The Pinal AMA is 4,100 square miles in area. Geographic features and principal communities are shown on Figure 8.2-1. The AMA is characterized by gently sloping alluvial valleys separated by north to northwest trending fault-block mountains. Vegetation types are predominantly Lower Colorado River Valley and Arizona Uplands Sonoran desertscrub with a small area of semi-desert grassland in the western portion of the AMA. (See Figure 8.0-10)
Principal geographic features shown on Figure 8.2-1 are:
- The Gila River in the northern part of the AMA in the vicinity of Florence and Coolidge, running west and exiting the AMA at the northwestern tip.
- The Santa Cruz River, which enters the AMA from the southeast, south of Picacho Peak.
- Aguirre and Santa Rosa washes in the south and central part of the AMA.
- The Santa Cruz Wash east of Casa Grande, running northwest toward the Gila River.
- Numerous valleys and plains including Aguirre and Santa Rosa valleys in the south, and Vekol Valley in the west.
- Mountain ranges along the AMA boundary: the Santan, Sacaton and South Mountains on the north; Picacho, Waterman and Roskruge Mountains on the east; the Quinlan, North Comobabi, and Quijotoa Mountains on the south; and the Castle, Sand Tank and Sierra Estrella Mountains on the west. Picacho Peak, a prominent geographic feature, is located southeast of Picacho on the eastern AMA boundary.
- The lowest point in the AMA at 1,000 feet where the Santa Cruz Wash and Gila River exit the AMA to the northwest.
- The highest point is Kitt Peak at 6,857 feet in the Quinlan Mountains at the southern AMA boundary.
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Figure 8.2-1 Pinal AMA Geographic Features |
Arizona Department of Water Resources
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