Piute Valley facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Piute Valley |
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View west over the middle Piute Valley, Piute Range in distance
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 Piute Valley
Location in California
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| Length | 45 mi (72 km) N-S |
| Width | 10 mi (16 km) E-W |
| Geography | |
| Country | United States |
| States | Nevada and California |
| Regions | Mojave Desert, Mojave National Preserve and Lower Colorado River Valley |
| Districts | Clark County, NV and San Bernardino County, CA |
| Population centers | Cal-Nev-Ari, NV and Searchlight, NV |
| Borders on | Piute Range, Newberry Mountains (Nevada), Dead Mountains and Interstate 40 in California |
| River | Piute Wash |
The Piute Valley is a long valley that stretches about 45 miles (72 kilometers) from north to south. You can find it southeast of Las Vegas, Nevada and northwest of Needles, California.
The northern part of the valley is near Searchlight, Nevada. Some of the valley also reaches northwest from Searchlight. In the middle-north of the valley is the town of Cal-Nev-Ari, Nevada.
To the north, Piute Valley borders the Eldorado Valley. This valley is an endorheic area, meaning water flows into it but doesn't flow out to a river or ocean. It has a dry lake bed. The next area to the north where water collects is the Las Vegas Wash Watershed.
A part of the Mojave National Preserve is in the northwestern section of Piute Valley. This area is special because it's a "water divide" point where water from four different valleys separates.
The Piute Valley Watershed is the first area southeast of Las Vegas and Lake Mead that drains into the Colorado River. The water from Piute Wash flows into the Colorado River near Needles, California.
What is Piute Valley Like?
Piute Valley is about 45 miles (72 kilometers) long. It is also about 10 miles (16 kilometers) wide at its southern end. Water from the valley drains into Piute Wash. This wash turns east at the southern end and joins the Colorado River near Needles.
Three mountain ranges surround the valley. All these ranges run from north to south. The Piute Range is to the west. To the northeast, you'll find the Newberry Mountains. To the southeast is the Dead Mountains range. Piute Wash runs along the southwest and southern edges of the Dead Mountains.
Searchlight, Nevada is located at the northern end of the valley. U.S. Route 95 in Nevada goes through Piute Valley, connecting the north and south. In the south, this highway connects to Interstate 40 in California. Interstate 40 runs east to west and passes near the northern foothills of the Sacramento Mountains.
Where Valleys Meet: The 4-Valley Water Divide
(View from Spirit Mountain)
The southern part of the large McCullough Range connects with four valleys and three mountain ranges. West of the McCullough Range are the Ivanpah Valley and its dry lakes, Roach Dry Lake and Ivanpah Dry Lake. The Ivanpah Valley extends north towards Las Vegas. It also turns southeast to meet a special point where water divides.
Northeast of this water divide point is the southwest part of the Eldorado Valley. This valley is also endorheic and has its own Eldorado Dry Lake. To the southwest, Piute Valley drains south. Then, Piute Wash turns east and drops sharply near the Dead Mountains. It eventually flows into the Colorado River near Needles, California.
Most of the Mojave National Preserve is an endorheic area. Its western border is near Baker, California. Here, you can find two dry lakes: Silver Dry Lake and Soda Dry Lake. The northeast corner of the preserve is where the water divide point is located.
The northeastern borders of the New York Mountains and the smaller Castle Mountains meet the northern part of the Piute Range. West of the Piute Range and east of the New York Mountains is the Lanfair Valley. This valley also drains south and is endorheic.
The Piute Valley Watershed is the first major area southeast of Las Vegas that drains into the western side of the Colorado River, which flows south.
Even though Piute Wash drains Piute Valley, the entire watershed also includes Sacramento Wash (California). Sacramento Wash covers a similar area west of the Piute Range. It drains the Lanfair Valley and the mountains around it.
