mountain range in the southeastern Mojave Desert, in San Bernardino County, California. The range borders the tri-state intersection of Nevada, Arizona and California, and the Mohave Valley, with the Fort Mojave Indian Reservation bordering the range foothills on the east...
range, where Piute Wash borders its southwest and south perimeter.
Searchlight
Searchlight, Nevada
Searchlight is an unincorporated town in Clark County, Nevada, at the topographic saddle between two mountain ranges.-History:According to Nevada Senator Harry Reid, who has written extensively about his hometown, the most likely story as to how the town received its name was when George Frederick...
is at the north of the valley, with a 5 miles (8 km) grade of U.S. Route 95 in Nevada
U.S. Route 95 in Nevada
In the U.S. state of Nevada, U.S. Route 95 is a major U.S. highway traversing the state from north to south directly through Las Vegas and providing connections to both Carson City and Reno...
north of Searchlight to the beginning of the Eldorado Valley. U.S. 95 is the route traversing the Piute Valley north-south, connecting at the south to the east-west Interstate 40 in California
Interstate 40 in California
In the U.S. state of California, Interstate 40 has its western terminus in Barstow. Known as the Needles Freeway, a major east–west route of the Interstate Highway System, it heads east from Barstow across the Mojave Desert in San Bernardino County past the Clipper Mountains to Needles,...
and the northern foothills of the Sacramento Mountains
Sacramento Mountains (California)
The Sacramento Mountains of California are southwest of Needles and form part of the towns west and southwest border; the range is east of the Piute Mountains and northwest of the Chemehuevi Mountains. The range lies in a northwest-southeasterly direction south of Interstate 40, and reach an...
.
4-Valley water divide, endorheic Mohave National Preserve
Ivanpah Dry Lake
Ivanpah Lake is a dry lake bed in the Mojave Desert of San Bernardino County, California on the border of California and Nevada. Nestled in the Ivanpah Valley near Primm on Interstate 15, the lake is almost entirely within California. At the north edge of the lake lie the Nevada Welcome Center ...
s of Ivanpah Valley
Ivanpah Valley
The Ivanpah Valley is in southeastern California and southern Nevada in the United States. The valley is between the New York Mountains and the Ivanpah Mountains in San Bernardino County on the California side, and in Clark County on the Nevada side. The communities of Cima, California, Nipton,...
; the valley extends north into Las Vegas' southwest, a tributary to the Las Vegas Wash
Las Vegas Wash
Las Vegas Wash is a 12 mile-long channel which feeds most of Las Vegas Valley's excess water into Lake Mead. The wash is sometimes called an urban river, and it exists in its present capacity because of an urban population. The wash also works in a systemic conjunction with the pre-existing...
. Ivanpah Valley turns southeast to meet the water divide
Water divide
A drainage divide, water divide, divide or watershed is the line separating neighbouring drainage basins...
point. Northeast of the water divide point is the southwest Eldorado Valley
Eldorado Valley
Eldorado Valley, or El Dorado Valley, is a Great Basin valley in the Mojave Desert southeast of Las Vegas and southwest of Boulder City, Nevada...
, also endorheic with its Eldorado Dry Lake. Southwest the Piute Valley drains south, then Piute Wash
Piute Wash
The Piute Wash of extreme southeastern Nevada and northeast San Bernardino County California is the south-flowing drainage of the Piute Valley. The wash and valley are located northwest of Needles, California....
turns east and descends steeply at the Dead Mountains
Dead Mountains
The Dead Mountains are a mountain range in the southeastern Mojave Desert, in San Bernardino County, California. The range borders the tri-state intersection of Nevada, Arizona and California, and the Mohave Valley, with the Fort Mojave Indian Reservation bordering the range foothills on the east...
to its outfall at the Colorado River
Colorado River
The Colorado River , is a river in the Southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico, approximately long, draining a part of the arid regions on the western slope of the Rocky Mountains. The watershed of the Colorado River covers in parts of seven U.S. states and two Mexican states...
and Needles
Needles, California
Needles is a city located in the Mojave Desert on the western banks of the Colorado River in San Bernardino County, California. It is located in the Mohave Valley, which straddles the California–Arizona border. The city is accessible via Interstate 40 and U.S. Route 95...
.
The Mojave National Preserve
Mojave National Preserve
Mojave National Preserve is located in the Mojave Desert of San Bernardino County, California, USA, between Interstate 15 and Interstate 40. The preserve was established October 31, 1994 with the passage of the California Desert Protection Act by the US Congress...
is mostly endorheic with the west bordering on Baker, California
Baker, California
Baker is a census-designated place located in San Bernardino County, California, USA. As of the 2010 census, the town had a total population of 735.Baker was founded as a station on the Tonopah and Tidewater Railroad in 1908,...
and and the twin dry lakes of Silver Dry Lake and Soda Dry Lake. The northeast preserve corner is anchored by the water divide point. The northeast borders of the New York
New York Mountains
The New York Mountains are found in northeastern San Bernardino County in California, USA; the range's northeast lies in southeast Nevada. The range lies just south of the small community of Ivanpah, and north of the Lanfair Valley. The mountains are part of the mountain ranges, cones, mountains,...
and smaller Castle Mountains
Castle Mountains (Nevada)
for the continuation of the range in CaliforniaThe Castle Mountains are a mountain range in Clark County, Nevada....
meet the north of the Piute Range
Piute Range
The Piute Range is located in the Mojave Desert, primarily in northeast San Bernardino County, California, United States, with a north portion in Nevada...
; to the west of the Piute's, east of the New York Mountains is the southerly draining endorheic Lanfair Valley
Lanfair Valley
Lanfair Valley is located in the Mojave Desert in southeastern California near the Nevada state line. It is bounded on the north by the New York Mountains and Castle Mountains, on the east by the Piute Range, and on the south by the Woods Mountains and Vontrigger Hills. Joshua Trees can be found in...
.
The Piute Valley Watershed is the first major watershed southeast of Las Vegas to drain into the western side of the south-flowing Colorado River.
Though Piute Wash
Piute Wash
The Piute Wash of extreme southeastern Nevada and northeast San Bernardino County California is the south-flowing drainage of the Piute Valley. The wash and valley are located northwest of Needles, California....
drains Piute Valley, the entire watershed includes Sacramento Wash (California) which covers an equivalent area west of the north-south Piute Range, and drains the Lanfair Valley
Lanfair Valley
Lanfair Valley is located in the Mojave Desert in southeastern California near the Nevada state line. It is bounded on the north by the New York Mountains and Castle Mountains, on the east by the Piute Range, and on the south by the Woods Mountains and Vontrigger Hills. Joshua Trees can be found in...
and surrounding mountain ranges.