Las Vegas Valley (landform)
Encyclopedia
Las Vegas Valley is in the main, the valley of Las Vegas
north section, and drained by the Las Vegas Wash
. The valley in the northwest section, is a northwest-by-southeast trending area, and trending parallel to Las Vegas Wash, lays at the northeast of the Spring Mountains
massif
.
U.S. Route 95
leaves Las Vegas' northwest and goes northwesterly through the northwest valley section, with Las Vegas Wash about 2 miles (3 km) northeast. U.S. 95 lies on the southwest perimeter of the valley bottomlands, and small alluvial fan
areas from the northeast Spring Mountains border southwest.
A 'distorted surface', a playa
-like region occurs at the farthest northwest area, for about 15 to 18 mi (24.1 to 29 ), starting from Nevada Route 157
. At Nevada Route 156
, 10 miles (16.1 km) northwest, the distorted surface, bottom land turns north, a 6 miles (9.7 km) area in length and about 3 miles (4.8 km) wide. It lays at the south drainage section of the Three Lakes Valley
, where a water divide
separates Dog Bone Lake
in the valley's center from the southwest washes that drain into the Las Vegas Valley, (upland Las Vegas Wash).
The Corn Creek Dunes lie about 5 miles (8 km) southwest of Route 156's intersection with U.S. 95, and they are slightly northeast of Las Vegas Wash.
to the southwest, as it climbs to Jean Pass (north)
, before traversing Ivanpah Valley
. Only the U.S. Route 95 northwest follows an actual valley. The northwest section, thus describes the entire landform as a central, and large valley with an attached feeder valley northwest, and in this case the northwest source, and actual course of the Las Vegas Wash.
is represented in southeast Nevada by a circuitous path, that in the east, enters Nevada at the Clover
-Bull Valley Mountains
, and in the south leaves Nevada at the New York Mountains
. At the northwest of the entire Las Vegas region, and also the northwest section upland area of the watershed of Las Vegas Wash, the Great Basin Divide, changes direction in the Spring Mountains, from a north-south transect, to leave the massif at the northeast, in the foothills, and enter the east-west transect, mostly at the southern perimeter of the north-south mountain ranges, on the Las Vegas north perimeter.
Las Vegas metropolitan area
The Las Vegas Valley is the heart of the Las Vegas-Paradise, NV MSA also known as the Las Vegas–Paradise–Henderson MSA which includes all of Clark County, Nevada, and is a metropolitan area in the southern part of the U.S. state of Nevada. The Valley is defined by the Las Vegas Valley landform, a ...
north section, and drained by the Las Vegas Wash
Las Vegas Wash
Las Vegas Wash is a 12 mile-long channel which feeds most of Las Vegas Valley's excess water into Lake Mead. The wash is sometimes called an urban river, and it exists in its present capacity because of an urban population. The wash also works in a systemic conjunction with the pre-existing...
. The valley in the northwest section, is a northwest-by-southeast trending area, and trending parallel to Las Vegas Wash, lays at the northeast of the Spring Mountains
Spring Mountains
The Spring Mountains are a mountain range of southern Nevada in the United States, running generally northwest-southeast along the west side of Las Vegas and down to the border with California...
massif
Massif
In geology, a massif is a section of a planet's crust that is demarcated by faults or flexures. In the movement of the crust, a massif tends to retain its internal structure while being displaced as a whole...
.
U.S. Route 95
U.S. Route 95 in Nevada
In the U.S. state of Nevada, U.S. Route 95 is a major U.S. highway traversing the state from north to south directly through Las Vegas and providing connections to both Carson City and Reno...
leaves Las Vegas' northwest and goes northwesterly through the northwest valley section, with Las Vegas Wash about 2 miles (3 km) northeast. U.S. 95 lies on the southwest perimeter of the valley bottomlands, and small alluvial fan
Alluvial fan
An alluvial fan is a fan-shaped deposit formed where a fast flowing stream flattens, slows, and spreads typically at the exit of a canyon onto a flatter plain. A convergence of neighboring alluvial fans into a single apron of deposits against a slope is called a bajada, or compound alluvial...
areas from the northeast Spring Mountains border southwest.
A 'distorted surface', a playa
Dry lake
Dry lakes are ephemeral lakebeds, or a remnant of an endorheic lake. Such flats consist of fine-grained sediments infused with alkali salts. Dry lakes are also referred to as alkali flats, sabkhas, playas or mud flats...
-like region occurs at the farthest northwest area, for about 15 to 18 mi (24.1 to 29 ), starting from Nevada Route 157
Nevada State Route 157
State Route 157 , also known as Kyle Canyon Road, is a state highway in Clark County, Nevada. The highway connects the Las Vegas area to the recreational areas of Mount Charleston in the Spring Mountains....
. At Nevada Route 156
Nevada State Route 156
State Route 156 , also known as Lee Canyon Road, is a state highway in Clark County, Nevada. The road is one of two highways connecting U.S...
, 10 miles (16.1 km) northwest, the distorted surface, bottom land turns north, a 6 miles (9.7 km) area in length and about 3 miles (4.8 km) wide. It lays at the south drainage section of the Three Lakes Valley
Three Lakes Valley (Nevada)
Three Lakes Valley is a long, partially endorheic valley in southwest Lincoln County and northwest Clark County, Nevada. The southwest of the valley has a narrowing with washes that flow south into the watershed of the Las Vegas Valley, a tributary to Lake Mead–Colorado River...
, where a water divide
Water divide
A drainage divide, water divide, divide or watershed is the line separating neighbouring drainage basins...
separates Dog Bone Lake
Dog Bone Lake
Dog Bone Lake is a dog bone-shaped topographic flat with two larger ends connected by a narrow body, which are 2 of the 3 eponymic features of their namesake, the Three Lakes Valley....
in the valley's center from the southwest washes that drain into the Las Vegas Valley, (upland Las Vegas Wash).
The Corn Creek Dunes lie about 5 miles (8 km) southwest of Route 156's intersection with U.S. 95, and they are slightly northeast of Las Vegas Wash.
Las Vegas Valley
The Las Vegas Valley is an area about 1600 square miles (4,144 km²). All perimeters, except the northwest, are foothills or mountain ranges, with all highway routes entering the foothills; this includes the Interstate 15Interstate 15 in Nevada
In the U.S. State of Nevada, Interstate 15 begins in Primm, continues through Las Vegas and it crosses the border with Arizona in Mesquite. The freeway runs entirely in Clark County. Many motorists use Interstate 15 to visit Las Vegas, as it is the only primary Interstate Highway in the city. The...
to the southwest, as it climbs to Jean Pass (north)
Jean Pass (north)
Jean Pass is one of two passes on the west and northwest of the Jean Dry Lake basin, an endorheic basin bordering Jean, Nevada.Jean, Nevada is located on Interstate 15; the north pass lies on a water divide about 6 mi northeast of Jean,...
, before traversing Ivanpah Valley
Ivanpah Valley
The Ivanpah Valley is in southeastern California and southern Nevada in the United States. The valley is between the New York Mountains and the Ivanpah Mountains in San Bernardino County on the California side, and in Clark County on the Nevada side. The communities of Cima, California, Nipton,...
. Only the U.S. Route 95 northwest follows an actual valley. The northwest section, thus describes the entire landform as a central, and large valley with an attached feeder valley northwest, and in this case the northwest source, and actual course of the Las Vegas Wash.
Great Basin Divide
The Great Basin DivideGreat 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...
is represented in southeast Nevada by a circuitous path, that in the east, enters Nevada at the Clover
Clover Mountains
The Clover Mountains are a mountain range in Lincoln County, Nevada.The Clover Mountains Wilderness make up a large part of the mountain range.The Clover Mountains are the southern mountains on the east perimeter of the Meadow Valley Wash watershed....
-Bull Valley Mountains
Bull Valley Mountains
The Bull Valley Mountains are a 30-mi long, mountain range in southwest Utah, located in northwest Washington County. The range is adjacent the Utah border and attached to the Clover Mountains of southeast Nevada...
, and in the south leaves Nevada at the New York Mountains
New York Mountains
The New York Mountains are found in northeastern San Bernardino County in California, USA; the range's northeast lies in southeast Nevada. The range lies just south of the small community of Ivanpah, and north of the Lanfair Valley. The mountains are part of the mountain ranges, cones, mountains,...
. At the northwest of the entire Las Vegas region, and also the northwest section upland area of the watershed of Las Vegas Wash, the Great Basin Divide, changes direction in the Spring Mountains, from a north-south transect, to leave the massif at the northeast, in the foothills, and enter the east-west transect, mostly at the southern perimeter of the north-south mountain ranges, on the Las Vegas north perimeter.