AMARGOSA RIVER

December 3, 2024

TOTAL DISCHARGE (CFS)

Total streamflow across the Amargosa River was last observed at 1 cfs, and is expected to yield approximately 2 acre-ft of water today; about 53% of normal. River levels are low and may signify a drought. Average streamflow for this time of year is 2 cfs, with recent peaks last observed on 2024-02-09 when daily discharge volume was observed at 2,530 cfs.

Maximum discharge along the river is currently at the Amargosa Rv Abv China Ranch Wash Nr Tecopa reporting a streamflow rate of 0.97 cfs. This is also the highest stage along the Amargosa River, with a gauge stage of 26.98 ft at this location. This river is monitored from 2 different streamgauging stations along the Amargosa River, the highest being situated at an altitude of 1,317 ft, the Amargosa River At Tecopa.

The Amargosa River is a 185-mile-long river in the Mojave Desert region of California and Nevada. Historically, the river supported indigenous communities for thousands of years, and later, prospectors traveling to and from Death Valley. Hydrologically, the river flows year-round and is fed by springs, creeks, and snowmelt. It has several small reservoirs along its length, including Beatty Pond and Big Dune Reservoir. However, there are no large dams on the river. The river is not widely used for agriculture due to its small size and unpredictable flow. Recreational activities include hiking and birdwatching along the river and its riparian habitat. The Amargosa River is also a critical habitat for several endangered species, such as the Amargosa vole and the Ash Meadows speckled dace.

Last Updated 2024-12-03
Discharge Volume 2 ACRE-FT
Streamflow 1.08 cfs
+0.06 cfs (+5.88%)
Percent of Normal 53.2%
Maximum 2,530.0 cfs
2024-02-09
Seasonal Avg 2 cfs

YEAR OVER YEAR DISCHARGE (CFS)

Streamflow Conditions
Streamgauge Streamflow Gauge Stage 24hr Change (%) % Normal Minimum (cfs) Maximum (cfs) Air Temp Elevation
Amargosa River At Tecopa
USGS 10251300
0 cfs 6.97 ft 10
Amargosa Rv Abv China Ranch Wash Nr Tecopa
USGS 10251330
1 cfs 26.98 ft 5.43
History of the River

The Amargosa River is an intermittent waterway, 185 miles (298 km) long, in southern Nevada and eastern California in the United States. It drains a high desert region, the Amargosa Valley in the Amargosa Desert northwest of Las Vegas, into the Mojave Desert, and finally into Death Valley where it disappears into the ground aquifer. Except for a small portion of its route in the Amargosa Canyon in California and a small portion at Beatty, Nevada, the river flows above ground only after a rare rainstorm washes the region. A 26-mile (42 km) stretch of the river between Shoshone and Dumont Dunes is protected as a National Wild and Scenic River. At the south end of Tecopa Valley the Amargosa River Natural Area protects the habitat.

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