| Hardy River | |
|---|---|
  Location of river mouth | |
| Native name | Río Hardy (Spanish) |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Source | Cerro Prieto |
| • location | NearNuevo León,Baja California |
| • coordinates | 32°24′59″N115°16′22″W / 32.4165°N 115.2727°W /32.4165; -115.2727 |
| Mouth | Colorado River |
• location | Baja California |
• coordinates | 32°08′52″N115°17′19″W / 32.1479°N 115.2887°W /32.1479; -115.2887 |
| Length | 26 km (16 mi) |
| Basin features | |
| Major crossings | Baja California Highway 4 |
TheHardy River (Spanish:Río Hardy) is a 26-kilometer (16 mi)-longMexican river formed by residual agricultural waters from theMexicali Valley, and running into theColorado River. The river is believed to have been an ancient channel of the Colorado, as well as the primary outflow for the prehistoricLake Cahuilla.
In prehistoric times, during theHolocene, the Colorado River periodically flowed north into theSalton Sink, forming a large lake calledLake Cahuilla. Eventually, this lake would fill, to about 30 feet above sea level, and at that point overflow its banks nearCerro Prieto, and run south to theGulf of California; during those times, the Rio Hardy served as anoverflow channel for Lake Cahuilla.
In the 19th century, an English lieutenant,R. W. H. Hardy, explored the Colorado River Delta, and noted that the main channel of the Colorado followed this course. Later, in the 1880s, sea captains noted that the main channel of the Colorado had moved east; this earlier channel became known as Hardy's Colorado.
The watershed of the Hardy River includes runoff from the eastern foothills ofSierra de Los Cucapah to the west and the southern slope ofCerro Prieto.
Due the dynamic course of the Colorado River within Mexicali Valley, the Hardy River may have periodically become the primary watercourse of the Colorado as it flowed south to theGulf of California.
The Rio Hardy is home to a variety of wildlife, including themosquitofish and thesailfin molly[1]
The Hardy's wetlands are anesting ground for thesnowy egrets (Egretta thula), and with thebird habitat, are part of a protected Mexicanbiosphere reserve, theReserva de la Biosfera del Alto Golfo de California y Delta del Rio Colorado.[2]
In recent years, the Hardy has become a drain for agricultural waters polluted with pesticides and fertilizers from the Mexicali Valley.[3] The water quality in the Hardy is being monitored at Mexicali by theCentro de Investigacion en Alimentacion y Desarrollo A.C. (Food and Development Research Center) to measure the effects of discharge from the Las Arenitas wastewater treatment plant.[4]
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)Colorado River system | |||||||||
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