Little Lost River
Encyclopedia
The Little Lost River is a river in the central part of the U.S. state
of Idaho
. The river is about 49 miles (78.9 km) long and drains an arid farming valley, the Little Lost River Valley, bordered by the Lost River Range
on the west and Lemhi Range on the east. Instead of emptying into a larger body of water, it disappears into the ground at the edge of the Snake River Plain
, a phenomenon that gives it its name. The water feeds into the Snake River Aquifer
, eventually reaching the Snake River
through a series of springs farther west.
It rises at the confluence of two similarly sized streams, Summit Creek and Sawmill Creek, 10 miles (16.1 km) north of Hawley Mountain, in the middle of the Little Lost River Valley. The river flows generally south-southeast receiving many tributaries such as Wet (the largest), Badger, Deer, Uncle Ike, Sands, Cedarville, South, and Hurst creeks. Along its course the Little Lost is used for irrigation, but the only settlement of any size is Howe
, situated near the mouth. A few miles past Howe, the river disappears into the earth at about 4806 feet (1,464.9 m) above sea level.
The river drains about 963 mi2 of land entirely in Butte County
. Its valley is about 50 miles (80.5 km) long and 20 miles (32.2 km) wide, with a floor width of 7 miles (11.3 km). Precipitation is generally very low, and mostly in the form of snow.
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Idaho
Idaho
Idaho is a state in the Rocky Mountain area of the United States. The state's largest city and capital is Boise. Residents are called "Idahoans". Idaho was admitted to the Union on July 3, 1890, as the 43rd state....
. The river is about 49 miles (78.9 km) long and drains an arid farming valley, the Little Lost River Valley, bordered by the Lost River Range
Lost River Range
The Lost River Range is a group of high mountains located in central Idaho, in the northwestern United States. It runs southeast for approximately 75 miles from the Salmon River near the community of Challis to the Snake River Valley near Arco...
on the west and Lemhi Range on the east. Instead of emptying into a larger body of water, it disappears into the ground at the edge of the Snake River Plain
Snake River Plain
The Snake River Plain is a geologic feature located primarily within the state of Idaho in the United States of America. It stretches about westward from northwest of the state of Wyoming to the Idaho-Oregon border. The plain is a wide flat bow-shaped depression, and covers about a quarter of Idaho...
, a phenomenon that gives it its name. The water feeds into the Snake River Aquifer
Snake River Aquifer
The Snake River Aquifer is a large reservoir of groundwater underlying the Snake River Plain in the southern part of the U.S. state of Idaho. Most of the water in the aquifer comes from rain and melting snow that flows onto the plain from the Snake River, Big Lost River, Bruneau River, and other...
, eventually reaching the Snake River
Snake River
The Snake is a major river of the greater Pacific Northwest in the United States. At long, it is the largest tributary of the Columbia River, the largest North American river that empties into the Pacific Ocean...
through a series of springs farther west.
It rises at the confluence of two similarly sized streams, Summit Creek and Sawmill Creek, 10 miles (16.1 km) north of Hawley Mountain, in the middle of the Little Lost River Valley. The river flows generally south-southeast receiving many tributaries such as Wet (the largest), Badger, Deer, Uncle Ike, Sands, Cedarville, South, and Hurst creeks. Along its course the Little Lost is used for irrigation, but the only settlement of any size is Howe
Howe, Idaho
Howe is an unincorporated community in Butte County, Idaho, United States. Howe is located on Idaho State Highway 33 northeast of Arco. Howe has a post office with ZIP code 83244....
, situated near the mouth. A few miles past Howe, the river disappears into the earth at about 4806 feet (1,464.9 m) above sea level.
The river drains about 963 mi2 of land entirely in Butte County
Butte County, Idaho
Butte County is a rural county located in the U.S. state of Idaho. It was established in 1917, and its county seat and largest city is Arco. As of the 2010 census, the county had a population of 2,891...
. Its valley is about 50 miles (80.5 km) long and 20 miles (32.2 km) wide, with a floor width of 7 miles (11.3 km). Precipitation is generally very low, and mostly in the form of snow.