February 19-20, 2010 – Imperial Dam Recreation Area

We left our little spot at the VFW/BLM land near Yuma and made our way to the Imperial Dam LTVA.  Earlier this week we were in touch with friends we met in Alaska who are here and we decided to check out the place.

And it is beautiful!  We are at the Coyote Ridge area and this is pictures from all angles:

 

How about those views!  We hope to explore this area over the next week.

We spent some time getting caught up with each other and had a great campfire on Friday night.  Here is everyone (but me – :-)) (Sharon, Susan, Bruce, John, and Andy):

The All- American Canal is very close to us and I took a walk down to check it out.  The Canals in the Southwest just fascinate me.  Here is some information from the internet:

“This 85-mile long, canal brings water from the Colorado River to the citizens and agricultural industry of the Imperial Valley. The canal was completed in 1940, to replace a previous canal which served the same function, but traveled partly through Mexico (hence the name of the All American). The canal, one of the largest in the United States, travels through one of the hottest and driest places in the country, and is the sole source of water for the nation's fourth most productive, as well as most arid, agricultural region.

The Imperial Dam, NE of Yuma, Ariz., diverts water from the Colorado River into the All-American Canal, which runs W to Calexico, Calif. Smaller canals move water into the Imperial Valley; the Coachella Canal branches NW to the Coachella Valley. This canal system irrigates more than 630,000 acres (254,961 hectares) and has greatly increased crop yield in the area

The All-American Canal was built in the 1930s by the United States Bureau of Reclamation under the supervision of its then chief designing engineer, John L. Savage and was completed in 1942.^[2] The Bureau of Reclamation owns the canal, but the Imperial Irrigation District operates it. Water for the canal is diverted at the Imperial Diversion Dam. The All-American Canal feeds, from east to west, the Coachella Canal, East Highline Canal, Central Canal and the Westside Main Canal. These four main branches of the canal and a network of smaller canals gradually reduce the flow of the All-American Canal until it ends at a small drop in the western Imperial Valley where it drains into the Westside Main Canal. The main canal is 82 miles (132 km), with a total drop of 175 feet (53 m), a width of 150 to 700 feet (210 m) and a depth of 7 to 50 feet (15 m) The canal gets smaller as it runs west because it carries less water.

Eight hydroelectric power plants have been constructed along drops in the All-American Canal system. Drops 1 through 5, Pilot Knob, East Highline and Double Weir are located on the All-American Canal. Another power plant, Turnip, is located on the Central Main Canal branch. The power plants are all relatively small and have a combined capacity of 58 MW. Electricity generation is dictated by water delivery needs. There is also a 7.2 MW pumped storage plant at Senator Wash Dam. Water from the Senator Wash Reservoir is released when water needs exceed flows at Parker Dam.

Runoff from the farmland irrigated by the All-American Canal make up most of the flows in the Alamo River and New River, both of which drain into the Salton Sea, providing most of its water.^{[citation needed][3]} The rest is from smaller rivers and drainage systems. If not for the All-American Canal, the Salton Sea would have likely dried up long ago.^{[citation needed]} The system transports silt, selenium and salts from the Colorado River into the sea. Because there is no outlet to the sea, these salts and minerals are concentrated by evaporation.^[4]”

^{This is the bridge over the canal near where we are camped.  The water on the left is flowing from the Imperial Dam upstream.}

 

It flows underground here (under the bridge and this area in the center) and comes out the other side.  This was designed in the 1930s to help slow/regulate the flow of water since the flow of water depends on gravity (see above – a drop of 175’).  Pretty amazing!

The full view upstream:

The full view downstream:

^Stats:

^{Miles Traveled: 17 Miles (Long Drive – LOL!)}

^{Routes Traveled:}

^{Arizona: SR-95; Imperial Dam Road}

^{California: Imperial Dam Road; Senator Wash Road; Ferguson Road}

^{Today, Saturday, we made the trek to Algodones to see Dr. Roberto Arce because one of my crowns had fallen out.  He did a great job in putting it back in but in the future I will be needing a root canal and new crown…  Hopefully I will be okay until next season.}

^{And, of course, another beautiful day in the desert!  Life doesn’t get any better than this – :-)))}