Eldorado Valley facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Eldorado Valley |
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View south of Eldorado Valley's center & north;
(Highland Range, (center photo) on valley's southwest perimeter; playa visible, ~5-mi) |
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 Eldorado Valley
Location in Nevada
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| Length | 35 mi (56 km) |
| Width | 18 mi (29 km) |
| Geography | |
| Location | Nevada, United States (southeast)-Mojave Desert (central-southeast)-Great Basin |
| Population centers | Boulder City, NV-NE Searchlight, NV-(south) Henderson, NV-NW |
| Borders on | McCullough Range-W River Mountains-NNE Eldorado Mountains-E Piute Valley-S Highland Range-SSW |
Eldorado Valley, also called El Dorado Valley, is a large valley in the Mojave Desert. It is located southeast of Las Vegas and southwest of Boulder City, Nevada. This valley is part of the Great Basin region.
The valley is a closed basin, meaning water flows into it but does not flow out to the ocean. Instead, the water collects in the lowest part of the valley, forming a dry lake called Eldorado Dry Lake. The valley is surrounded by mountain ranges, including the McCullough Range to the west.
Contents
Geography of Eldorado Valley
The northern part of Eldorado Valley has a large salt flat, also known as a dry lake or playa. This area is called Dry Lake or Eldorado Playa. The southern two-thirds of the valley slopes downwards, with water draining towards this northern dry lake.
U.S. Route 95 runs through the eastern parts of the valley. This highway connects Boulder City to Henderson. It climbs steeply to meet U.S. Route 93.
The valley is north of the Piute Wash Watershed. This watershed is part of the north-south Piute Valley. The Piute Wash drains south and then southeast, eventually reaching the Colorado River.
Protecting Desert Bighorn Sheep
The southern part of Eldorado Valley is home to a special nature reserve. This area is called the 'Highland Range Crucial Bighorn Habitat'. It protects the Desert Bighorn Sheep.
These sheep are important animals that live in the desert. To keep them safe, there are no public roads or paths into this habitat area. This helps to protect the bighorn sheep from disturbances.
Solar Power in Eldorado Valley
The northern part of Eldorado Valley is known as Boulder City's "Eldorado Energy Zone." This area is very important for producing energy. It is home to several power plants.
One of these is the El Dorado natural gas power plant, which was finished in 2000. It can produce 480 megawatts of power. Since 2007, the valley has also become a major center for solar power.
There is a concentrated solar power plant called Nevada Solar One. This plant uses mirrors to focus sunlight and create electricity. The valley also has many photovoltaic power stations. These stations use solar panels to turn sunlight directly into electricity.
Some of the large solar farms in the valley include:
- Copper Mountain Solar Facility
- Boulder Solar Project
- Techren Solar Project
These solar farms help to provide clean energy to homes and businesses.
Images for kids
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Valley's center-south, from east side.
See also
In Spanish: Valle El Dorado para niños
