View source for Virgin River

{{short description|Tributary of the Colorado River in the southwestern United States}}
{{For|the Netflix TV series|Virgin River (TV series)}}
{{Infobox river
| name               = Virgin River
| name_native        =
| name_native_lang   =
| name_other         = Virgen River, Rio de la Virgen<ref>{{cite book |title=Arizona's Names (X Marks the Place) |author=Byrd H. Granger |location=Tucson, Arizona |publisher=The Falconer Publishing Company |year=1983 |page=652 }}</ref>
| name_etymology     =
<!---------------------- IMAGE & MAP -->
| image              = Zion Canyon in winter.jpg
| image_size         = 300px
| image_caption      = Virgin River in Zion National Park
| map                = Virginrivermap.jpg
| map_size           = 300
| map_caption        = The Virgin River watershed
| pushpin_map        =
| pushpin_map_size   = 300
| pushpin_map_caption=
<!---------------------- LOCATION -->
| subdivision_type1  = Country
| subdivision_name1  = [[United States]]
| subdivision_type2  = State
| subdivision_name2  = [[Nevada]], [[Utah]], [[Arizona]]
| subdivision_type3  =
| subdivision_name3  =
| subdivision_type4  =
| subdivision_name4  =
| subdivision_type5  =
| subdivision_name5  =
<!---------------------- PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS -->
| length             = {{convert|162|mi|km|abbr=on}}<ref name=gmaps/>
| width_min          =
| width_avg          =
| width_max          =
| depth_min          =
| depth_avg          =
| depth_max          =
| discharge1_location= [[St. George, Utah]]<ref name=wdr>{{cite web|url=https://wdr.water.usgs.gov/wy2010/pdfs/09413500.2010.pdf|title=USGS Gage #09413500 on the Virgin River near St. George, UT|publisher=U.S. Geological Survey|work=National Water Information System|year=2010|access-date=2011-10-16|archive-date=2012-04-29|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120429172126/http://wdr.water.usgs.gov/wy2010/pdfs/09413500.2010.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref>
| discharge1_min     = {{convert|0|cuft/s|m3/s|abbr=on}}
| discharge1_avg     = {{convert|183|cuft/s|m3/s|abbr=on}}<ref name="wdr" />
| discharge1_max     = {{convert|55000|cuft/s|m3/s|abbr=on}}
<!---------------------- BASIN FEATURES -->
| source1            = confluence of East Fork and North Fork
| source1_location   = [[Navajo Lake (Utah)|Navajo Reservoir]], [[Dixie National Forest]], [[Utah]]
| source1_coordinates= {{coord|37|9|44|N|113|0|51|W|display=inline}}<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|856418|Virgin River}}</ref>
| source1_elevation  = {{convert|3763|ft|abbr=on}}<ref name=gmaps/>
| mouth              = [[Colorado River]]
| mouth_location     = [[Lake Mead]], [[Lake Mead National Recreation Area]]
| mouth_coordinates  = {{coord|36|8|46|N|114|24|59|W|display=inline,title}}<ref name=gnis/>
| mouth_elevation    = {{convert|1204|ft|abbr=on}}<ref name=gnis/>
| progression        =
| river_system       = North and East Forks Virgin River
| basin_size         = {{convert|12250|sqmi|abbr=on}}approx.
| tributaries_left   = Fort Pearce Wash
| tributaries_right  = [[Ash Creek (Utah)|Ash Creek]], [[Santa Clara River (Utah)|Santa Clara River]], [[Beaver Dam Wash]], [[Toquop Wash]], [[Muddy River (Nevada)|Muddy River]]
| custom_label       =
| custom_data        =
| extra              = {{Designation list
| embed                   = yes
| designation1            = nwsr
| designation1_type       = Wild {{convert|145.4|mi|km}}<br />Scenic {{convert|11.3|mi|km}}<br /> Recreational {{convert|12.6|mi|km}}
| designation1_date       = March 30, 2009<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.rivers.gov/ |title=National Wild and Scenic Rivers System |website=rivers.gov |publisher=National Wild and Scenic Rivers System |access-date=2023-01-05}}</ref>
| designation1_number     =
}}
}}
The '''Virgin River''' is a [[tributary]] of the [[Colorado River]] in the [[U.S. state]]s of [[Utah]], [[Nevada]], and [[Arizona]]. The river is about {{convert|162|mi|km}} long.<ref name=gmaps>Calculated with [[Google Maps]] and [[Google Earth]]</ref> It was designated Utah's first wild and scenic river in 2009, during the centennial celebration of [[Zion National Park]].

==History==
The first known Euro-American party to encounter the Virgin was led by [[Jedediah Smith]] in 1826. Smith named it "Adams River", after then-president [[John Quincy Adams]].<ref>Smith, Jedediah S., [Harrison G. Rogers], and George R. Brooks (ed.). ''The Southwest Expedition of Jedediah S. Smith: His Personal Account of the Journey to California, 1826–1827'', p. 55. Lincoln and London, University of Nebraska Press, [1977] 1989. {{ISBN|978-0-8032-9197-3}}</ref> Later explorer and mapmaker [[John C. Fremont]] reported that it was called "Rio Virgen" but did not state the origin of the name. [[Hiram Chittenden]] speculated that Smith had later renamed the river after Thomas Virgin, who was badly wounded in an 1827 attack by [[Mohave people]] during the crossing of the [[Mojave Desert]]. Virgin recovered from his wounds but was later killed, along with most of Smith's companions, in an attack by [[Umpqua people]] (in present-day Oregon).

The [[Old Spanish Trail (trade route)|Old Spanish Trail]] followed the Virgin River for part of its length from near St. George to the point it ascended the Mormon Plateau to cross to the [[Muddy River (Nevada)|Muddy River]] in present-day [[Nevada]].

==Course==
{{Unreferenced section|date=December 2021}}{{mapframe|from=Virgin River (Utah).map|text=Route of the Virgin River (red) and the North Fork (blue) that flows through Zion National Park and the East Fork (purple)|frame=yes|zoom=7|frame-coord={{Coord|37.174167|N|113.326111|W}}}}
Its origin is in Southwestern Utah, at the Navajo Reservoir in the [[Dixie National Forest]], north of Zion National Park, and is formed by the confluence of the [[East Fork Virgin River|East Fork Virgin]], that flows through [[Mount Carmel Junction, Utah|Mount Carmel Junction]] on the east side of Zion National Park and Parunaweap Canyon, with the North Fork Virgin River, that flows from Navajo Lake through [[Zion Canyon]] in Zion National Park. The river flows in a southwesterly direction, passing south of the old townsite of [[St. George, Utah|St. George]] where the [[Fort Pearce Wash]] and the [[Santa Clara River (Utah)|Santa Clara River]] both join the Virgin at a place the [[Southern Paiute|Paiutes]] called Tonaquint. The river then flows across the northwestern corner of Arizona through the [[Virgin River Gorge]] and past the towns of [[Beaver Dam, Arizona|Beaver Dam]] and [[Littlefield, Arizona|Littlefield]]. It enters southern Nevada near the town of [[Mesquite, Nevada|Mesquite]] and empties into the Colorado at the [[Lake Mead]] reservoir, approximately {{convert|40|mi|km}} east of [[Las Vegas, Nevada|Las Vegas]]. The last {{convert|30|mi|km}} of the Virgin River forms the north arm of Lake Mead.

==Ecology==
{{Unreferenced section|date=December 2021}}
Despite flowing through an arid region, the Virgin River is home to a surprisingly diverse array of plants and animals. Southwestern Utah is located at the intersection of three physiographic regions: the [[Colorado Plateau]], the [[Great Basin]], and the [[Mojave Desert]]. The exceptional landscapes and habitats of this region harbor unique plant and animal communities and species found nowhere else in the world. Without the water of the Virgin River system, these species could not exist. The Virgin River directly supports hundreds of wildlife species, including [[woundfin]], Virgin River chub, Virgin spinedace, flannelmouth sucker, desert sucker, speckled dace, and Southwestern Willow Flycatcher. Many of these species are endangered or are considered sensitive species within the State of Utah. The Virgin River Program was established to balance increasing human demand and maintain this unique system.

'''Woundfin''' (''[[Plagopterus argentissimus]]'') Federally listed endangered species Size: {{cvt|10.2|cm|0|order=flip}}<br>
One of the rarest species on earth, the endangered woundfin is found only in a small section of the Virgin River. Woundfin have large fins and scale-less, streamlined bodies that help them survive in swift, silty conditions. Although small, it is shark-like in both appearance and action as it feeds on small insects in shallow areas along the river. Woundfin live only one to two years, and their survival depends upon sufficient flow within the river, especially during hot summer months.

'''Virgin River chub''' (''[[Gila seminuda]]'') Federally listed endangered species Size: {{cvt|46.4|cm|0|order=flip}}<br>
Rare and beautiful, this fish is the top native predator in the Virgin River. Chub is a fast, streamlined fish with a sloped forehead, humped back, and thin, rounded tail. The Virgin River chub feeds on small fish, insects, and plant matter. Chub prefer deep pools and runs with boulders and debris for cover. Virgin River chub were once an important food source for Native Americans and early pioneers. Listed as an endangered species, the Virgin River chub is found from Pah Tempe Hot Springs down to Halfway Wash, Nevada.

'''Desert sucker''' (''[[Catostomus clarkii]]'') State of Utah wildlife species of concern Size: {{cvt|46.4|cm|0|order=flip}}<br>
The desert sucker gets its name from the way it feeds on aquatic vegetation and insects. It uses its thick cartilaginous lips to scrape and suck food from rocks and boulders along the bottom of the river. Desert Suckers are very colorful during the spring spawning season, developing bright orange and black 'racing stripes' along their sides. Desert suckers are considered a sensitive species in Utah, where they are only found in the Virgin River and its tributaries.

'''Speckled dace''' (''[[Rhinichthys osculus]]'') Size: {{cvt|10.2|cm|0|order=flip}}<br>
One of the most widespread species in western North America, the speckled dace is found in large numbers throughout the Virgin River and its tributaries. Speckled dace prefer rocky areas but are comfortable living in all habitats and stream sizes. Speckled dace exhibit a kaleidoscope of shapes and colors across their range. Males display bright red "lipstick" and red fins to attract mates during the breeding season.

'''Southwestern Willow Flycatcher''' (''[[Empidonax traillii]] extimus'') Federally listed endangered species<br>
The Willow in the Southwest In thick riparian environments around streams, rivers, and other wetlands, flycatchers can be found. The flycatcher breeds in dense, patchy environments made up of medium-sized to towering trees and shrubs at low elevations. It grows in dense populations of riparian bushes that range in height from low to moderate at higher elevations. In particular, the density of vegetation inside {{cvt|4|m}} is significant. It is nearly usually the case that standing or slowly moving water is present in preferred environments. The destruction of riparian habitats has caused a severe decline in the populations of the southwestern willow flycatcher. Currently, this sub-species exists only in fragmented and scattered locations throughout its range. Historically, the breeding range reached from southern California, southern Nevada, southern Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, western Texas, southwestern Colorado, and northwestern Mexico. The flycatcher is a migratory bird that winters in Mexico, Central America, and northern South America. Currently, the breeding range for the flycatcher is similar to the historic range, though much of the riparian habitat in the southwest has been degraded by agricultural practices, invasion of non-native vegetation and urban development. The Southwestern Willow Flycatcher is an insectivore, taking insects from the air, or picking them from the foliage. The Southwestern Willow Flycatcher is present on breeding grounds by mid-May. By late May, nests are built, usually in a branched tree fork near the water. Typically, three eggs are laid and then incubated for 12–13 days.

'''Virgin spinedace''' (''[[Lepidomeda mollispinis mollispinis]]'') State conservation species Size: {{cvt|12.7|cm|0|order=flip}}<br>
The Virgin spinedace looks, feeds, and behaves like a miniature trout. This silvery minnow gets its name from the sharp spiny rays in its dorsal fin. Virgin spinedace are found only in the Virgin River Basin. Unlike the woundfin and chub, which live only in the Virgin River, spinedace are also found throughout many tributary streams. Virgin Spinedace prefer deep pools and runs and are at home in both clear and turbid water.

'''Flannelmouth sucker''' (''[[Catostomus latipinnis]]'') State conservation species Size: {{cvt|64.8|cm|ft|order=flip}}<br>
The flannelmouth sucker is the largest native fish in the Virgin River, growing over two feet in length and weighing over six pounds. The flannelmouth's thick fleshy lips contain taste buds that help it find food along the bottom of the River, including aquatic invertebrates, organic debris and algae. Flannelmouth suckers are usually found in deep sandy areas of the Virgin River, but large numbers congregate in shallow gravel areas for spawning in the spring.
Water in the river's lower valley provides irrigation for the cultivation of [[cotton]], [[pomegranate]]s, and [[ficus|fig]]s.

The Nevada river valley's significance is commemorated by [[Nevada Historical Marker]] 56.

==Virgin River Gorge==
{{main|Virgin River Gorge}}

The scenic Virgin River Gorge is in northwest Arizona just south of the Utah state line. It is a popular winter [[rock climbing]] area noted for its steep and overhanging limestone walls. [[Interstate 15 in Arizona|Interstate 15]] follows the Virgin River for several miles through the Virgin River Gorge.

==Gallery==
<gallery caption="Virgin River" widths="215px" heights="160px" perrow="3">
Image:Virgin River 6.jpg|View of the lower river, between Mesquite and Lake Mead
Image:Zion Virgin River EF1.jpg|Small rock waterfall in the Virgin River's north fork, passing through [[Zion National Park]]
File:Virgin River Zion National Park Utah 21Mar2018 SkySat.jpg|Satellite image of the Virgin River in [[Zion National Park]]
[[File:North Fork Virgin River in Zion National Park.png|thumb|Virgin River]]
</gallery>

==See also==
* [[List of rivers of Utah]]
* [[List of rivers of Nevada]]
* [[List of rivers of Arizona]]
* [[List of tributaries of the Colorado River]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
* Carlson, D.D. and D.F. Meyer. (1995). ''Flood on the Virgin River, January 1989, in Utah, Arizona, and Nevada'' [Water-Resources Investigations Report 94-4159]. Salt Lake City: U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Geological Survey.
* Hereford, R., G. Jacoby, and V.A.S. McCord. (1995). ''Geomorphic history of the Virgin River in the Zion National Park area, southwest Utah'' [U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 95-515]. Reston, VA: U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Geological Survey.
* Langenheim, V.E. et al. (2000). ''Geophysical constraints on the Virgin River Depression, Nevada, Utah, and Arizona'' [U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 00-407]. Menlo Park, CA: U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Geological Survey.
* Wilkowske, C.D., V.M. Heilweil, D.E. Wilberg. (1998). ''Selected hydrologic data for the central Virgin River basin area, Washington and Iron counties, Utah, 1915–97'' [U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 00-407]. Salt Lake City: U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Geological Survey.

==External links==
{{commons category|Virgin River}}
* [http://www.virginriverprogram.org/the-virgin-river/ Virgin River Program] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110927031703/http://www.virginriverprogram.org/the-virgin-river/ |date=2011-09-27 }}

{{Rivers and streams of Arizona}}
{{Colorado_River_system}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Tributaries of the Colorado River in Nevada]]
[[Category:Tributaries of the Colorado River in Utah]]
[[Category:Rivers of Arizona]]
[[Category:Rivers of Nevada]]
[[Category:Rivers of Utah]]
[[Category:Zion National Park]]
[[Category:Rivers of Mohave County, Arizona]]
[[Category:Rivers of Clark County, Nevada]]
[[Category:Rivers of Washington County, Utah]]
[[Category:Rivers of Kane County, Utah]]
[[Category:Tributaries of the Colorado River in Arizona]]
[[Category:Tributaries of the Lower Colorado River in Arizona]]
[[Category:Old Spanish Trail (trade route)]]
[[Category:Mormon Road]]
[[Category:National Park Service Wild and Scenic Rivers]]