Las Vegas Wash

Las Vegas Wash is a natural flow of water, sometimes called an "urban river," that exists in its present capacity because of an urban population, and works in a systemic conjunction with the pre-existing wetlands that formed the oasis of the Las Vegas Valley. The wash is fed by urban runoff, shallow ground water, reclaimed water, and stormwater.

The Las Vegas Wash is a 12 mile long natural drainage channel for the Las Vegas Valley.

The wetlands of the Las Vegas Valley act as the kidneys of the environment, cleaning the water that runs through it. The wetlands filter out harmful residues from fertilizers, oils, and other contaminants that can be found on the roadways and in the surrounding desert.

Near its terminus at Las Vegas Bay [cite web |url=http://www.lvwash.org/wash/wash_images/wtour12.html |title= What is "the Wash"? |accessdate=2008-08-06 |work= Las Vegas Wash Project Coordination Team |publisher=Southern Nevada Water Authority |date= ] , the wash passes under the man made Lake Las Vegas through two 7 foot pipes.cite news |first= |last= |authorlink= |coauthors= |title= EDITORIAL: Lake Las Vegas -- dry? |url=http://www.lvrj.com/opinion/26204144.html |work=Las Vegas Review-Journal |publisher= |date= 2008-08-02|accessdate=2008-08-02 ]

History

Before development in the valley above the wash, it was able to contain the flows from rain water that fell in the valley and hills above. When the first sewage treatment plant went on line, the flows began increasing to the point that the channel expanded in size as the increased flows eroded the wash's walls.

This erosion also deepened the channel draining one of the largest desert wetlands in the U.S. southwest as the water flowed down the channel rather than flooding the wetlands area. This has had several consequences among them, increased flows of silt into Lake Mead, fewer migratory birds, and reduced water polishing from the native plants.

Inflows

The major natural sources that feed the wash are:
*Duck Creek
*Las Vegas Creek
*Flamingo Wash
*Pittman Wash
*Monson Channel
*Sloan Channel
*Meadows Detention Basin
*Tule Springs Wash

ee also

*Clark County Wetlands Park

Sources

[http://www.lvwash.org/ Las Vegas Wash Coordination Committee]

References