Piute Wash
Encyclopedia
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
.
The Piute Wash Drainage and Piute Valley drains the eastern flank of the north-south Piute Range
; the main wash drains portions of the northwest Newberry Mountains
. The wash hugs the eastern portion of the Piute Valley, and in the southeast of the valley, the wash skirts the west of the Dead Mountains
, then traverses the southwest and south perimeter of the Dead Mountains, then descends steeply toward its outfall into the Colorado River
in California
adjacent Needles. I-40
also descends steeply in this stretch down to Needles.
The Piute Valley and Wash are north-south trending as are the mountains bordering west and east; the wash's abrupt traverse east to its outfall is about an 8 miles (12.9 km) stretch.
An equivalent south-flowing wash drains northwest Arizona
's Mohave County
, the Sacramento Wash
; it turns southwest, then west to meet the Colorado River, south of the outfall of the Piute Wash, at the Topock Marsh
, Topock, Arizona
.
. Also, west of the western perimeter Piute Range
of Piute Valley, the Sacramento Wash (Clark County, Nevada) flows south, with the Fenner Valley in the northwest. The Sacramento Wash then turns east to join the Piute Wash. In the southwest a water divide
separates the Ward Valley draining southwestwards into San Bernardino County.
and Lake Mohave
. A narrow drainage from the Newberry and Dead Mountains, and in Arizona
the Black Mountains
drain into the Havasu-Mohave Lakes Watershed.
To the north of the Piute Wash Watershed and Searchlight
is the north-flowing Eldorado Valley
, an endorheic
basin that forms a dry lake
. (The Las Vegas Wash Watershed lies adjacent and north.)
Cal-Nev-Ari, Nevada
is in the northern third of the valley. The elevation of Piute Wash outfall at the Colorado River, just north of Needles, is 488 feet (148.7 m).
Nevada
Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...
and northeast San Bernardino County
San Bernardino County, California
San Bernardino County is a county in the U.S. state of California. As of the 2010 census, the population was 2,035,210, up from 1,709,434 as of the 2000 census...
California is the south-flowing drainage of the Piute Valley
Piute Valley
The Piute Valley is a 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 wash and valley are located northwest of Needles, California
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 Piute Wash Drainage and Piute Valley drains the eastern flank of the north-south 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...
; the main wash drains portions of the northwest 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...
. The wash hugs the eastern portion of the Piute Valley, and in the southeast of the valley, the wash skirts the west of 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...
, then traverses the southwest and south perimeter of the Dead Mountains, then descends steeply toward its outfall into 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...
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...
adjacent Needles. I-40
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,...
also descends steeply in this stretch down to Needles.
The Piute Valley and Wash are north-south trending as are the mountains bordering west and east; the wash's abrupt traverse east to its outfall is about an 8 miles (12.9 km) stretch.
An equivalent south-flowing wash drains northwest 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...
's 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...
, the Sacramento Wash
Sacramento Wash
The Sacramento Wash is a major drainage of northwest Arizona in Mohave County. The wash is east of the Black Canyon of the Colorado and drains into the south-flowing Colorado River 45 mi south of Lake Mohave, and 90 mi south of Hoover Dam at Lake Mead. The wash outfall is in the...
; it turns southwest, then west to meet the Colorado River, south of the outfall of the Piute Wash, at the Topock Marsh
Topock Marsh
The Topock Marsh is one of the larger birdwatching sites found in the Lower Colorado River Valley, found from south of Hoover Dam to the Colorado River Delta in Mohave County, Arizona...
, Topock, Arizona
Topock, Arizona
Topock is a small unincorporated community in Mohave County, Arizona. Topock has a ZIP Code of 86436; in 2000, the population of the 86436 ZCTA was 1,790....
.
South Piute Valley
Southern portions of the wash receive some north flowing drainages from the north of the Sacramento MountainsSacramento 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...
. Also, west of the western perimeter 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...
of Piute Valley, the Sacramento Wash (Clark County, Nevada) flows south, with the Fenner Valley in the northwest. The Sacramento Wash then turns east to join the Piute Wash. In the southwest a water divide
Water divide
A drainage divide, water divide, divide or watershed is the line separating neighbouring drainage basins...
separates the Ward Valley draining southwestwards into San Bernardino County.
Piute Wash Watershed
The Piute drainage is west of the Colorado RiverColorado 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 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...
. A narrow drainage from the Newberry and Dead Mountains, and in 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 Black Mountains
Black Mountains (Arizona)
The Black Mountains of northwest Arizona are an extensive, mostly linear, north-south 75-mile long mountain range. It forms the north-south border of southwest Mohave County as it borders the eastern shore of the south-flowing Colorado River from Hoover Dam.The northwest, and parts of the west of...
drain into the Havasu-Mohave Lakes Watershed.
To the north of the Piute Wash Watershed and 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 the north-flowing 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...
, an 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...
basin that forms a 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 Las Vegas Wash Watershed lies adjacent and north.)
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...
is in the northern third of the valley. The elevation of Piute Wash outfall at the Colorado River, just north of Needles, is 488 feet (148.7 m).