Mojave River

The Mojave River meanders away from the ocean in a backward journey that ends in the desert. A good part of the Mojave River's journey is underground. It comes to the surface in areas of impermeable rocks. Impermeable rocks are rocks through which water does not seep.

The Mojave River flows above ground through Rockview Park. The Mojave River is a main focus of the Bulldog research and exploration

Surface water, such as the part of the Mojave River at Rockview Park, is generally less pure. Surface water is more easily contaminated by natural sources and human activity.

When rain flows down to aquifers, porous surfaces or rocks, it percolates down until it reaches a layer of impermeable rock such as clay. The river flows on top of this layer.

Wells are dug through a layer of impermeable rock into an aquifer. This water usually has a higher level of purity.

Water from the Mojave River must be purified before we can use it. A combination of three different processes are necessary to purify water. During the storage process, the suspended impurities sink to the bottom, filtration removes particles from water and clarification uses chemicals to remove the smallest particles.

To read more about the Mojave River go to www.usgs.gov