The Morenci Basin is a medium-size, 1,599 square mile basin in the northeast portion of the planning area.  Geographic features and principal communities are shown on Figure 3.9-1.  The basin is characterized by high-elevation mountain ranges and a diversity of biotic communities including Rocky Mountain and madrean montane conifer forest, Great Basin conifer forest, madrean evergreen woodland, Plains and Great Basin grassland, interior chaparral, Chihuahuan desertscrub and semi-desert grassland vegetation. (see Figure 3.0-9) Riparian vegetation includes: wet meadow and mountain scrub on the San Francisco River near Alpine; mixed broadleaf and cottonwood/willow on the Campbell Blue Creek; cottonwood/willow, mixed broadleaf and mesquite on the Blue River; mixed broadleaf on Cienega and Willow Creeks; and mesquite and mixed broadleaf on Eagle Creek and the San Francisco River north of Clifton.

Principal geographic features shown on Figure 3.9-1 are:

• San Francisco River running from west to east in Apache County and from east to south near Clifton

• Blue River south of the Apache County line, which flows south through the basin and joins the San Francisco River

• Eagle Creek in the vicinity of the boundary between Graham and Greenlee counties

• The lowest point at approximately 3,600 feet where the San Francisco River exits the basin

• The Mogollon Rim, which includes the highest point in the basin at 9,346 feet

Click to view Figure 3.9-1 Morenci Basin

Geographic Features

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