| Paria River | |
|---|---|
 Abackpacker at the confluence ofBuckskin Gulch and the Paria River | |
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| Location | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Utah,Arizona |
| Counties | Garfield,Kane,Coconino |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Source | Near thePink Cliffs |
| • location | Tropic,Utah |
| • coordinates | 37°39′07″N112°04′41″W / 37.65194°N 112.07806°W /37.65194; -112.07806[4] |
| • elevation | 6,437 ft (1,962 m) |
| Mouth | Colorado River |
• location | Lee's Ferry,Arizona |
• coordinates | 36°51′31″N111°36′03″W / 36.85861°N 111.60083°W /36.85861; -111.60083[4] |
• elevation | 3,084 ft (940 m) |
| Length | 95 mi (153 km)[1] |
| Basin size | 1,410 sq mi (3,700 km2)[5] |
| Discharge | |
| • location | Lee's Ferry[2] |
| • average | 28 cu ft/s (0.79 m3/s)[3] |
| • minimum | 1 cu ft/s (0.028 m3/s) |
| • maximum | 16,100 cu ft/s (460 m3/s) |
TheParia River/pəˈriːə/ is a tributary of theColorado River, approximately 95 miles (153 km) long,[1] in southernUtah and northernArizona in the United States.[4] It drains a rugged and arid region northwest of the Colorado, flowing through roadlessslot canyons along part of its course.
It is formed in southern Utah, in southwesternGarfield County from several creeks that descend from the edge of thePaunsaugunt Plateau, meeting just north ofTropic. It flows SSE acrossKane County andGrand Staircase–Escalante National Monument. Along the Arizona state line, it descends through theVermilion Cliffs in the Paria Canyon and onto theParia Plateau. It joins the Colorado from the northwest approximately 5 mi (8 km) southwest ofPage, Arizona and theGlen Canyon Dam. The lower 20 mi (32 km) of the river are within theParia Canyon-Vermilion Cliffs Wilderness, which is administered by theBureau of Land Management; a permit is required for any overnight visit. The Paria is essentially a large creek and is not navigable.
A 2004 study estimated that theTropic Ditch, a historic artificial irrigation canal that diverts water from theEast Fork Sevier River, loses 1060 acre-feet per year to seepage, and half of that seepage (530 acre-feet per year) ends up in the Paria River, bringing with it 1829 tons ofsalt per year. To help restore the salinity of the Paria and Colorado Rivers to more natural levels, the Tropic and East Fork Irrigation Company have proposed replacing the last 5.5 miles of the ditch with a pipeline. The cost may be supplemented by a grant from theBureau of Reclamation'sColorado River Basin Salinity Control Program.[6]
The Paria is one of the most popular destinations forcanyoneering in the region.Buckskin Gulch, a side canyon along the river in the narrows section, is considered to be one of the longest and deepest slot canyons in the United States. The Paria is also home to several important historical, geological, and biological resources.Lee's Ferry and the adjoining settlement are located within the canyon upstream of the confluence with the Colorado River, with several other abandoned settlements further north. The Paria and several nearby rivers and canyons also are the site of several well-preserved specimens ofNative Americanpetroglyphs, prehistoric drawings, and symbols carved into stone. The Paria boasts a vibrantdesert riparian habitat that is home to several sensitive and endangered species and is also the location ofWrather Arch, the longestnatural arch outside ofUtah (although this claim may be superseded byAloba Arch).
About a mile south of the river and theghost town ofParia is the Paria Movie Set which was the site for several western movies. The old film set in the canyon was a popular attraction but was damaged in a flash flood in 1998.[7] The buildings were dismantled and rebuilt in a nearby location by volunteers. In 2006 these new buildings were destroyed in a suspicious fire.[8][9]
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