The Beaver Dam Wash is a seasonal stream near the southwestern
Utah
Utah is a landlocked state in the Mountain states, Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It is one of the Four Corners states, sharing a border with Arizona, Colorado, and New Mexico. It also borders Wyoming to the northea ...
-
Nevada border in the United States. At its southern end in northern
Arizona, near the point where it empties into the
Virgin River, the stream flows throughout the year. Part of the wash is in the
Beaver Dam Wash National Conservation Area, managed by the
Bureau of Land Management. The wash was so named on account of
beaver dams which once were built on its course.
The wash occupies a transition zone among the
Colorado Plateau, the
Great Basin, and the
Mojave Desert ecosystems. Like all such zones, this area supports diverse vegetative communities and a rich array of wildlife.
[Beaver Dam Wash National Conservation Area](_blank)
- Public Lands Information Center The wash begins in the
Clover Mountains in
Lincoln County, Nevada and flows south across very sparsely populated desert terrain. The area around the wash, including several protected
wilderness areas, includes forests of
Joshua trees along with other
yuccas, cholla
cactus,
barrel cactus,
Mormon Tea, and other grasses and shrubs, the primary vegetation in the area.
Animal life in the area consists of a variety of lizards, mammals, birds, insects, and other creatures found in the Mojave Desert. The lower elevations provide designated critical habitat for the threatened
desert tortoise and other native species, such as
desert bighorn sheep,
gila monster, and
mojave rattlesnake.
Winters are mild, with temperatures reaching highs from the mid-50s to 60s degrees Fahrenheit. Winter lows are usually in the 40s to high 20s Fahrenheit. Summer highs are commonly over Fahrenheit with lows in the mid-80s Fahrenheit.
Flash floods are common in the area when heavy summer
monsoon thunderstorms dump heavy amounts of rain in short times, causing water to fill washes and gulleys in the area. Most precipitation comes in concentrated storms that are infrequent. Generally, the air is low in humidity and dry. Windy conditions also are common throughout the year.
At elevation, Beaver Dam Wash is the
lowest point in the state of
Utah
Utah is a landlocked state in the Mountain states, Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It is one of the Four Corners states, sharing a border with Arizona, Colorado, and New Mexico. It also borders Wyoming to the northea ...
.
See also
*
List of rivers of Utah
*
Beaver Dam State Park
*
Beaver Dam Mountains Wilderness
*
Doc's Pass Wilderness
*
Slaughter Creek Wilderness
*
Cougar Canyon Wilderness
References
External links
Map of Beaver Dam Wash NCA in UtahMap of wilderness areas in northwestern Washington County, Utah
{{authority control
Lowest points of U.S. states
Rivers of Mohave County, Arizona
Rivers of Utah
Rivers of Washington County, Utah
Tributaries of the Colorado River in Arizona
Tributaries of the Colorado River in Utah
Tributaries of the Lower Colorado River in Arizona
Washes of Arizona