Sacramento Valley (Arizona) facts for kids
The Sacramento Valley is a long, narrow valley located in northwestern Arizona. It stretches from north to south and is found west and southwest of the city of Kingman. This valley is part of Mohave County. Just to its east, you'll find the southern part of the Black Mountains. A major highway, Interstate 40 in Arizona, runs right through the valley, making it easy to travel north and south.
What is the Sacramento Valley?
The Sacramento Valley is a natural lowland area. It is shaped by the land around it, with mountains on one side. Valleys like this are often formed by rivers or other natural processes over a very long time. This particular valley is known for its dry, desert-like environment, typical of Arizona.
Water in the Valley: Sacramento Wash
One important feature of the Sacramento Valley is the Sacramento Wash. A "wash" is like a dry riverbed that only fills with water after heavy rain. The Sacramento Wash is the first major waterway that drains south from the Havasu-Mohave Lakes Watershed. It flows into the eastern side of the Colorado River, which is a very large river that flows south.
The water from the Sacramento Wash Watershed first flows south, then turns west, eventually reaching the Colorado River. The city of Kingman is located in the northeastern part of this watershed. It sits on a "water divide," which is like a high point in the land that separates different areas where water drains. To the east of Kingman is the Hualapai Wash Watershed, which drains north into the Colorado River as it enters Lake Mead.
