TheBeaver Dam Wash is a seasonal stream near the southwesternUtah-Nevada border in the United States. At its southern end in northernArizona, near the point where it empties into theVirgin River, the stream flows throughout the year. Part of the wash is in theBeaver Dam Wash National Conservation Area, managed by theBureau of Land Management. The wash was so named on account ofbeaver dams which once were built on its course.[2]
The wash occupies a transition zone among theColorado Plateau, theGreat Basin, and theMojave Desert ecosystems. Like all such zones, this area supports diverse vegetative communities and a rich array of wildlife.[3] The wash begins in theClover Mountains inLincoln County, Nevada and flows south across very sparsely populated desert terrain. The area around the wash, including several protectedwilderness areas, includes forests ofJoshua trees along with otheryuccas, chollacactus,barrel cactus,Mormon Tea, and other grasses and shrubs, the primary vegetation in the area.
Animal life in the area consists of a variety of lizards, mammals, birds, insects, and other creatures found in the Mojave Desert. The lower elevations provide designated critical habitat for the threateneddesert tortoise and other native species, such asdesert bighorn sheep,gila monster, andmojave rattlesnake.[3]
Winters are mild, with temperatures reaching highs from the mid-50s to 60s degrees Fahrenheit. Winter lows are usually in the 40s to high 20s Fahrenheit. Summer highs are commonly over 100 °F (38 °C) Fahrenheit with lows in the mid-80s Fahrenheit.
Flash floods are common in the area when heavy summermonsoon thunderstorms dump heavy amounts of rain in short times, causing water to fill washes and gulleys in the area. Most precipitation comes in concentrated storms that are infrequent. Generally, the air is low in humidity and dry. Windy conditions also are common throughout the year.
At 2,179.8 feet (664.4 m) elevation, Beaver Dam Wash is thelowest point in the state ofUtah.
| Climate data for St. George, Utah, 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1893–present | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 80 (27) | 81 (27) | 96 (36) | 97 (36) | 110 (43) | 113 (45) | 116 (47) | 113 (45) | 110 (43) | 101 (38) | 87 (31) | 75 (24) | 116 (47) |
| Mean maximum °F (°C) | 68 (20) | 74 (23) | 82 (28) | 90 (32) | 99 (37) | 106 (41) | 110 (43) | 107 (42) | 102 (39) | 92 (33) | 78 (26) | 67 (19) | 111 (44) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 57.7 (14.3) | 60.7 (15.9) | 68.8 (20.4) | 77.0 (25.0) | 87.3 (30.7) | 95.3 (35.2) | 102.2 (39.0) | 100.2 (37.9) | 93.2 (34.0) | 79.4 (26.3) | 65.0 (18.3) | 56.3 (13.5) | 78.6 (25.9) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 41.2 (5.1) | 45.8 (7.7) | 53.4 (11.9) | 60.4 (15.8) | 70.5 (21.4) | 80.4 (26.9) | 86.8 (30.4) | 85.1 (29.5) | 76.5 (24.7) | 63.0 (17.2) | 49.2 (9.6) | 40.4 (4.7) | 62.7 (17.1) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 28.3 (−2.1) | 31.3 (−0.4) | 35.8 (2.1) | 40.8 (4.9) | 49.4 (9.7) | 55.1 (12.8) | 61.8 (16.6) | 60.3 (15.7) | 53.5 (11.9) | 42.5 (5.8) | 31.9 (−0.1) | 26.1 (−3.3) | 43.1 (6.1) |
| Mean minimum °F (°C) | 17 (−8) | 21 (−6) | 26 (−3) | 31 (−1) | 38 (3) | 46 (8) | 55 (13) | 52 (11) | 43 (6) | 31 (−1) | 21 (−6) | 16 (−9) | 12 (−11) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −7 (−22) | 1 (−17) | 16 (−9) | 21 (−6) | 24 (−4) | 32 (0) | 43 (6) | 41 (5) | 28 (−2) | 21 (−6) | 7 (−14) | −1 (−18) | −7 (−22) |
| Averageprecipitation inches (mm) | 1.49 (38) | 1.94 (49) | 1.42 (36) | 0.69 (18) | 0.33 (8.4) | 0.22 (5.6) | 0.60 (15) | 0.64 (16) | 0.54 (14) | 0.89 (23) | 0.60 (15) | 1.07 (27) | 10.43 (265) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 0.2 (0.51) | 0.2 (0.51) | 0.1 (0.25) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.8 (2.0) | 1.3 (3.27) |
| Source: WRCC(extremes 1893–present)[4] | |||||||||||||
37°00′00″N113°59′36″W / 37.00000°N 113.99333°W /37.00000; -113.99333
