Lake Valley (Nevada)
Encyclopedia
Lake Valley is a 60-mile (97 km) long valley
in northeast Lincoln County
, Nevada
. The North Lake Valley is an endorheic
basin; South Lake Valley contains Patterson Wash, a northwest headwater tributary to the Meadow Valley Wash
; the northeast headwater section of Meadow Valley Wash is a shorter drainage coming from the south of the Wilson Creek Range
, the northeast border of South Lake Valley.
The water divide
between the North & South sub-valleys is about halfway between both sections. Squaw Knoll is on the east crest of the water divide; the valley's water divide is part of the Great Basin Divide
of southeast Nevada.
About 6 mi (10 km) of the North Lake Valley extends into south White Pine County
.
is adjacent the water divide
which separates the North and South Lake Valleys. At the divide the valley narrows to only about 2.5 mi (4 km), as Squaw Knoll, 6544 feet (1,995 m), is on the divide's east. The water divide, and center of both valley sub-regions, is about 7 mi (11 km) southeast of Pony Springs. The town is located on U.S. 93
which traverses the entire mountain foothills of the valley's western perimeter. The highway leaves South Lake Valley at Pioche in the mountains, then turns due south. Route 93 travels north beyond North Lake Valley to meet U.S. Route 50 in Nevada
, about 25 mi (40 km) further.
, which lies at the extreme southeast of the extensive north-south Spring Valley.
, the small range on the center-west water divide perimeter. Patterson Wash then drains due southeast along the northeast of the Bristol Range
, past Pioche
and intercepts Meadow Valley Wash 5 mi (8 km) further.
Valley
In geology, a valley or dale is a depression with predominant extent in one direction. A very deep river valley may be called a canyon or gorge.The terms U-shaped and V-shaped are descriptive terms of geography to characterize the form of valleys...
in northeast Lincoln County
Lincoln County, Nevada
Lincoln County is a county located in the U.S. state of Nevada. As of the 2000 census, the population was 4,165. Its county seat is Pioche.-History:...
, Nevada
Nevada
Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...
. The North Lake Valley is an endorheic
Endorheic
An endorheic basin is a closed drainage basin that retains water and allows no outflow to other bodies of water such as rivers or oceans...
basin; South Lake Valley contains Patterson Wash, a northwest headwater tributary to the Meadow Valley Wash
Meadow Valley Wash
The Meadow Valley Wash is a southern Nevada stream draining the Meadow Watershed that is bordered on 3 sides by the Great Basin Divide. The wash's Lincoln County headpoint is in the Wilson Creek Range, and the wash includes 2 upper confluences . Panaca is along the upper wash, and downstream of...
; the northeast headwater section of Meadow Valley Wash is a shorter drainage coming from the south of the Wilson Creek Range
Wilson Creek Range
The Wilson Creek Range is a mountain range in Lincoln County, Nevada....
, the northeast border of South Lake Valley.
The water divide
Water divide
A drainage divide, water divide, divide or watershed is the line separating neighbouring drainage basins...
between the North & South sub-valleys is about halfway between both sections. Squaw Knoll is on the east crest of the water divide; the valley's water divide is part of the Great Basin Divide
Great Basin Divide
The Great Basin Divide is the western continental divide that separates the Great Basin from the Pacific Ocean watershed. The water divide is the perimeter of the largest set of contiguous endorheic watersheds of North America, including six entire USGS watershed subregions...
of southeast Nevada.
About 6 mi (10 km) of the North Lake Valley extends into south White Pine County
White Pine County, Nevada
White Pine County is a county located in the U.S. state of Nevada. Its population at the 2010 census was 10,030. Its county seat is Ely. It is the home of Great Basin National Park...
.
Squaw Knoll and Pony Springs, Nevada
Pony Springs, NevadaPony Springs, Nevada
Pony Springs is an unincorporated community in Lincoln County, Nevada, United States. It has an elevation of 6,155 feet and is in the Pacific time zone . Pony Springs is located along U.S. Route 93.-External links:*...
is adjacent the water divide
Water divide
A drainage divide, water divide, divide or watershed is the line separating neighbouring drainage basins...
which separates the North and South Lake Valleys. At the divide the valley narrows to only about 2.5 mi (4 km), as Squaw Knoll, 6544 feet (1,995 m), is on the divide's east. The water divide, and center of both valley sub-regions, is about 7 mi (11 km) southeast of Pony Springs. The town is located on U.S. 93
U.S. Route 93 in Nevada
In the U.S. state of Nevada, U.S. Route 93 is a major U.S. highway traversing the eastern edge of the state. The highway connects the Las Vegas area to the Great Basin National Park, and provides further connections to Ely and Wells...
which traverses the entire mountain foothills of the valley's western perimeter. The highway leaves South Lake Valley at Pioche in the mountains, then turns due south. Route 93 travels north beyond North Lake Valley to meet U.S. Route 50 in Nevada
U.S. Route 50 in Nevada
U.S. Route 50 is a transcontinental highway in the United States, stretching from Sacramento, California in the west to Ocean City, Maryland on the east coast. The Nevada portion crosses the center of state and was named The Loneliest Road in America by Life magazine in July 1986...
, about 25 mi (40 km) further.
North Lake Valley, endorheic
North Lake Valley only contains flatlands; the North Valley is slightly narrower than the South Valley, and only about 9 mi (14 km) at its widest. The North Valley is due north-south trending, and bordered on the east by the short, and narrow, north-south Fortification RangeFortification Range
The Fortification Range is a mountain range in Lincoln County, Nevada....
, which lies at the extreme southeast of the extensive north-south Spring Valley.
South Lake Valley
South Lake Valley is about a 30 mi (48 km) long stretch until it reaches Hamlight Canyon and the Meadow Valley Wash; the southeast-trending part is about 20 mi. Patterson Wash drains south, and then southeast along the west of the valley's center. It originates at the north-south water divide, and its origin lies due east of the Fairview RangeFairview Range (Lincoln County)
The Fairview Range is a mountain range in Lincoln County, Nevada....
, the small range on the center-west water divide perimeter. Patterson Wash then drains due southeast along the northeast of the Bristol Range
Bristol Range
The Bristol Range is a mountain range in Lincoln County, Nevada....
, past Pioche
Pioche, Nevada
-External links:*...
and intercepts Meadow Valley Wash 5 mi (8 km) further.