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Securing Arizona's Water Future
Geography of the Lower Gila Basin
The Lower Gila Basin, located in the center of the planning area is 7,309 square miles in area, the largest basin in the planning area.  Geographic features and principal communities are shown on Figure 7.4-1.  The basin is characterized by plains and valleys surrounded by low elevation mountain ranges. Vegetation types include Lower Colorado River Valley and Arizona uplands Sonoran desertscrub.  (See Figure 7.0-9) Riparian vegetation includes tamarisk along the Colorado River and Gila River.

Principal geographic features shown on Figure 7.4-1 are:

  • The Colorado River on the western basin boundary in the vicinity of Fishers Landing
  • The Gila River running east to west through the center of the basin
  • Numerous valleys and plains including Mohawk, San Cristobal, Growler and Childs Valleys in the southern portion of the basin and Castle Dome and Palomas Plains and King and Hyder Valleys in the northern portion of the basin
  • Mountain ranges including the Cabeza Prieta, Mohawk, Granite and Growler Mountains in the southern portion of the basin and the Castle Dome, Tank, Kofa and Gila Bend Mountains in the northern portion of the basin
  • The highest point in the basin, Castle Dome Peak, at 3,788 feet in the Castle Dome Mountains west of Fishers Landing
  • The lowest point in the basin at 160 feet west of Dome where the Gila River exits the basin.

Click here for Figure 7.4-1

Figure 7.4-1 Lower Gila Basin Geographic Features

 

 

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References and Supplemental Reading for the Lower Gila Basin

Colorado River
Lower Colorado River Planning Area
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Imperial Dam
Welton Mohawk Agriculture


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