The West Walker River is a tributary of the Walker River

Walker River (Nevada)

The Walker River is a river in west central Nevada in the United States, approximately long. It drains an arid portion of the Great Basin southeast of Reno, with a watershed that extends into the Sierra Nevada mountains. It flows within an enclosed basin, providing the principal inflow of Walker...

, approximately 95 miles (152.9 km) long, in eastern California

California

California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...

 and western 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...

 in the United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

. It drains part of the Sierra Nevada range along the California-Nevada border in the watershed of Walker Lake

Walker Lake (Nevada)

Walker Lake is a natural lake, 50.3 mi² in area, in the Great Basin in western Nevada in the United States. It is 18 mi long and 7 mi wide, located in northwestern Mineral County along the eastern side of the Wassuk Range, approximately 75 mi southeast of Reno...

 in the Great Basin

Great Basin

The Great Basin is the largest area of contiguous endorheic watersheds in North America and is noted for its arid conditions and Basin and Range topography that varies from the North American low point at Badwater Basin to the highest point of the contiguous United States, less than away at the...

.

It rises from snowmelt in the Sierras of northwestern Mono County

Mono County, California

Mono County is a county located in the east central portion of the U.S. state of California, to the east of the Sierra Nevada between Yosemite National Park and Nevada. As of the 2010 census, the population was 14,202, up from 12,853 at the 2000 census...

, north of Yosemite National Park

Yosemite National Park

Yosemite National Park is a United States National Park spanning eastern portions of Tuolumne, Mariposa and Madera counties in east central California, United States. The park covers an area of and reaches across the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada mountain chain...

 approximately 20 miles (32.2 km) SSW of Walker in the Emigrant Wilderness

Emigrant Wilderness

The Emigrant Wilderness of Stanislaus National Forest is a wilderness area in the Sierra Nevada mountains of California, USA. It is bordered by Yosemite National Park on the south, the Toiyabe National Forest on the east, and State Route 108 on the north. It is an elongated area that extends...

. It flows north, along the west side of the Sweetwater Mountains

Sweetwater Mountains

The Sweetwater Mountains is a small mountain range in Northern Mono County, California and Western Lyon County, Nevada, separating the West Walker River from the East Walker River. Most of the range is only accessible by four wheel drive vehicle, on foot, or pack animal. Most of the range is...

, emerging into the Antelope Valley

Antelope Valley (California-Nevada)

The Antelope Valley is a high valley in the eastern Sierra Nevada stretching from Mono County, California to Douglas County, Nevada.-Geography:...

, a ranching region around Walker. It flows north past Coleville

Coleville, California

Coleville is a census-designated place in Mono County, California. It is located in the Antelope Valley on the West Walker River northwest of Bridgeport, at an elevation of 5141 feet . The population was 495 at the 2010 census....

 and Topaz

Topaz, California

Topaz is a census-designated place in Mono County, California. It is located north of Coleville, at an elevation of 5033 feet . Topaz's ZIP Code is 96133. The population was 50 at the 2010 census.-History:...

 and enters southern Douglas County, Nevada

Douglas County, Nevada

Douglas County is a county located in the northwestern part of the U.S. state of Nevada. As of 2000, the population was 41,259. As of 2010, the population was estimated to be 46,997.- History :...

 southwest of Carson City

Carson City, Nevada

The Consolidated Municipality of Carson City is the capital of the state of Nevada. The words Consolidated Municipality refer to a series of changes in 1969 which abolished Ormsby County and merged all the settlements contained within its borders into Carson City. Since that time Carson City has...

. In Nevada it flows northeast, joining the East Walker River

East Walker River

The East Walker River is a tributary of the Walker River, approximately long, in eastern California and western Nevada in the United States. It drains part of the eastern side of the Sierra Nevada in the watershed of Walker Lake in the Great Basin....

 from the west 7 mi (11.3 km) south of Yerington

Yerington, Nevada

Yerington is a city in Lyon County, located in western Nevada, USA. The population was 2,883 at the 2000 census. It is named after Henry M. Yerington, Superintendent of the Virginia and Truckee Railroad from 1868 to 1910. It is the county seat of Lyon County....

 to form the Walker River.

The river is heavily used for irrigation

Irrigation

Irrigation may be defined as the science of artificial application of water to the land or soil. It is used to assist in the growing of agricultural crops, maintenance of landscapes, and revegetation of disturbed soils in dry areas and during periods of inadequate rainfall...

 in the ranching valleys along its lower course. Its waters are diverted along its upper course to form Topaz Lake

Topaz Lake

Topaz Lake is a reservoir located on the California-Nevada border, about south of Reno.The lake was formed by diverting waters from the West Walker River into a nearby basin that had previously contained a smaller, natural lake. The initial construction took place in 1922, resulting in a...

 along the California-Nevada border. It receives the Little Walker River

Little Walker River

The Little Walker River is a tributary of the West Walker River, approximately 15 mi long, in eastern California in the United States. It drains part of the Sierra Nevada mountains in the watershed of Walker Lake....

 from the south near its source in the mountains.

U.S. Highway 395 passes through the West Walker River Valley, connecting it via Devil's Gate Pass

Devil's Gate Pass

Devil's Gate Pass is a mountain pass in Mono County, California, traversed by U.S. Route 395. The pass is named for the Devils Gate, a granitic formation located west of the summit of the pass.-Location:...

 to the East Walker River; Sonora Pass

Sonora Pass

Sonora Pass is the second-highest highway pass in the Sierra Nevada, lower by 321 ft. than Tioga Pass to the south. State Route 108 traverses the pass.-Description:...

 and Monitor Pass

Monitor Pass

Monitor Pass is a high mountain pass in California in the Sierra Nevada southeast of Lake Tahoe. It connects the basins of the West Walker River and Carson River, and is traversed by State Route 89 near that highway's southern terminus at U.S...

 lead from the valley into the Sierra Nevada and the Carson River

Carson River

The Carson River is a northwestern Nevada river that empties into the Carson Sink, an endorheic basin. The main stem of the river is long....

valley. In January 1997 a record-setting flood along the West Walker River destroyed 10 miles of U.S. 395. This section of road was rebuilt in 6 months. The silt carried by the river settled in Topaz Lake, hurting the trout population there.