White River (Nevada)
Encyclopedia
The White River is a small and discontinuous 138 miles (222.1 km) river located in southeastern Nevada
notable for several endemic species of fish
.
in the White Pine Range
near Ely
, where it is fed by snow melt and springs from Currant Mountain
. It passes by Preston
and Lund
, flowing south through the White River Valley more-or-less continuously for about 40 miles. Along the way it receives water from various springs on the slopes of the Grant Range
to the west and the Egan Range
to the east. It supplies a string of reservoirs in the Sunnyside
area, the largest being Adams-McGill Reservoir. State Route 318
runs mostly parallel to the river.
The river channel is dry for some distance, then the water flows again in the Pahranagat Valley
for about 30 mi (48.3 km), from the vicinity of Hiko
and Nesbitt Lake, passing close by Alamo
, feeding Upper Pahranagat Lake and the marshes between it and the lower lake (which collectively form the Pahranagat National Wildlife Refuge
). The channel continues into Coyote Springs Valley (location of the planned community Coyote Springs
), becoming the Pahranagat Wash, which in turn connects to the Muddy River
and thence to Lake Mead
.
Many of the springs supplying the river are now used for irrigation, and a number of the springs have temperatures over 100 °F (37.8 °C).
Also named for the area is the White River mountainsucker (Pantosteus intermedius) subspecies.
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...
notable for several endemic species of fish
Fish
Fish are a paraphyletic group of organisms that consist of all gill-bearing aquatic vertebrate animals that lack limbs with digits. Included in this definition are the living hagfish, lampreys, and cartilaginous and bony fish, as well as various extinct related groups...
.
Course
The river begins at the Great Basin DivideGreat Basin Divide
The Great Basin Divide is the western continental divide that separates the Great Basin from the Pacific Ocean watershed. The water divide is the perimeter of the largest set of contiguous endorheic watersheds of North America, including six entire USGS watershed subregions...
in the White Pine Range
White Pine Range
The White Pine Range is a group of mountains in southern White Pine County, in eastern Nevada. The range runs for approximately 51 miles from Beck Pass in the north to Currant Pass in the south. To the west of the range are the Duckwater tribal lands and the northern arm of large Railroad Valley...
near Ely
Ely, Nevada
Ely is the largest city and county seat of White Pine County, Nevada, United States. Ely was founded as a stagecoach station along the Pony Express and Central Overland Route. Ely's mining boom came later than the other towns along US 50, with the discovery of copper in 1906...
, where it is fed by snow melt and springs from Currant Mountain
Currant Mountain
Currant Mountain is the high point on the southern crest of the White Pine Range, on the border between southwest White Pine and northeast Nye Counties, in east-central Nevada in the western United States. It comprises a series of three spires on a thin limestone ridge, with the southern spire...
. It passes by Preston
Preston, Nevada
Preston is a census-designated place in White Pine County, Nevada, United States. Its elevation is , and it is located at . It had a population in 2010 of 78.-References:...
and Lund
Lund, Nevada
Lund is a small town and census-designated place in White Pine County, Nevada. Lund was named for Anthon H. Lund. Lund was settled in 1898. It was settled on land that the United States government had given The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in lieu of land that had been confiscated...
, flowing south through the White River Valley more-or-less continuously for about 40 miles. Along the way it receives water from various springs on the slopes of the Grant Range
Grant Range
The Grant Range is a mountain chain in east-central Nevada in the western United States. It runs for approximately 30 miles in a generally north-south direction in northeastern Nye County. It is located south of the Horse Range and northeast of the closely associated Quinn Canyon Range. To the...
to the west and the Egan Range
Egan Range
The Egan Range is a line of mountains in White Pine County, in eastern Nevada in the western United States. From Egan Creek near the historic community of Cherry Creek, the range runs south for approximately 108 miles , extending into the northern part of Lincoln County. To the east are the large...
to the east. It supplies a string of reservoirs in the Sunnyside
Sunnyside, Nevada
Sunnyside is a small community in the White River Valley of Eastern Nevada, near the Southern terminus of the Egan Range. The site is located on Nevada State Route 318 approximately 31 miles by road South of Lund in White Pine County, the closest town, and 63 miles by road North by east of Hiko in...
area, the largest being Adams-McGill Reservoir. State Route 318
Nevada State Route 318
State Route 318 runs from U.S. Route 93 at Crystal Springs, Nevada north to a location on U.S. Route 6 approximately southwest of Ely. It is often used as a shortcut between Ely and Las Vegas....
runs mostly parallel to the river.
The river channel is dry for some distance, then the water flows again in the Pahranagat Valley
Pahranagat Valley
The Pahranagat Valley is a Tonopah Basin landform in Lincoln County, Nevada.The more fertile part of Pahranagat Valley is a narrow ribbon of green like an oasis in the vast Nevada desert...
for about 30 mi (48.3 km), from the vicinity of Hiko
Hiko, Nevada
Hiko, Nevada, is a small, agrarian community of the Tonopah Basin on State Route 318 in Lincoln County, Nevada. At one time Hiko was the county seat, and a few hundred residents lived nearby, due largely to silver mines in the area...
and Nesbitt Lake, passing close by Alamo
Alamo, Nevada
Alamo is an unincorporated community in Lincoln County, Nevada, United States, about north of Las Vegas. Its elevation is 3,449 feet . It is named after the Spanish word for "poplar" due to the presence of that type of tree. Founded in 1901, Alamo lies in the Pahranagat Valley. Its economy is...
, feeding Upper Pahranagat Lake and the marshes between it and the lower lake (which collectively form the Pahranagat National Wildlife Refuge
Pahranagat National Wildlife Refuge
The Pahranagat National Wildlife Refuge is a protected wildlife refuge, located at the southern end of the Pahranagat Valley and administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. It is situated north of Las Vegas, Nevada in Lincoln County, Nevada...
). The channel continues into Coyote Springs Valley (location of the planned community Coyote Springs
Coyote Springs, Nevada
Coyote Springs, Nevada, is a master-planned community being developed in Lincoln County and Clark County, Nevada, by developer and attorney-lobbyist Harvey Whittemore and Pardee Homes.-Current development:...
), becoming the Pahranagat Wash, which in turn connects to the Muddy River
Muddy River
The Muddy River, formerly known as the Moapa River, is a short river located in the southern part of the state in Clark County, Nevada, United States. It is in the Mojave Desert, approximately 60 miles north of Las Vegas.-Geography:...
and thence 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...
.
Many of the springs supplying the river are now used for irrigation, and a number of the springs have temperatures over 100 °F (37.8 °C).
Fish
The White River system features several endemic fish species:- White River Colorado gila Gila robusta jordani
- White River speckled dace Rhinichthys osculus velifer
- White River spinedaceWhite River spinedaceThe White River spinedace, Lepidomeda albivallis, is a critically endangered cyprinid fish of Nevada, occurring only in the White River in the southeastern part of the state....
Lepidomeda albivallis. Less than 50 of this endangered fish remained in 1993. - Pahranagat spinedacePahranagat spinedaceThe Pahranagat spinedace, Lepidomeda altivelis, is an extinct fish that originally inhabited the Pahranagat Valley in Nevada, United States.-References:*...
Lepidomeda altivelis - White River springfishWhite River springfishThe White River springfish Crenichthys baileyi, is a rare goodeid fish of the Great Basin of western North America, native to various warm springs in the White River drainage of eastern Nevada....
Crenichthys baileyi
Also named for the area is the White River mountainsucker (Pantosteus intermedius) subspecies.