Marble Canyon
| Marble Canyon | |
|---|---|
 A section of Marble Canyon from river level | |
| Geography | |
| Coordinates | 36°51′49″N111°35′25″W/ 36.863622°N 111.590152°W |
Marble Canyonis the section of theColorado Rivercanyon in northernArizonafromLee's Ferryto the confluence with theLittle Colorado River,which marks the beginning of theGrand Canyon.
Lee's Ferryis a common launching point forriver runnersstarting their journey through Marble Canyon and then onward to the Grand Canyon. Marble Canyon is also well known for theNavajo Bridge,whereUS Highway 89Acrosses the Colorado River.
Marble Canyon marks the western boundary of theNavajo Nation.In 1975, the formerMarble Canyon National Monument,which followed the Colorado River northeast from the Grand Canyon to Lee's Ferry, was made part ofGrand Canyon National Park.
The name Marble Canyon is a misnomer because there is nomarblethere. AlthoughJohn Wesley Powellknew this when he named the canyon, he thought the polishedlimestonelooked like marble. In his words, "The limestone of the canyon is often polished, and makes a beautiful marble. Sometimes the rocks are of many colors – white, gray, pink, and purple, with saffron tints."
Marble Canyon is the site of one of the last great proposed dam projects on the Colorado, theMarble Canyon Dam.Proposed and investigated in the early 1950s by theUnited States Bureau of Reclamation,[1]the proposal met substantial opposition, notably from theSierra Club,when a revived proposal was considered by the state of Arizona as part of theCentral Arizona Projectfrom 1965 to 1968. The proposed dam was finally abandoned in 1968. Exploratory holes, which were drilled in theRedwall Limestoneof the canyon walls in an early phase of the abortive project, can still be seen at Mile 39.2.[2]
Geology
[edit]The uppermost walls of Marble Canyon are composed ofKaibab Limestoneupon theToroweap FormationuponCoconino Sandstone.[3]
Ecology
[edit]Marble Canyon is the only home of the endangered cactusPediocactus bradyi.[4]
References
[edit]- ^Glenn Rink, Grand Canyon River Guides BQR,Life at the Marble Canyon DamsitesArchived2008-08-30 at theWayback Machine,spring 1997. Retrieved May 16, 2007.
- ^Mesa Community College,Geology Field Trip: Colorado RiverArchived2006-09-07 at theWayback Machine,Summer 2004. Retrieved May 16, 2007.
- ^Geology of the Lees Ferry area Coconino County, Arizona, Geological Survey Bulletin 1137, 1963, pp. 8–9, labeled map p. 9.
- ^Pediocactus bradyi.The Nature Conservancy.
External links
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