Tenmile Wash
Encyclopedia
Tenmile Wash is an ephemeral
wash and watercourse about 85 miles (136.8 km) long in the northern Sonoran Desert
of south-central Arizona. It forms the eastern drainage of a two drainage system of dry washes into the Gila River
Valley
; both flow northwesterly, and the western drainage is the San Cristobal Wash Drainage
of approximately the same length.
. The Little Ajo
and Growler Mountains
are west; a series of mountains form the eastern perimeter, and especially the Pozo Redondo Mountains in the southeast. At this point a water divide
occurs with the drainage south actually turning back northwest as part of the San Cristobal drainage through the Growler Valley
-(and is the north end of the Valley of the Ajo).
East and north of Ajo, Tenmile Wash flows northwest through the Childs Valley
, on its eastern edge, as the west side of the Childs is drained by the Daniels Wash, again flowing into the San Cristobal drainage to the west.
At the downstream north end, Tenmile Wash traverses the western Sentinel Plain
and enters the Gila River Valley through the 5 miles (8 km) Canyon Diablo; the watercourse then forms its own watercourse flowing southwestwards paralleling the Gila River to the north. They merge 20 miles (32.2 km) downstream.
Midway Wash is the eastern portion of the Tenmile Wash drainage; it also drains northwesterly into regions of the southern and central Sentinal Plain.
Ephemeral
Ephemeral things are transitory, existing only briefly. Typically the term is used to describe objects found in nature, although it can describe a wide range of things....
wash and watercourse about 85 miles (136.8 km) long in the northern Sonoran Desert
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 south-central Arizona. It forms the eastern drainage of a two drainage system of dry washes into the Gila River
Gila River
The Gila River is a tributary of the Colorado River, 650 miles long, in the southwestern states of New Mexico and Arizona.-Description:...
Valley
Gila River Valley
The Gila River Valley is a multi-sectioned valley of the Gila River, mostly in Arizona. The Gila River forms in western New Mexico and flows west across southern-eastern, south-central, and southwestern Arizona; it changes directions across the state, and defines specific areas and valleys...
; both flow northwesterly, and the western drainage is the San Cristobal Wash Drainage
San Cristobal Wash
The San Cristobal Wash is an ephemeral wash and watercourse of the San Cristobal Valley, flowing north into the Gila River Valley of the southwestern desert region of Arizona...
of approximately the same length.
Description of Tenmile Wash and drainage
Tenmile Wash begins east of Ajo, ArizonaAjo, 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 Little Ajo
Little Ajo Mountains
The Little Ajo Mountains is a mountain range in southern Arizona, in extreme western Pima County, Arizona. The city of Ajo-, sits on the northeast of this small mountain range....
and Growler Mountains
Growler Mountains
The Growler Mountains is a 23-mile, long north-south trending mountain range of far western Pima County, Arizona that lies west of Ajo, Arizona...
are west; a series of mountains form the eastern perimeter, and especially the Pozo Redondo Mountains in the southeast. At this point a water divide
Water divide
A drainage divide, water divide, divide or watershed is the line separating neighbouring drainage basins...
occurs with the drainage south actually turning back northwest as part of the San Cristobal drainage through the Growler Valley
Growler Valley
The Growler Valley is a valley of south-central Arizona west of Ajo, Arizona.Growler Valley is a 65-mile long valley paralleling the Growler Mountains on the east-, and the Granite Mountains on the west....
-(and is the north end of the Valley of the Ajo).
East and north of Ajo, Tenmile Wash flows northwest through the Childs Valley
Childs Valley
The Childs Valley is a valley in the Sonoran Desert of south-central Arizona west of Ajo. Upstream sections are located in far western Pima County; downstream it merges into the Gila River Valley in southwestern Maricopa County...
, on its eastern edge, as the west side of the Childs is drained by the Daniels Wash, again flowing into the San Cristobal drainage to the west.
At the downstream north end, Tenmile Wash traverses the western Sentinel Plain
Sentinel Plain
The Sentinel Plain is an extensive northwest-southeast trending plain south of the Gila River Valley in southwestern Arizona, USA. It is centered on the community of Sentinel, Arizona located on Interstate 8, approximately west of Gila Bend....
and enters the Gila River Valley through the 5 miles (8 km) Canyon Diablo; the watercourse then forms its own watercourse flowing southwestwards paralleling the Gila River to the north. They merge 20 miles (32.2 km) downstream.
Midway Wash is the eastern portion of the Tenmile Wash drainage; it also drains northwesterly into regions of the southern and central Sentinal Plain.
Access to Tenmile Wash
The north region of the Tenmile Wash traverses Interstate 8 11 miles (17.7 km) west of Sentinel and 2 miles east of Aztec. The southern region is accessed easily in the Ajo region on State Route 85; dirt roads also exit west from the north-south State Route 85 route, to access other parts of Tenmile Wash.External links
- Tenmile Wash Watershed Map
- San Cristobal Wash Watershed Map
- Lower Gila--Painted Rock Reservoir Watershed Map - the upstream watershed: Painted Rock Reservoir
- Lower Gila Watershed Map - the downstream watershed (entering the Colorado River)