The Big Sandy Basin, located in the east central part of the planning area, is the second largest basin at 1,988 square miles.  Geographic features and principal communities are shown on Figure 4.1-1.  The basin is characterized by a large valley and mid-elevation mountain ranges and plateaus. Vegetation types include Arizona upland Sonoran desertscrub, Plains and Great Basin and semi-desert grasslands, interior chaparral, Rocky Mountain and madrean montane forest and Great Basin conifer woodland (see Figure 4.0-9). Riparian vegetation is found along streams and includes cottonwood/willow, mesquite and tamarisk along the Big Sandy River and mesquite, cottonwood/willow and mixed broadleaf along sections of Trout Creek.

Principal geographic features shown on Figure 4.1-1 are:

• Big Sandy River running north to south through Cane Springs and Wikieup

• Hackberry Wash south of Valentine

• Trout Creek, a major tributary to the Big Sandy River, flowing east to west in the middle of the basin

• The Aquarius Mountains east of the Big Sandy River

• The Cottonwood Mountains south of Valentine

• The Hualapai Mountains along the western boundary of the basin, which contains the highest point in the basin and planning area, Hualapai Peak at 8,417 feet.

• The lowest point in the basin, about 1,650 feet, is south of Wikieup where the Big Sandy River exits the basin

Click for Figure 4.1-1 Big Sandy Basin Geographic Features

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