The Imperial Reservoir is an artificial lake formed by the construction of the Imperial Diversion Dam across the Colorado River in the Lower Colorado River Valley of Imperial County, California, and Yuma County, Arizona. It is 16 miles (26 km) northeast of Yuma, Arizona.
| Imperial Reservoir | |
|---|---|
 Imperial Diversion Dam and Reservoir complex in 1972 | |
  Imperial Reservoir  Imperial Reservoir | |
| Location | Lower Colorado River Valley Imperial County, California Yuma County, Arizona |
| Coordinates | 32°53′00″N 114°28′04″W / 32.8833°N 114.4677°W |
| Lake type | Reservoir |
| Primary inflows | Colorado River |
| Primary outflows | Colorado River |
| Catchment area | 5,756 acres (2,329 ha) |
| Basin countries | United States |
| Managing agency | United States Bureau of Reclamation |
| Surface area | 28 km2 (11 sq mi) |
| Water volume | 160,000 acre⋅ft (200,000,000 m3) |
| Surface elevation | 56 m (184 ft) |
| References | U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Imperial Reservoir |
Dry wash watersheds
editDry washes are the major watershed feed systems to Imperial Reservoir. The next upstream major watershed feeder is the Bill Williams River from western Arizona. Upstream on the Colorado River, the basic feeder watershed to Imperial Reservoir is the Havasu-Mojave Lakes Watershed of Lake Havasu.
The Senator Wash flows eastward from California into the reservoir.[1] The Wash is blocked by Senator Wash Dam to form the Senator Wash Reservoir, which provides more storage for the canals.[2]
Recreation
editThe Bureau of Land Management operates camping sites on the north and south shores of Senator Wash and at Xanyō Xamshré (a backwater of the river).[3][4][5] It also operates a long-term campsite below the dam.[6] Hidden Shores, a BLM concessionaire, is located on the east shore of the Imperial Reservoir.[7]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "How's My Waterway?". 6 December 2021.
- ^ https://www.iid.com/water/water-transportation-system/colorado-river-facilities/senator-wash [bare URL]
- ^ "Senator Wash North Shore | Bureau of Land Management".
- ^ "Senator Wash South Shore | Bureau of Land Management".
- ^ "T.K. Jones Campground and Boat Launch | Bureau of Land Management".
- ^ "Imperial Dam Long Term Visitor Area | Bureau of Land Management".
- ^ https://www.hiddenshores.com/ [bare URL]
- "Imperial Diversion, California". FindLakes. 2009. Archived from the original on 2011-07-26. Retrieved 2009-09-22.
- Bureau of Reclamation (29 June 2009). "Imperial Diversion Dam". U.S. Department of the Interior. Archived from the original on 2011-06-14. Retrieved 2009-09-22.