Virgin River

The Virgin River, a tributary of the Colorado, is shown highlighted on a map of the southwestern United States

The Virgin River is a nearly 160 mile (322 km) long tributary of the Colorado River in the southwestern United States.

The river is home to the Virgin spinedace, Lepidomeda mollispinus, a type of minnow, and the Virgin River desert sucker, Catostomus clarkii utahensis.

Water in the river's lower valley provides irrigation for the cultivation of cotton, pomegranates, and figs.

The Nevada river valley's significance is commemorated by Nevada Historical Marker 56.

Description

North Fork Virgin River/Zion National Park

Its origin is in Southwestern Utah, at the Navajo Reservoir in the Dixie National Forest, north of Zion National Park, and is formed by the confluence of the East Fork Virgin, that flows through Mount Carmel Junction on the east side of Zion National Park and Parunaweap Canyon, with the North Fork Virgin River, that flows from Navajo Lake through Zion Canyon in Zion National Park. The river flows in a southwesterly direction, passing south of the old townsite of St. George where the Santa Clara River joins the Virgin at a place the Paiutes called Tonaquint. The river then flows across the northwestern corner of Arizona through the Virgin River Gorge and past the towns of Beaver Dam and Littlefield. It enters southern Nevada near the town of Mesquite and empties into the Colorado at the Lake Mead reservoir, approximately 40 miles (64 km) east of Las Vegas. The last 30 miles (48 km) of the Virgin River forms the north arm of Lake Mead.

Virgin River Gorge

The scenic Virgin River Gorge is in northwest Arizona just south of the Utah state line. It is a popular winter rock climbing area noted for its steep and overhanging limestone walls. Interstate 15 follows the Virgin River for several miles through the Virgin River Gorge.

See also

• List of Utah rivers
• List of Nevada rivers
• List of Arizona rivers
• List of tributaries of the Colorado River

Further reading

View of the lower river, between Mesquite and Lake Mead

• Carlson, D.D. and D.F. Meyer. (1995). Flood on the Virgin River, January 1989, in Utah, Arizona, and Nevada [Water-Resources Investigations Report 94-4159]. Salt Lake City: U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Geological Survey.
• Hereford, R., G. Jacoby, and V.A.S. McCord. (1995). Geomorphic history of the Virgin River in the Zion National Park area, southwest Utah [U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 95-515]. Reston, VA: U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Geological Survey.
• Langenheim, V.E. et al. (2000). Geophysical constraints on the Virgin River Depression, Nevada, Utah, and Arizona [U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 00-407]. Menlo Park, CA: U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Geological Survey.
• Wilkowske, C.D., V.M. Heilweil, D.E. Wilberg. (1998). Selected hydrologic data for the central Virgin River basin area, Washington and Iron counties, Utah, 1915-97 [U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 00-407]. Salt Lake City: U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Geological Survey.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Virgin River

• Camp Arizona - Virgin River Campground
• Zion National Park
• Picture of I-15 in the Virgin River Gorge
• VRG at Rockclimbing dot com