AMARGOSA CONSERVANCY
Working toward a sustainable future for the Amargosa River and Basin through Science, Stewardship, and Education.
From its headwaters north of Beatty, NV, the Amargosa River flows underground in a southerly direction. Near the Dumont Dunes, it makes a big u-turn and heads north into Death Valley National Park, finally terminating in Badwater Basin, the lowest point in the United States.
The river surfaces in a few places, around Beatty and in the Amargosa Canyon south of Tecopa, CA. At times after large rainstorms, the entire course of the river will flow above ground.
The Amargosa River and Basin provide unique desert habitats. The greater ecological setting for the river is the Mojave Desert.
In one of the hottest and driest places anywhere, the river and nearby springs provide islands of water that support a variety of plants and animals. Often these animals are unique to the area – or endemic – meaning they can’t be found anywhere else on earth.
HIGHLIGHTS
Explore
Visit the Amargosa Basin
From Birding to botany,
walking to off-highway vehicles
there is much to see and do
Amargosa Vole
This small, endangered rodent won our hearts
We work hard to help restore their
habitat and increase their population.
Read more on the Vole page.
Who We Are
Protecting the wilds, waters,
and communities of the Amargosa Basin
and Eastern Mojave.
LATEST NEWS FROM THE BLOG
Executive Director’s Report: Here come the storms
Storms are blowing into the Amargosa Basin. Some are bringing water to the land, and others are seeking to take it away. A hurricane in the desert After one of the wettest winters in recent memory in parts of California, all hands were on deck bracing for Hurricane...
Amargosa Hydrology: Springs and Current Conditions, by Andy Zdon
Miss out on our 2023 Summer Seminar on Amargosa Hydrology? Watch the recording of Andy Zdon's presentation on the fascinating science and stories of the Amargosa Basin's springs: Love springs, and love the work we're doing to protect them in the Amargosa Basin? Become...
Executive Director’s Report: Exploratory Mining Officially Halted on the Doorstep of Ash Meadows
Folks, I don’t think I have to tell you that these last few weeks have been confusing and chaotic. I first want to thank everyone for being patient with our deluge of communications lately. We strive to send monthly newsletters with relevant updates, but lately the...
