Bill Williams River
Encyclopedia
The Bill Williams River is a 46.3 miles (74.5 km) river in western-central Arizona
in Mohave County
; the river proper is the northern border of La Paz County
which it drains in the north, as well as areas of far western Yavapai County
. It is a major drainage westwards into the Colorado River
of the Lower Colorado River Valley
south of Hoover Dam
/Lake Mead
, and the drainage basin covers portions of northwest, and west central Arizona. The equivalent drainage system paralleling the east-west lower reaches of the Bill Williams is the Gila River
, which flows east-to-west across central Arizona, joining the Colorado River in the southwest at Yuma
. The Bill Williams River's confluence with the Colorado is north of Parker
, and south of Lake Havasu City
.
The two tributaries to the Bill Williams are the Big Sandy River
and the Santa Maria River
. Alamo Lake
is a major fishing and recreation region on the Bill Williams River. The Colorado River confluence region, the Bill Williams River Delta, and the entire riparian environment has state parks and wilderness areas: Buckskin Mountain State Park
, Cattail Cove State Park
, and the Gibraltar Mountain, Swansea, and Cactus Plain wilderness areas.
, formerly owned a ranch on the river and planned to export water from it. However, in 2006, Scottsdale sold the ranch surrounding to the Phelps Dodge
mining company, which is operating it as a nature reserve, under a government program for companies to restore habitat in one area to balance environmental damage caused elsewhere.
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
in Mohave County
Mohave County, Arizona
Mohave County is located in the northwestern corner of the U.S. state of Arizona. As of the 2010 census, its population was 200,186, an increase of 45,154 people since the 2000 census count of 155,032. The county seat is Kingman...
; the river proper is the northern border of La Paz County
La Paz County, Arizona
La Paz County is a county in the western part of the U.S. state of Arizona. As of the 2010 census its population was 20,489. The county seat is Parker...
which it drains in the north, as well as areas of far western Yavapai County
Yavapai County, Arizona
-2010:Whereas according to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau:*89.3% White*0.6% Black*1.7% Native American*0.8% Asian*0.1% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander*2.5% Two or more races*5.0% Other races*13.6% Hispanic or Latino -2000:...
. It is a major drainage westwards into the Colorado River
Colorado River
The Colorado River , is a river in the Southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico, approximately long, draining a part of the arid regions on the western slope of the Rocky Mountains. The watershed of the Colorado River covers in parts of seven U.S. states and two Mexican states...
of the Lower Colorado River Valley
Lower Colorado River Valley
The Lower Colorado River Valley is the river region of the lower Colorado River of the southwestern United States in North America that rises in the Rocky Mountains and has its outlet at the Colorado River Delta in the northern Sea of Cortez in northwestern Mexico, between the states of Baja...
south of Hoover Dam
Hoover Dam
Hoover Dam, once known as Boulder Dam, is a concrete arch-gravity dam in the Black Canyon of the Colorado River, on the border between the US states of Arizona and Nevada. It was constructed between 1931 and 1936 during the Great Depression and was dedicated on September 30, 1935, by President...
/Lake Mead
Lake Mead
Lake Mead is the largest reservoir in the United States. It is located on the Colorado River about southeast of Las Vegas, Nevada, in the states of Nevada and Arizona. Formed by water impounded by the Hoover Dam, it extends behind the dam, holding approximately of water.-History:The lake was...
, and the drainage basin covers portions of northwest, and west central Arizona. The equivalent drainage system paralleling the east-west lower reaches of the Bill Williams is the Gila River
Gila River
The Gila River is a tributary of the Colorado River, 650 miles long, in the southwestern states of New Mexico and Arizona.-Description:...
, which flows east-to-west across central Arizona, joining the Colorado River in the southwest at Yuma
Yuma, Arizona
Yuma is a city in and the county seat of Yuma County, Arizona, United States. It is located in the southwestern corner of the state, and the population of the city was 77,515 at the 2000 census, with a 2008 Census Bureau estimated population of 90,041....
. The Bill Williams River's confluence with the Colorado is north of Parker
Parker, Arizona
Parker is a town in and the county seat of La Paz County, Arizona, United States, on the Colorado River in Parker Valley. The population was 3,140 at the 2000 census.-History:...
, and south of Lake Havasu City
Lake Havasu City, Arizona
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 41,938 people, 17,911 households, and 12,716 families residing in the city. The population density was 974.4 people per square mile . There were 23,018 housing units at an average density of 534.8 per square mile...
.
The two tributaries to the Bill Williams are the Big Sandy River
Big Sandy River (Arizona)
The Big Sandy River is in northwestern Arizona in Mohave County. It begins where Cottonwood Wash and Trout Creek converge in the Hualapai Indian Reservation near Hualapai Peak then flows past Wikieup south of Kingman. It has a length of and joins the Santa Maria River to form Bill Williams River...
and the Santa Maria River
Santa Maria River (Arizona)
The Santa Maria River is an intermittent stream located in western Arizona. It is a primary tributary of the Bill Williams River and one of the main sources of inflow for Alamo Lake...
. Alamo Lake
Alamo Lake State Park
Alamo Lake State Park is a state park of Arizona, USA, centered around Alamo Lake, a flood control and recreational reservoir. The park is located in western Arizona about north of Wenden. It is accessed via dirt road off either U.S. Route 60 to the south or U.S. Route 93 to the east...
is a major fishing and recreation region on the Bill Williams River. The Colorado River confluence region, the Bill Williams River Delta, and the entire riparian environment has state parks and wilderness areas: Buckskin Mountain State Park
Buckskin Mountain State Park
Buckskin Mountain State Park is a state park located near Parker, Arizona, USA. A second developed area of the park is known as the River Island Unit or River Island State Park. Both park areas have shoreline on the Colorado River and views of the Buckskin Mountains...
, Cattail Cove State Park
Cattail Cove State Park
Cattail Cove State Park is a state park of Arizona, USA, on the shore of Lake Havasu. The park is located on Arizona State Route 95 in far southern Mohave County, about from Lake Havasu City and from Parker Strip...
, and the Gibraltar Mountain, Swansea, and Cactus Plain wilderness areas.
Wildlife reserve
The city of Scottsdale, ArizonaScottsdale, Arizona
Scottsdale is a city in the eastern part of Maricopa County, Arizona, United States, adjacent to Phoenix. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, as of 2010 the population of the city was 217,385...
, formerly owned a ranch on the river and planned to export water from it. However, in 2006, Scottsdale sold the ranch surrounding to the Phelps Dodge
Phelps Dodge
Phelps Dodge Corporation was an American mining company founded in 1834 by Anson Greene Phelps and William Earle Dodge, Sr.. On March 19, 2007, it was acquired by Freeport-McMoRan and now operates under the name Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc.-History:...
mining company, which is operating it as a nature reserve, under a government program for companies to restore habitat in one area to balance environmental damage caused elsewhere.
Fish species
- Largemouth BassLargemouth bassThe largemouth bass is a species of black bass in the sunfish family native to North America . It is also known as widemouth bass, bigmouth, black bass, bucketmouth, Potter's fish, Florida bass, Florida largemouth, green bass, green trout, linesides, Oswego bass, southern largemouth...
- BullheadBullhead catfishAmeiurus is a genus of catfishes in the family Ictaluridae. It contains the three common types of bullhead catfish found in waters of the United States, the black bullhead , the brown bullhead , and the yellow bullhead , as well as other species, such as the white catfish Ameiurus is a genus of...
- Catfish (Channel)Channel catfishChannel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus, is North America's most numerous catfish species. It is the official fish of Missouri, Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas, and Tennessee, and is informally referred to as a "channel cat". In the United States they are the most fished catfish species with approximately 8...
- Catfish (Flathead)Flathead catfishThe flathead catfish , also called the yellow cat, opelousas, and shovelhead cat, are large North American freshwater catfish. This is the only species of the genus Pylodictis...
- Redear SunfishRedear sunfishThe redear sunfish , also known as the shellcracker, Georgia bream, cherry gill, chinquapin, improved bream, rouge ear sunfish and sun perch, is native to the southeastern United States, but since it is a popular sport fish it has been introduced to bodies of water all over North America...
- Green SunfishGreen sunfishThe green sunfish is a species of freshwater fish in the sunfish family of order Perciformes. A panfish popular with anglers, the green sunfish is also kept as an aquarium fish by hobbyists. They are usually caught by accident, while fishing for other game fish...
- Bluegill SunfishBluegillThe Bluegill is a species of freshwater fish sometimes referred to as bream, brim, or copper nose. It is a member of the sunfish family Centrarchidae of the order Perciformes.-Range and distribution:...
- CarpCarpCarp are various species of oily freshwater fish of the family Cyprinidae, a very large group of fish native to Europe and Asia. The cypriniformes are traditionally grouped with the Characiformes, Siluriformes and Gymnotiformes to create the superorder Ostariophysi, since these groups have certain...