Potential hazards from floodflows in Wildrose Canyon, Death Valley National Monument, California-Nevada

Wildrose Canyon, in the western slopes of the Panamint Mountains , is a well-traveled route in Death Valley National Monument and is a scenic area often visited for its own sake. It is an arid region that is subject to flash flooding. Although such flooding is infrequent, when it occurs in the steep, narrow canyon within which the road lies, the flow of water and accompanying debris may be hazardous to life and to any obstacle in its path. Historical records of amounts of rainfall and floodflow in the area are sparse, but data from the basin and from similar areas in the desert mountains of southern California are sufficient to provide a basis for estimates of the degree of hazard. Potential hazards from floodflows are defined for Wildrose Canyon and its nearby approach routes. (USGS)