San Juan River | |
River | |
San Juan River in the canyons in western Colorado
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Country | United States |
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States | New Mexico, Colorado, Utah |
Tributaries | |
- left | Navajo River, Chinle Creek |
- right | Piedra River, Los Pinos River, Animas River |
Source | Rocky Mountains |
Mouth | Colorado River |
- location | San Juan County, Utah |
- coordinates | 37°10′47″N 110°54′03″W / 37.17972°N 110.90083°W |
Length | 383 mi (616 km), east-west |
Basin | 24,600 sq mi (63,714 km2) |
Discharge | for Bluff, UT (RM 113.5/RKM 182.7) |
- average | 2,192 cu ft/s (62 m3/s) |
- max | 70,000 cu ft/s (1,982 m3/s) |
- min | 0 cu ft/s (0 m3/s) |
The San Juan River is a significant tributary of the Colorado River in the southwestern United States, about 383 miles (616 km) long.[1] The river drains an area of about 24,600 square miles (64,000 km2) in southwestern Colorado, northwestern New Mexico, southeastern Utah, and a small part of northeastern Arizona. The average flow of the San Juan River at Bluff is about 2,200 cubic feet per second (62 m3/s) and the highest discharge ever measured was about 70,000 cubic feet per second (2,000 m3/s) on September 10, 1927.
The San Juan River joins the Colorado River at Lake Powell, a huge reservoir, and in fact the westmost (and lowest) miles of the San Juan River are impounded by Lake Powell and the Glen Canyon Dam. Most of the San Juan River lies in San Juan County, New Mexico and San Juan County, Utah, which share a boundary of one point at the Four Corners. The San Juan River lies just a few miles northeast of the Four Corners point.
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Location
The San Juan River has its source in southwestern Colorado, along the southern slopes of the San Juan Mountains and to the west of the Continental Divide. The San Juan River flows southwesterly into the state of New Mexico, then westerly across New Mexico, and then northwesterly from New Mexico, and for a short distance across the very southwestern corner of Colorado, and then continues in its northwesterly course for an appreciable distance into Utah, before turning west and joining the Colorado River.
The largest tributary of the San Juan is the Animas River, followed by the Piedra and Los Pinos rivers. The tributaries of the San Juan River that are located in Colorado also flow from the San Juan Mountains, including the Animas River, the La Plata River, the Los Pinos River, the Navajo River and the Piedra River.
This is an arid region of North America, and along its length it is very often the only significant source of fresh water. The San Juan River is the only significant stream in the parts of the Navajo Indian Reservation that lie in New Mexico, Colorado, and Utah. Aside from Lake Powell, the only significant impoundment of water along the San Juan River is at Navajo Lake by the Navajo Dam, located mostly in eastmost San Juan County, New Mexico. The only significant town located along the San Juan River is Farmington, New Mexico.
The San Juan River meanders through many horseshoe bends and other windings, sometimes meandering as much as 5 miles (8.0 km) within a one-mile distance "as the crow flies" (airline miles), such as in Utah's Goosenecks State Park. The San Juan River flows into the Colorado River at the center of Lake Powell.
Fishing
In general, the San Juan River provides good fishing in its warm, slow, muddy waters. One section deserves special mention for its fly fishing allure: the 4.25 miles (6.84 km) just below Navajo Dam in northwest New Mexico, near the small town of Aztec. This stretch, known to fly fishermen simply as "the Juan",[citation needed] is among the most hallowed trout fishing waters in North America.[2] The water released from the bottom of the dam is clear and cold, rich in nutrients, and flows are relatively stable — although this last point is regularly controversial.[citation needed] The rich waters spawn abundant flora, which in turn creates a fine environment for insect proliferation, which in turn supports one of the most prolific trout populations in any large river, both in terms of quantity and average fish size.
At one point, this short stretch of river was estimated to hold some 80,000 trout averaging 17 inches (430 mm) in length.[3]
The San Juan River below Navajo Dam is one of the country's premier trout fishing waters. A three and one-half mile section of the river has been designated "quality waters" with special angling regulations in effect. [4]
Local San Juan River fly fishing guides are the best source of information and provide a valuable service, however it is easy to get started fishing this world-renowned river on your own. The following advice is not a comprehensive look at fishing the San Juan River; it's meant for those first-timers who hit the water sight unseen and flyfishers looking to try something different.
Location: Upper mile of the San Juan River directly below Navajo Dam.
Environment: This stretch of the San Juan River consists of a variety of trout habitats: runs, rifles, channels, pools, etc. and the water is consistently cool (40-44 degrees) because it is coming from the bottom of the lake. Fish, mostly rainbow trout, ranging from 16-22 inches typically feed on an abundance of midges with annelids and leeches rounding out their diet.
Tactics: No boat access means strictly wading; tread carefully through slippery waters.
Patterns: Midge Larva (cream/red), Midge Pupa and Emergers (gray/black/brown), Annelids (orange/brown/red/tan) and Leeches (black/gray/brown).
Method: Start with 5wt. 9 foot rod with floating line and add a 7.5ft 5X leader. Next add 18 inches of 6X tippet with your weight (eg No 4) secured above the knot on the 5X leader. Tie on your first fly (eg Red Hot) then drop another piece of 6X tippet for your second fly (eg Mercury Midge). After rigging your leader/flies attach an indicator 1.5 times the depth of the water you plan to fish. Once fully prepared, look for a channel to fish – present the fly to targeted fish by casting upstream and letting it drift dead-still while mending as necessary to avoid drag – if the indicator hesitates slightly, SET the hook! [5]
[Note: Clean your flies often when dead drifting nymphs, every 2-3 casts, as the slightest bit of moss will deter a strike.]
Other recreational activities
The Utah section of the San Juan River is a popular recreational destination. Whitewater rafting, fishing, hiking and camping are all very popular in the summer months. For travelers, the San Juan River also provides an interesting look at Native American history in the form of ruins and rock art. The banks of the San Juan contain diverse animal and plant life and many interesting geological features. The San Juan River from Bluff, Utah, to Lake Powell is managed by the Bureau of Land Management's Monticello Field Office. Permits are generally required for any type of recreation on the river.[6]
References
- ^ U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline data. The National Map, accessed March 21, 2011
- ^ Kreh, Lefty; Middleton, Harry (1993). Lefty's Favorite Fly Fishing Waters-Volume One-United States. Birmingham, Alabama: Odysseus Editions. pp. 91–97.
- ^ San Juan river fly fishing in New Mexico by Mike Mora
- ^ Fisheads of the San Juan New Mexico Fly Fishing
- ^ HeadsUpFlyFishing San Juan River Fly Fishing Guides
- ^ BLM Monticello Field Office
See also
- List of rivers of Colorado
- List of rivers of New Mexico
- List of rivers of Utah
- List of tributaries of the Colorado River
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