San Francisco River

[Ckzona]

I got a question. What state is the origin of the San Francisco River. Some people say New Mexico some Say Arizona. So does anyone know for sure where it starts.

[big_load]

Definitely AZ, although not by much.

[Ckzona]

Yeh i think you are right. I just looked at a map and its origin is near Noble MOuntain a little west of alpine az

[azbackpackr]

Yup. Go to Luna Lake in Alpine and find the dam. That is the San Francisco River, coming off the dam. Above the lake it is not much of a creek, though.

Seems odd to me that people would disagree on geography. I just get a map and look. I usually don't believe people anyway until I've seen the map.

I once had a local woman tell me that the reason they built Glen Canyon Dam was to prevent flooding in Springerville.

[Ckzona]

what do you mean it is not much of a creek. Is Luna Lake the beginning of the San Fran RIver. WHen i went to Luna Lake one time they told me it was natural.

[big_load]

I once had a local woman tell me that the reason they built Glen Canyon Dam was to prevent flooding in Springerville.

I hope she doesn't have a job that requires much critical thinking.

Seriously, though, the San Francisco river shows up nicely on the TrailDex map.

Edit: Here's the Luna Lake Dam:
http://hikearizona.com/location_g.php?L ... =16&M=6&G=

[azbackpackr]

what do you mean it is not much of a creek. Is Luna Lake the beginning of the San Fran RIver. WHen i went to Luna Lake one time they told me it was natural.

They told you it was a natural lake, with the bait shop sitting there right next to the dam?? Sheesh! Maybe the person who told you that is related to that woman I mentioned earlier! (She's an EMT, by the way. )

Plus, in order to get to the Luna Lake campground you have to go on that dirt road that goes just below the dam, and over a bridge, which has a sign on it which clearly reads "San Francisco River."

Ok, as for your other question, on the Alpine AZ 7.5' topo it shows the San Francisco River as being the not very big creek that runs all through that main big valley of Alpine, having its sources in springs on South Mountain (that big forested ridge that dominates over Alpine) and Williams Valley, and also Noble Mtn. to the north (which is on the Nutrioso topo.) Of course, as it goes along it picks up water. Then water is removed from it in New Mexico and used for irrigation in Luna, Alma and other areas.

[Dschur]

Pretty much ALL of the lakes in Arizona are man-made with the exception of Stoneman Lake and Mormon Lake near Flagstaff in Northern Arizona. Both of these are relatively small (and often near dry since the drought) and are located in large natural depression areas. Mormon Lake is the larger of the two.

Rogers Lake (also near Flagstaff) is sometimes counted, but even during non-drought years it is usually dry much of the year. Likewise there is a volcanic cinder cone in the Flagstaff area that frequently holds enough water to create a small muddy pond and is called Crater Lake, although it is probably not a real lake by most standards (Crater Pond? ).

All of the other lakes in Arizona, including all of the major ones (such as Mead, Powell, Roosevelt, Pleasant, Canyon, Apache, Bartlett, Mary, San Carlos) are artificial. While some of the man-made lakes were built primarily for recreation (like many of the little fishing lakes around the rim country), most are water reserviors along major rivers that were built to store and divert water for cities and farms.

[azbackpackr]

We posted at the same moment it looks like. There is also Pratt Lake near here, which is very small, but has a lot of fish in it. It's in a small crater, and is known mostly only to local people who like the challenge of getting there via a remarkably bad 4WD road. It is over by the New Mexico border, a few miles north of Escudilla. Worthy of mention also is Mexican Hay Lake, which has a dam but I am pretty sure the dam was put in to make the lake deeper. The lake never even touches the dam these days.

[Ckzona]

Worthy of mention also is Mexican Hay Lake, which has a dam but I am pretty sure the dam was put in to make the lake deeper.

Same deal with Luna lake i believe.

Ashurst Lake, Kinnikinak Lake, and i suppose a few more lakes in the white mountains. And the ones you guys already said

[Ckzona]

I used to know of a websight that named more then 20 natural lakes but i long since forgot.