The Rio Salado is a tributary of the
Rio Grande
The Rio Grande ( or ) in the United States or the Río Bravo (del Norte) in Mexico (), also known as Tó Ba'áadi in Navajo language, Navajo, is one of the principal rivers (along with the Colorado River) in the Southwestern United States a ...
in the
U.S. state
In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its so ...
of
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state in the Southwestern United States, Southwestern region of the United States. It is one of the Mountain States of the southern Rocky Mountains, sharing the Four Corners region with Utah, Colorado, and Arizona. It also ...
. From its source in northeast
Catron County it flows about
[Calculated in ]Google Earth
Google Earth is a web mapping, web and computer program created by Google that renders a 3D computer graphics, 3D representation of Earth based primarily on satellite imagery. The program maps the Earth by superimposition, superimposing satelli ...
generally east to join the Rio Grande just north of
Polvadera and about north of
Socorro.
The name ''Río Salado'' is Spanish for "salty river".
Course
The Rio Salado originates in northeastern Catron County. It flows east, then north, then southeast through Cow Spring Canyon. It is joined by Miguel Chavez Canyon from the north, which it then flows through, turning eastward. Kicking Bear Wash joins from the north, after which the Rio Salado enters Socorro County. It continues to flow east through Miguel Chavez Canyon, collecting minor tributaries. A longer tributary, Alamocita Creek, joins from the southwest. Then Gallegos Creek joins from the north. Rio Salado passes between Table Mountain and Tres Hermanos Mesa. Alamo Creek and Jaralosa Creek join from the south, then Cottonwood Draw from the north. Rio Salado then passes by Puertecito, after which it is joined by Cañada Bonita from the north. It continues to flow east, joined by a number of minor tributaries flowing from the Bear Mountains and
Ladron Peak. As Rio Salado passes through the
Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge it is joined by La Jenica Creek, Silver Creek, and Arroyo Rendija, from the south, and Cañada Popotosa and Arroyo Tio Lino from the north. Rio Salado empties into the Rio Grande just north of Polvadera, about north of Socorro.
USGS
The United States Geological Survey (USGS), founded as the Geological Survey, is an government agency, agency of the United States Department of the Interior, U.S. Department of the Interior whose work spans the disciplines of biology, geograp ...
topographic map
In modern mapping, a topographic map or topographic sheet is a type of map characterized by large- scale detail and quantitative representation of relief features, usually using contour lines (connecting points of equal elevation), but histori ...
s
Along its course the Rio Salado passes along the northern edge of the
Cibola National Forest
The Cibola National Forest (pronounced SEE-bo-lah) is a 1,633,783 acre (6,611.7 km2) United States National Forest in New Mexico, US. The name Cibola is thought to be the original Zuni Indian name for their pueblos or tribal lands. The name wa ...
.
[
]
See also
* List of rivers of New Mexico
* List of tributaries of the Rio Grande
Tributary, Tributaries and sub-tributaries are hierarchically listed in order from the mouth of the Rio Grande upstream. Major dams and reservoir lakes are also noted.
* San Juan River (Tamaulipas), San Juan River, or Rio San Juan (Tamaulipas, Nue ...
References
{{authority control
Tributaries of the Rio Grande
Rivers of New Mexico
Rivers of Catron County, New Mexico
Rivers of Socorro County, New Mexico