The East Verde River flows thru the East Verde Estates northwest of Payson

The East Verde River is a tributary of the

Verde River The Verde River (Yavapai: Haka'he:la) is a major tributary of the Salt River in the U.S. state of Arizona. It is about long and carries a mean flow of at its mouth. It is one of the largest perennial streams in Arizona. Description The ri ...

in the U.S. state of

Arizona Arizona ( ; nv, Hoozdo Hahoodzo ; ood, Alĭ ṣonak ) is a state in the Southwestern United States. It is the 6th largest and the 14th most populous of the 50 states. Its capital and largest city is Phoenix. Arizona is part of the Fou ...

. Beginning on the

Mogollon Rim The Mogollon Rim ( or or ) is a topographical and geological feature cutting across the northern half of the U.S. state of Arizona. It extends approximately , starting in northern Yavapai County and running eastward, ending near the border ...

near Washington Park, it flows generally southwest through

Gila County Gila County ( ) is in the central part of the U.S. state of Arizona. As of the 2020 census, the population was 53,272. The county seat is Globe. Gila County comprises the Payson, Arizona Micropolitan Statistical Area. Gila County contains p ...

and the

Tonto National Forest The Tonto National Forest, encompassing , is the largest of the six national forests in Arizona and is the ninth largest national forest in the United States. The forest has diverse scenery, with elevations ranging from 1,400 feet (427 m) in ...

northeast of

Phoenix Phoenix most often refers to: * Phoenix (mythology), a legendary bird from ancient Greek folklore * Phoenix, Arizona, a city in the United States Phoenix may also refer to: Mythology Greek mythological figures * Phoenix (son of Amyntor), a ...

. Near the middle of its course, it passes to within about of Payson, which is southeast of the river. The East Verde River flows through parts of the

Mazatzal Wilderness Mazatzal Wilderness is a wilderness area of about 390 square miles (1,000 km2) in Yavapai and Gila counties in the U.S. state of Arizona. The wilderness is within the Tonto and Coconino national forests. The town of Payson is to the east, ...

west of Payson. The

Salt River Project The Salt River Project (SRP) is the umbrella name for two separate entities: the Salt River Project Agricultural Improvement and Power District, an agency of the state of Arizona that serves as an electrical utility for the Phoenix metropolitan a ...

(SRP) supplements the natural flows on the East Verde River with water pumped from

Blue Ridge Reservoir Blue Ridge Reservoir is located in the Mogollon Rim area of the state of Arizona. Clints Well, Arizona. Blue Ridge Reservoir is one of the more scenic reservoirs in the area, with trees going down to the water line. The facilities are maintai ...

on East Clear Creek in

Coconino County Coconino County is a county in the north-central part of the U.S. state of Arizona. Its population was 145,101 at the 2020 census. The county seat is Flagstaff. The county takes its name from ''Cohonino'', a name applied to the Havasupai p ...

. The water travels by pipeline to the East Verde at Washington Park, from whence it flows toward the Verde River and the SRP reservoir behind

Horseshoe Dam The Horseshoe Dam is a dam located North of Phoenix, Arizona. The dam is long, 144 feet high and was built between 1944–1946. The dam forms the Horseshoe Lake as it slows the passage of the Verde River. The dam was listed on the National Re ...

. A significant fraction of the Blue Ridge water release of a year is allocated to communities along or near the East Verde River. The

U.S. Congress The United States Congress is the legislature of the federal government of the United States. It is Bicameralism, bicameral, composed of a lower body, the United States House of Representatives, House of Representatives, and an upper body, ...

has set aside a year for Payson and for other northern Gila County communities. The East Verde River in November

Fish

The Arizona Game and Fish Department lists the following fish species among those living in the East Verde River:

rainbow trout The rainbow trout (''Oncorhynchus mykiss'') is a species of trout native to cold-water tributaries of the Pacific Ocean in Asia and North America. The steelhead (sometimes called "steelhead trout") is an anadromous (sea-run) form of the coasta ...

brown trout The brown trout (''Salmo trutta'') is a European species of salmonid fish that has been widely introduced into suitable environments globally. It includes purely freshwater populations, referred to as the riverine ecotype, ''Salmo trutta'' morph ...

, smallmouth bass, and sunfish.

References

External links

Arizona fishing and boating locations map
{{authority control Rivers of the Mogollon Rim Rivers of Arizona Rivers of Gila County, Arizona