Granite Creek (Arizona)

Granite Creek is a 38-mile (61 km) tributary of the Verde River in the U.S. state of Arizona.[3] It flows generally north-northeast from the Bradshaw Mountains of west-central Arizona through the city of Prescott and the Granite Dells to meet the river at the north end of the Little Chino Valley east of Sullivan Lake.[6]

Granite Creek
Granite Creek in July
Granite Creek (Arizona) is located in Arizona
Granite Creek (Arizona)
Location of the mouth of Granite Creek
Location
CountryUnited States
StateArizona
CountyYavapai
CityPrescott
Physical characteristics
SourceWolverton Mountain
 • locationBradshaw Mountains, Prescott National Forest
 • coordinates34°29′58″N 112°30′34″W[1]
 • elevation6,292 ft (1,918 m)[2]
MouthVerde River
 • coordinates
34°51′46″N 112°25′55″W[1]
 • elevation
4,236 ft (1,291 m)[1]
Length38 mi (61 km)[3]
Basin size359 sq mi (930 km2)
Discharge 
 • location2 miles (3.2 km) north of Prescott[4]
 • average7 cu ft/s (0.20 m3/s)[5]
 • minimum0 cu ft/s (0 m3/s)
 • maximum6,200 cu ft/s (180 m3/s)

Course

Granite Creek begins in the Prescott National Forest as an intermittent stream in the Bradshaw Mountains of west-central Arizona. It flows briefly southeast, then curves generally north, passing under Arizona State Route 89, which then runs along its left. As the creek nears White Spar Campground, Schoolhouse Gulch enters from the right. Below the campground, Granite Creek leaves the national forest, then receives Bannon Creek from the right and Manzanita Creek from the left. As it enters the city of Prescott, Granite Creek passes under Route 89 and receives Aspen Creek from the left.[6]

Miller Creek enters from the left near north side of Prescott, as Granite Creek flows to the northeast, passing through the Yavapai-Prescott Indian Reservation and under Arizona State Route 89 again. Slaughterhouse Gulch enters from the right as the stream continues northeast to Watson Lake. Downstream of the lake, Granite Creek passes through Granite Dells and under Arizona State Route 89A. Willow Creek enters from the left. From here the creek meanders north-northeast through Little Chino Valley past Prescott Municipal Airport, which is on the left. Bottleneck Wash enters from the left, and the creek flows by the town of Chino Valley, also on the left. Granite Creek enters the Verde River between Sullivan Lake and Muldoon Canyon.[6]

Watershed

The Granite Creek watershed is bordered on the west by the Bill Williams watershed on the southwest, the Hassayampa watershed on the south, and the Agua Fria watershed on the southeast. Elevations within the watershed vary from 7,979 feet (2,432 m) on Mount Union[3] to 4,236 feet (1,291 m) at the mouth.[1]

See also

References
  1. "Granite Creek". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey. February 8, 1980. Retrieved March 17, 2013.
  2. Source elevation derived from Google Earth search using GNIS source coordinates.
  3. Improvement Plan, p. 6
  4. "Water-Data Report 2011: 09503000 Granite Creek Near Prescott, AZ" (PDF). U.S. Geological Survey. Retrieved March 18, 2013.
  5. "Water-Data Report 2011: 09503000 Granite Creek Near Prescott, AZ" (PDF). U.S. Geological Survey. Retrieved March 18, 2013.
  6. United States Geological Survey (USGS). "United States Geological Survey Topographic Map". TopoQuest. Retrieved March 17, 2013.
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