Salt River (Arizona)
Salt River | |
---|---|
Location | |
Country | United States |
State | Arizona |
Counties | Gila & Maricopa |
Physical characteristics | |
Source | Confluence of White and Black Rivers |
• location | White Mountains, Arizona |
• coordinates | 33°44′20″N 110°13′32″W / 33.73889°N 110.22556°W[1] |
• elevation | 11,400 ft (3,500 m)[2] |
Mouth | Gila River |
• location | Phoenix |
• coordinates | 33°22′52″N 112°18′47″W / 33.38111°N 112.31306°W[1] |
• elevation | 928 ft (283 m)[1] |
Length | 200 mi (320 km)[2] |
Basin size | 13,700 sq mi (35,000 km2)[3] |
Discharge | |
• location | USGS gage 09498500, Salt River near Roosevelt, AZ[4] |
• average | 879 cu ft/s (24.9 m3/s)[4] |
• minimum | 59 cu ft/s (1.7 m3/s) |
• maximum | 143,000 cu ft/s (4,000 m3/s) |
The Salt River (
Variant names
According to the Geographic Names Information System, the Salt River has also been known as:[1]
- Assumption
- Black River
- Blau Fluss
- Blue River
- Rio Asuncion
- Rio Azulrio de Lasrio
- Rio de la Asuncion
- Rio de las Balsas
- River of the Rafts
- Salada
- Salinas
- Rio Salado
Course
The Salt River is formed by the confluence of the White River and the Black River in the White Mountains of eastern Gila County. The White and Black rivers, and other tributaries of the upper Salt River, drain the region between the Mogollon Rim in the north and the Natanes Mountains and Natanes Plateau to the east and south. Tributaries of the Salt River also drain the Sierra Ancha and Mazatzal Mountains. The White and Black rivers drain the White Mountains in the Fort Apache Indian Reservation. Together the two rivers drain an area of about 1,900 square miles (4,900 km2).[2] The Salt River, along with the Black River, forms the boundary between the Fort Apache Indian Reservation to the north and the San Carlos Apache Indian Reservation to the south.
The Salt River is fed by numerous perennial streams that start as springs and seeps along the Mogollon Rim and in the White Mountains. The Salt River is perennial from its tributary headwaters to Granite Reef Diversion Dam near Mesa.[2]
From the Black and White confluence, the Salt River flows generally west and southwest. It is joined by Carrizo Creek, a 25-mile (40 km) perennial stream, and then flows through the
Continuing its westward course, the Salt River is joined by Pinal Creek from the south, just before leaving the Salt River Canyon Wilderness. The river continues to flow through the Tonto National Forest until leaving the mountains near Mesa. Below the Pinal Creek confluence, the Salt River enters
As the Salt River passes through its reservoirs, it flows by the
Below the diversion dam, the bed of the Salt River is dry, except following rain or upstream runoff. The USGS stream gage at 51st Avenue, Phoenix, records no flow at all on many days—in 2009, for example, there was no flow for most of the year, except during parts of February and March when the river's discharge reached an average of 87 cubic feet per second (2.5 m3/s).[9] The diversion capacity at Granite Reef Diversion Dam is 3,600 cubic feet per second (100 m3/s), with 2,000 cubic feet per second (57 m3/s) for the Arizona Canal, and 1,600 cubic feet per second (45 m3/s) for the Southern Canal.[10]
Below Granite Reef Dam, the Salt River leaves the mountains and flows past the cities of
River modifications
The Salt River formerly flowed through its entire course year-round. However, the free-flowing river would frequently flood, including a massive flood in 1891. This flood, as well as others, led to the construction of several dams, beginning with the Theodore Roosevelt Dam, have caused the river to become intermittent in many parts.[11]
Despite the dry river bed, or
The river was used for irrigation by the pre-Columbian Hohokam culture, by later Native Americans, and by early Euro-American settlers in the 19th century. It currently provides a major source of irrigation and drinking water for Phoenix and surrounding communities through the Salt River Project. The river's water is distributed over more than 1,000 miles (1,600 km) of irrigation canals, used primarily for the growing of cotton, alfalfa, fruit, and vegetables.
Ecology
North American beavers (Castor canadensis) historically flourished on the river. In an historical account, George C. Yount, a fur trapper with the Pattie expedition, wrote on 1 February 1863, "...we began to ascend the Black River [Salt River]... We found it to abound with beavers... We followed up this stream to where it forks in the mountains; that is to say, about 80 miles from its mouth."[12]
2022 fish kill in three lakes has been caused by golden algae.[13]
Water quality
There are turbidity problems along many stream reaches in Salt River's watershed; these are related to rangeland management, recreation, mining, sand and gravel operations, and other sources.[2] High levels of fecal coliform bacteria and ammonia have been reported for Carrizo Creek and the White River.[2]
History
In ancient times, the river was home to the
Recreation
Boating facilities
Cherry Creek to Roosevelt Lake: Paved, gravel and trail access, live bait fish (restrictions in effect), no motors allowed, primitive parking area, camping allowed, area mostly inaccessible.
Below Saguaro Lake: Paved and dirt access, live bait fish, swimming, no motors allowed, parking area, tables, restrooms, camping allowed. Several camp and picnic areas, drained in winter.
The above facilities are maintained by the Tonto National Forest.
Tempe Boat Rentals at Tempe Town Lake: Small passenger boats including kayaks, pedal boats, electric powered pontoons and fishing boats. This is an independent contractor and not managed by the City of Tempe.
Fish species
- Cherry Creek to Roosevelt Lake (15 fishable miles)
- largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, sunfish, channel catfish, flathead catfish, carp
- Below Saguaro Lake (11 fishable miles)
- rainbow trout, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, yellow bass, crappie, sunfish, channel catfish, flathead catfish, blue catfish, yellow perch, walleye, tilapia, black crappie, carp, bullfrogs, desert sucker, sturgeon
See also
- List of rivers of Arizona
- List of tributaries of the Colorado River
- Skeleton Cave (Arizona)
- Salt River Pima–Maricopa Indian Community
References
Notes
- ^ a b c d U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Salt River
- ^ a b c d e f g h "Salt River Watershed" (PDF). Arizona Department of Water Resources. Retrieved 4 August 2010.
- ^ a b "Boundary Descriptions and Names of Regions, Subregions, Accounting Units and Cataloging Units". United States Geological Survey. Retrieved 22 April 2011.
- ^ a b "Water resources data for the United States, Water Year 2009; gage 09498500, Salt River near Roosevelt, AZ" (PDF). United States Geological Survey. Retrieved 4 August 2010.
- ^ Antone, Caroline. Piipayk m'iim. Salt River: Oʼodham Piipaash Language Program, 2000.
- ^ Calculated with Google Maps and Google Earth
- ^ "How did the Salt River get its name?". azcentral. Retrieved 2018-07-05.
- ^ "Arizona Explained: Origin of Salt River's name". azcentral.com. Retrieved 2018-07-05.
- ^ "Water resources data for the United States, Water Year 2009; gage 09512406, Salt River at 51st Avenue, Phoenix, AZ" (PDF). United States Geological Survey. Retrieved 4 August 2010.
- ^ "Granite Reef Diversion Dam". United States Bureau of Reclamation. Retrieved 4 August 2010.
- ^ Norman, Royal (22 May 2017). "Without the Salt River, we wouldn't be here". AZFamily. CBS. Retrieved 22 December 2018.
- JSTOR 25177691.
- ^ Golden alga-caused fish kills confirmed at Saguaro, Canyon and Apache lakes
- ^ "History and Culture". Salt River Pima–Maricopa Indian Community. Retrieved 5 October 2022.
Further reading
- Arizona Fishin' Holes: The Arizona Game and Fish Department's Guide to Popular Fishing Waters and Facilities in Arizona. Phoenix, AZ: Arizona Game and Fish Department, Information and Education Division. 2007.