{"id":12542,"date":"2013-01-29T19:32:42","date_gmt":"2013-01-30T00:32:42","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.howderfamily.com\/blog\/?p=12542"},"modified":"2022-07-02T04:22:53","modified_gmt":"2022-07-02T09:22:53","slug":"how-low-can-it-go","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.howderfamily.com\/blog\/how-low-can-it-go\/","title":{"rendered":"How Low Can it Go?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

I stumble across the most fascinating bits of information in unexpected places. It happened this time as I examined the unusually-wide median strip<\/a> between the eastbound and westbound lanes of Interstate 8 in southern California. Then I learned of a nearby oddity further down the highway while reviewing various roadfan websites.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Interstate 8<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A motorist will encounter the lowest overland elevation in the entire Interstate Highway System nearby. It’s just to the east of the extreme central reservation I’d discovered earlier. The U.S. Government’s Federal Highway Administration lists it<\/a> as 52 feet (16 meters) below sea level.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Spot<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

It’s not the lowest elevation of any road of any type within the U.S. — that’s Badwater Road in Death Valley which provides access to the lowest public restroom in North America<\/a> (~ -282 ft, -86 m) — just the lowest natural point of elevation along the Interstate Highway System. It’s still pretty impressive, though.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Interstate<\/a>
An I-8 rest stop very near the elevation lowpoint<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

This happens in the vicinity of Exit 107 where I-8 crosses the New River (map<\/a>). The road dips down here as it crosses the river over a short bridge. But where, I wondered, could the New River be flowing? It’s already more than fifty feet below sea level here. Certainly it would not be flowing to the sea. It must be part of an endorheic basin, and indeed that is the case.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The New River<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The New River begins in Baja California, Mexico. There they call it the R\u00edo Nuevo. It passes through the wonderfully conjoined portmanteau cities<\/a> of Mexicali and Calexico. From there it flows under the I-8 bridge west of El Centro, and on to the Salton Sea. The surface elevation of the Salton Sea is -226 ft (-69 m). Thus, whatever flows along the New River won’t leave the Salton Sea on its own unless it’s able to evaporate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n