Description:
The Verde River drainage is a major river system that heads in Big Chino Valley in north central
Arizona, flows generally southeast through the rugged terrain of central Arizona, and
empties into the Salt River east of the Phoenix metropolitan area. It is unusual in Arizona because
much the main channel of the Verde River is perennial for much its length. Data summarized in
this report were gathered to aid in the assessment of the navigability of the Verde River in
February, 1912, when Arizona became a State. These investigations were conducted in
cooperation with CH2MHill and were funded by the Arizona State Land Department. The
purposes of this report are to (1) outline the geologic and geomorphic framework of the Verde
River, (2) to describe the physical character of the channel of the Verde River, and (3) to evaluate
how channel morphology and position have changed in the past century.