The Safford Basin is the largest basin in the planning area at 4,747 square miles.  Geographic features and principal communities are shown on Figure 3.10-1.  The basin is characterized by valleys, high-elevation mountain ranges and a variety of vegetation types including: Arizona uplands Sonoran and Chihuahuan desertscrub, semi-desert grassland, interior chaparral, Rocky Mountain and montane conifer forest, Great Basin conifer woodland, madrean evergreen woodland and a small portion of Rocky Mountain subalpine forest atop Mt. Graham. (see Figure 3.0-9). Riparian vegetation includes: mesquite and tamarisk on the Gila River; conifer oak, mixed broadleaf and mesquite on Ash Creek; conifer oak and mesquite on Frye Canyon; and conifer oak and mixed broadleaf on Deadman Canyon and Cave Creek and its tributaries.

Principal geographic features shown on Figure 3.10-1 are:

• Gila River running northwest from Greenlee County to the San Carlos Reservoir

• San Simon Creek running through the San Simon Valley south of Safford

• Gila Mountains northeast of Pima, Dos Cabezas Mountains on the southeastern basin boundary and Chiricahua Mountains along the southeastern and southern basin boundary

• Pinaleño Mountains west of Swift Trail Junction, which include the highest point in the basin and planning area, Mt. Graham at 10,712 feet

• The lowest point at approximately 2,500 feet where the Gila River exits the basin

Click to view Figure 3.10-1 Safford Basin

Geographic Features

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