Antelope Valley (California-Nevada) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Antelope Valley |
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Topaz Lake Reservoir
valley center-west |
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Length | 15 mi (24 km) |
Width | 8 mi (13 km) |
Geography | |
Country | United States |
States | Nevada and California |
Regions | Mojave Desert and Great Basin |
County | Douglas County, NV and Mono County, CA |
Population centers | Wellington, NV, Topaz, CA and Coleville, CA |
Borders on | Pine Grove Hills, Pine Nut Mountains and Sierra Nevada (U.S.) |
Rivers | West Walker River |
The Antelope Valley is a large valley located in the eastern part of the Sierra Nevada mountains. It stretches across two states: Mono County in California and Douglas County in Nevada.
Contents
What is Antelope Valley Like?
Antelope Valley is about 15 miles (24 km) long and 8 miles (13 km) wide. It sits at an elevation of about 4,977 feet (1,517 meters) above sea level. The valley is surrounded by tall mountains, some reaching over 10,000 feet (3,048 meters) high.
The bottom of the valley is gently rolling, which means it has soft, small hills. This makes it a good place for farming and raising animals like cows. The sides of the valley, however, are very steep. Most of the land is used for growing crops with irrigation (which means bringing water to the plants) and for grazing animals.
Water in the Valley
The Antelope Valley gets its water from the West Walker River and a stream called Mill Creek. There is also a lake in the valley called Topaz Lake, which is actually a reservoir (a place where water is stored).
Who Lives in Antelope Valley?
Most of the Antelope Valley is in California, covering about 33 square miles (85 square kilometers). In this part of the valley, local services like fire protection and water supply are managed by special districts. These are the Antelope Valley Fire Protection District (started in 1947) and the Antelope Valley Water District (started in 1961).
The California side of the valley includes small communities like Coleville, Topaz, and Walker. In 2000, about 1,525 people lived in the California part of Antelope Valley. By 2003, this number had grown slightly to about 1,557 people.
Getting Around Antelope Valley
The main road that goes through Antelope Valley is U.S. Route 395. It's the most important route for traveling in and out of the valley.