62-405: Ridgecrest may refer to: Ridgecrest, California Ridgecrest, Florida Ridgecrest, Louisiana Ridgecrest, North Carolina See also [ edit ] All pages with titles containing Ridgecrest [REDACTED] Topics referred to by the same term This disambiguation page lists articles about distinct geographical locations with
124-490: A National Historic Landmark in 1964. In 2001, they were incorporated into a larger National Historic Landmark District , called Coso Rock Art District. In 2014, the Ridgecrest Petroglyph Festival , a celebration of the petroglyphs, native culture, and Ridgecrest as a California tourist destination was created as an annual event. It was named as one of Groupon 's "10 Most Unique Autumn Festivals in
186-583: A conservation easement for all LADWP land. They did not meet this extended deadline. In 2008, Los Angeles fulfilled its promise and rewatered the lower Owens River. Pursuant to a 2014 agreement between the city and Great Basin Unified Air Pollution Control District (GBUAPCD, the Owens Valley air quality regulators), LADWP began using a new method of suppressing airborne dust from the dry bed of Owens Lake. In 2022,
248-468: A magnitude 5.4 quake, centered 18 kilometers (11 mi) north of the town of Ridgecrest, shook the area and spawned over 2,500 aftershocks over the course of the following five weeks. Then, on September 20, 1995, the second large quake struck the area: it measured magnitude 5.8, and was at that time the largest earthquake to hit southern California since the 1994 Northridge earthquake . Between July 4 and 5, 2019, Ridgecrest, California, experienced
310-572: A dialect of the Mono language, which is also Numic but is more closely related to Northern Paiute . The Timbisha presently live in Death Valley at Furnace Creek although most families also have summer homes in the Lone Pine colony. The Eastern Mono live in several colonies from Lone Pine to Bishop . They lived along the rivers and creeks which were fed by snowmelt from the eastern slopes of
372-469: A female householder with no husband present, and 31.9% were non-families. 27.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.51 and the average family size was 3.06. In the city, the population was spread out, with 29.1% under the age of 18, 8.5% from 18 to 24, 28.1% from 25 to 44, 23.0% from 45 to 64, and 11.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age
434-561: A predominantly dry endorheic alkali flat , sits on the southern end of the valley. The current arid nature of the valley is mostly due to the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power diverting the water of the region. The valley provides water to the Los Angeles Aqueduct , the source of one-third of the water for city, and was the area at the center of one of the fiercest and longest-running episodes of
496-599: A regional station of the Kern County Sheriff's Department . The Kern County Fire Department provides fire protection and emergency medical services. Full-time law enforcement employees in 2008 numbered 56 (41 officers). Crime statistics for 2011 (reported by the Ridgecrest Police Department): Notable natives include: Ridgecrest has one TV station, KZGN-LD, owned by Wiknich Broadcasting Corp., that has 3 channels serving
558-485: A result of these acquisitions, the lake subsequently dried up completely, leaving the present alkali flat which plagues the southern valley with alkali dust storms. In 1970, LADWP completed a second aqueduct from Owens Valley. More surface water was diverted, and groundwater was pumped to feed the aqueduct. Owens Valley springs and seeps dried and disappeared, and groundwater-dependent vegetation began to die. Years of litigation followed. In 1997, Inyo County, Los Angeles,
620-538: A series of significant earthquakes, including the strongest to impact the area in decades—a magnitude 7.1 mainshock. The epicenter of the main earthquake was located approximately 10 miles northeast of Ridgecrest. The sequence began on July 4 with a 4.0-magnitude quake approximately 11 kilometers (6.8 mi) southwest of Searles Valley . Later that morning, at 10:33 A.M., a 6.4-magnitude earthquake struck around 12 kilometers (7.5 mi) southwest of Searles Valley. This initial sequence triggered over 1,400 aftershocks in
682-621: Is a city in Kern County, California , United States, along U.S. Route 395 in the Indian Wells Valley in northeastern Kern County, adjacent to the Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake (NAWS, or China Lake). It was incorporated as a city in 1963. The population was 27,959 at the 2020 census , up slightly from 27,616 at the 2010 census . Ridgecrest is surrounded by four mountain ranges;
SECTION 10
#1732772499913744-525: Is adjacent to the Mojave Desert , the aridity leads to black sagebrush being common and the more mesic understory species being largely absent. Other Mojave Desert species, such as blackbrush , Joshua tree , and cholla cactus are common where summer moisture is more prevalent. Streams are ephemeral and flow during and immediately after storms. Storm events can be of sufficient magnitude to move large quantities of sediment in streambeds Because of
806-545: Is also part of a trough which extends from Oregon to Death Valley called the Walker Lane . The western flank of much of the valley has large moraines coming off the Sierra Nevada. These unsorted piles of rock, boulders, and dust were pushed to where they are by glaciers during the last ice age . An excellent example of a moraine is on State Route 168 as it climbs into Buttermilk Country . This graben
868-492: Is best known for the guided tours to Little Petroglyph Canyon on China Lake Naval Weapons Station (NAWS). The museum offers exhibits and displays featuring both the natural and the cultural history and diversity of the Northern Mojave Desert with exhibits of plants , animals , Native American artifacts, geology and contemporary arts and crafts. Coso Rock Art District , sometimes equated with
930-637: Is exposed at Alabama Hills . The Owens Valley has many mini-volcanoes, such as Crater Mountain in the Big Pine volcanic field . Smaller versions of the Devils Postpile , can be found, for example, by Little Lake . The valley is split between four different ecoregions , as defined by the United States Environmental Protection Agency : "Upper Owens Valley" and "Tonopah Sagebrush Foothills" (as part of
992-549: Is known to have wind as high as 75 mph (121 km/h). December is the coolest month with an average maximum temperature of 60 °F (16 °C) and an average minimum temperature of 30 °F (−1 °C). The all-time minimum temperature of 1 °F (−17 °C) was recorded on December 23, 1963, and January 7, 1973. July is the hottest month with an average maximum temperature of 103 °F (39 °C) and an average minimum temperature of 66 °F (19 °C). The all-time maximum temperature of 119 °F (48 °C)
1054-643: Is land and 0.7 sq mi (1.8 km ) of it (3.04%) is water. Ridgecrest is located in Indian Wells Valley, which is a southern extension of Owens Valley , broken up by the volcanic Coso Range . The area, associated with the Eastern California Shear Zone , has in the past experienced numerous earthquake swarms , groups of several thousand quakes under magnitude 6.0 or so, often with no obvious mainshock. The 1995 Ridgecrest earthquake sequence started on August 17, when
1116-572: Is located in the upper Mojave Desert near Ridgecrest. The IWV Campus is the largest of the Cerro Coso campuses. It serves a population of about 50,000. The college serves the communities of Ridgecrest, China Lake , Inyokern , and Trona . Ridgecrest Branch Library, a branch of the Kern County Library , serves Ridgecrest, Inyokern, China Lake, Trona and surrounding communities. Ridgecrest has its own police department, as well as
1178-622: The Big and Little Petroglyph Canyons is a site containing over 20,000 Native American petroglyphs now located within Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake , near China Lake and Ridgecrest, California. In fact, there are several other distinct canyons to the Coso Rock Art District besides the Big and Little Petroglyph Canyons. The most popular subjects are bighorn sheep, deer, and antelope. Big and Little Petroglyph Canyons were declared
1240-490: The California Water Wars . Owens Lake was completely emptied by 1926, only 13 years after Los Angeles began diverting water. The water diversions inspired aspects of the 1974 film Chinatown . Towns in the Owens Valley include Bishop , Lone Pine , Independence and Big Pine ; about 25,000 people live in the valley. The major road in the Owens Valley is U.S. Route 395 . About three million years ago,
1302-586: The Great Basin Desert ), and "Western Mojave Basins" and "Mojave Playas" (as part of the Mojave Desert ). The floor of the valley, roughly north of the town of Independence, California , lies in the "Upper Owens Valley" ecoregion. The ecoregion also includes the distinct Alabama Hills in the far south. The primary landforms of this ecoregion are gently to moderately sloping alluvial fans and mostly level basin floors, terraces, and floodplains. Elevations range from about 3,800 feet (1,200 m) along
SECTION 20
#17327724999131364-576: The Inyokern Airport . There are currently no scheduled commercial flights. The city has been near the epicenter of major earthquakes , including one in 1995 and a series of quakes in July 2019 . The settlement began as a farming community called Crumville in 1912, honoring James and Robert Crum, local dairymen. The first post office opened in 1941. By 1943, Ridgecrest had grown to 115 homes and 196 residents. NOTS (Naval Ordnance Test Station)
1426-565: The Mojave Desert . The mountain peaks on the West side (including Mount Whitney ) reach above 14,000 feet (4,300 m) in elevation, while the floor of the Owens Valley is about 4,000 feet (1,200 m), making the valley the deepest in the United States. The Sierra Nevada casts the valley in a rain shadow , which makes Owens Valley "the Land of Little Rain". The bed of Owens Lake , now
1488-534: The Owens Valley checkerbloom ( Sidalcea covillei ), is endemic to Owens Valley. Tule elk were introduced into the Owens Valley by the State of California in 1933. From the original 56 introduced elk, the herd grew to 300 individuals by 1952, which precipitated conflicts with ranchers due to destruction of property by the elk. Currently, the total elk population is managed to be approximately 490. The valley
1550-703: The Sierra Nevada on the west, the Cosos on the north, the Argus Range on the east, and the El Paso Mountains on the south. It is approximately 82 miles (132 km) from the Lancaster / Palmdale area, 110 miles (177 km) from Bakersfield , and 120 miles (193 km) from San Bernardino , the three nearest major urban centers. Private air travel in and out of the city is provided through
1612-621: The Sierra Nevada Fault and the White Mountains Fault systems became active with repeated episodes of slip earthquakes gradually producing the impressive relief of the eastern Sierra Nevada and White Mountain escarpments that bound the northern Owens Valley- Mono Basin region. Owens Valley is a graben —a down-dropped block of land between two vertical faults—the westernmost in the Basin and Range Province . It
1674-523: The poverty line , including 17.5% of those under age 18 and 5.1% of those age 65 or over. People in group quarters: Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake (NAWS China Lake) is an airborne weapons testing and training range located adjacent to Ridgecrest and operated by the United States Navy and its contractors. Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake provides the majority of employment in the city at just under 8,000 jobs in 2018. This includes
1736-434: The school district includes James Monroe Middle School, and Murray Middle School. The district's primary high school , Sherman E Burroughs High School , serves Ridgecrest, China Lake NAWC, Inyokern , Buttermilk Acres, Red Mountain, and Randsburg . There is also an alternative high school , Mesquite High School. Ridgecrest Elementary Academy for Language, Music, and Science ( REALMS )is a public charter school sponsored by
1798-463: The 107.1, with KCNV classical music feed. KRCK-1360, "Ridgecrest Radio", went off the air in the 1970s. TV repeater K05FO 5 rebroadcasts KTLA ; and K35HO-D 35 rebroadcasts KBAK . The town of Junktown in the video game Fallout is based on a post-apocalyptic version of Ridgecrest. In a 1984 Sony commercial, Ridgecrest is known as the "Earthquake Capital of the World..." Ridgecrest is located at
1860-525: The Country" Walker Pass (elevation 5,250 ft (1.60 km)) is a mountain pass by Lake Isabella in the southern Sierra Nevada mountains. It is located in northeastern Kern County , approximately 53 mi (85 km) ENE of Bakersfield and 10 mi (16 km) WSW of Ridgecrest. The pass provides a route between the San Joaquin Valley on the west and the Mojave Desert on
1922-661: The GBUAPCD issued an order and subsequently fined the Los Angeles utility for ignoring an order to control dust on a 5-acre patch (2.0 ha) of dry lake bed. The LADWP responded with a lawsuit, accusing the air district of exceeding its authority and ordering dust control measures without first conducting an environmental analysis of its impacts, as required by the California Environmental Quality Act. A California Superior Court ruled that
Ridgecrest - Misplaced Pages Continue
1984-477: The IWV TV Booster. Radio stations in the area include KRSF 89.3 a Christian radio format with Radio 74 ; KZFX 93.7 a classic rock format with ABC and California news and weather; KSSI (FM) 102.7, broadcasting rock music, local news and weather; KLOA (AM) 1240, broadcasting CBS Sports Radio ; KZIQ 92.7, featuring adult contemporary music; KRAJ The Heat 100.9 FM, featuring a hip-hop format; and K296AI
2046-627: The Kern County Office of Education. Opened in 2019, the school educates children from Transitional K to the 6th grade. The school campus was formerly a Transitional K to 8th grade school which operated from 2001 to 2018 under the name Ridgecrest Charter School. Cerro Coso Community College, a part of the Kern Community College District , was established in 1973 and has a full-time enrollment of 2,347. The 420 acres (1.7 km ) Indian Wells Valley Campus (IWV)
2108-620: The Owens River in the south to more than 6,000 feet (1,800 m) where the higher fans descend from adjacent mountains. Alluvium from the Quaternary period covers the region, with some small areas of lava flows. Shrub-covered rangeland is the dominant land cover, with minor areas of hay and pastureland . Vegetation includes big sagebrush , rabbitbrush , spiny hopsage , antelope bitterbrush , saltbush , ephedra , and several perennial grasses including desert needlegrass . Along
2170-469: The Owens River, some restoration of cottonwoods , willows , and wetlands has occurred. The eastern slopes of the valley lie in the "Tonopah Sagebrush Foothills" ecoregion. The soil is rocky and lacks the fine sediments found at lower elevations of the Tonopah Basin. Great Basin species are common in this ecoregion. However, because the ecoregion is in the rain shadow of the Sierra Nevada , and
2232-703: The Owens Valley Committee, the Sierra Club, and other concerned parties signed a Memorandum of Understanding that specified terms by which the lower Owens River would be rewatered by June 2003. LADWP missed this deadline and was sued again. Under another settlement, this time including the State of California , Los Angeles promised to rewater the lower Owens River by September 2005. In July 2004, Los Angeles mayor James Hahn proposed barring all future development on its Owens Valley holdings by proposing
2294-493: The Ridgecrest and Searles Valley regions. On July 5, 2019, at 8:19 P.M., the magnitude 7.1 mainshock occurred, significantly impacting the Ridgecrest area. The weather in the Indian Wells Valley is predominantly influenced by its high desert location. The climate is characterized by hot days and cool nights with extremely arid conditions prevailing throughout the summer months. The mean annual maximum temperature for
2356-413: The Ridgecrest area is 75 °F (24 °C) while the mean annual minimum temperature is 48 °F (9 °C). There are wide annual temperature fluctuations that occur from a high of 119 °F (48 °C) to a low of 1 °F (−17 °C). On average, annual rainfall is less than 5 inches (130 mm) "equivalent rainfall" per year, which includes less than 2 inches (51 mm) of snow . The area
2418-607: The Rocky Mountains. In 1845, John C. Fremont named the Owens valley, river, and lake for Richard Owens , one of his guides. Camp Independence was established on Oak Creek near modern Independence , on July 4, 1862, during the Owens Valley Indian War . From 1942 to 1945, during World War II , the first Japanese American Internment camp operated in the valley at Manzanar near Independence. In
2480-597: The Sierra Nevada. Trade between Native Americans of the Owens Valley and coastal tribes such as the Chumash has been indicated by the archaeological record. On May 1, 1834, Joseph R. Walker entered Owens Valley from the south, having crossed the Sierra Nevada at Walker Pass . Walker and his group of 52 men traveled up the valley on their way back to the Humboldt Sink , and back up the Humboldt River to
2542-439: The arid conditions, this ecoregion has low carrying capacity for cattle . The southern part of the valley, except for the bed of Owens Lake , lies in the "Western Mojave Basins" ecoregion. The ecoregion is typically dominated by creosotebush and white bursage , with areas of shadscale , fourwing saltbush , and on some upper bajadas and fans, scattered Joshua trees . This ecoregion has little summer rainfall compared to
Ridgecrest - Misplaced Pages Continue
2604-726: The basins in the eastern Mojave Desert, and typically lacks species such as Mojave yucca and big galleta . The lakebed of Owens Lake is considered to be a "Mojave Playa". The high salt and clay content of playa surface mud, and the hot, dry conditions inhibit plant growth. This ecoregion is largely barren and only sparse saltbush vegetation typically is found on the margins. Playas are dynamic environments with surface channels, playa margins, alluvial materials , and biota changing with each flooding event. Physical and biological crusts on soil surfaces are important, stabilizing soil and reducing erosion from wind and water. The valley contains plants adapted to alkali flat habitat. One of these,
2666-414: The city was 82.02% White , 3.53% Black or African American , 1.08% Native American , 3.88% Asian , 0.58% Pacific Islander , 4.93% from other races , and 3.98% from two or more races. 12.04% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. There were 9,826 households, out of which 35.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.2% were married couples living together, 11.5% had
2728-517: The early 20th century, the valley became the scene of a struggle between local residents and the city of Los Angeles over water rights. William Mulholland , superintendent of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP), planned the 223-mile (359 km) Los Angeles Aqueduct , completed in 1913, which diverted water from the Owens River. The water rights were acquired deceitfully, often splitting water cooperatives and pitting neighbors against one another. In 1924, local farmers were fed up with
2790-612: The east. Trona Pinnacles featured in many notable films are located near Ridgecrest. Red Rock Canyon State Park is also very close to Ridgecrest and provides the community with hiking and camping opportunities. Sierra Sands Unified School District , which serves the city of Ridgecrest, Inyokern, and the surrounding communities, includes the following elementary schools: Las Flores Elementary, Faller Elementary, Richmond Elementary currently displaced to Vieweg Elementary due to damage in recent earthquakes, Gateway Elementary, Pierce Elementary, and Inyokern Elementary. For middle-schoolers
2852-558: The entire Indian Wells Valley over the air and on Mediacom Cable. KZGN provides local news, weather and sports. KZGN also provides a daily local interview program, Ridgecrest Talk . Ridgecrest is served by two newspapers, The Daily Independent and the News Review , as well as a mixture of local broadcast stations and repeaters from radio and TV stations based in Los Angeles and Bakersfield . The repeaters are operated by
2914-481: The government civilian workforce, active duty military personnel and private contractors. AltaOne Federal Credit Union has its corporate headquarters in Ridgecrest. The Searles Valley Minerals plant is located adjacent to the Searles Dry Lake near the town of Trona, California , about thirty miles east of Ridgecrest. The principal employers in Ridgecrest in 2020 were: The most notable feature in
2976-633: The junction of highways California State Route 178 and U.S. Route 395 (business route). The city of Ridgecrest provides the Ridgecrest Transit shuttle bus service to and from Inyokern, connecting with the Eastern Sierra Transit Authority bus that serves Bishop and Mammoth Lakes to the north, and Lancaster (Metrolink station) , with connections to the San Fernando Valley and Los Angeles, to
3038-570: The nearby area is the Coso People rock art in Big and Little Petroglyph Canyons . The Coso People were prolific artists and traded with distant tribes using tools crafted of stone. Archeological recovery at coastal Chumash sites in California indicates considerable trade with the Coso People . Other activities in the area are: The Maturango Museum is located in Ridgecrest. The museum
3100-646: The population) lived in households, 109 (0.4%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 87 (0.3%) were institutionalized. There were 10,781 households, out of which 3,901 (36.2%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 5,211 (48.3%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 1,352 (12.5%) had a female householder with no husband present, 609 (5.6%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 681 (6.3%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships , and 64 (0.6%) same-sex married couples or partnerships . 2,978 households (27.6%) were made up of individuals, and 1,001 (9.3%) had someone living alone who
3162-419: The population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 10,900 people (39.5%) lived in rental housing units. According to the census of 2000, there were 24,927 people, 9,826 households, and 6,691 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,179.9 inhabitants per square mile (455.6/km ). There were 11,309 housing units at an average density of 535.3/sq mi (206.7/km ). The racial makeup of
SECTION 50
#17327724999133224-497: The purchases and erupted in violence, sabotaging parts of the water system. Eventually, Los Angeles acquired a large portion of the water rights to over 300,000 acres (121,000 ha) of land in the valley, almost completely diverting the water inflows away from Owens Lake. Gary Libecap of the University of California, Santa Barbara, observed that the price Los Angeles was willing to pay to other water sources per volume of water
3286-475: The same name. If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ridgecrest&oldid=1038363358 " Category : Place name disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages Ridgecrest, California Ridgecrest
3348-537: The south. Kern Transit connects Ridgecrest to Lake Isabella and Mojave . Owens Valley Owens Valley ( Mono : Payahǖǖnadǖ , meaning "place of flowing water") is an arid valley of the Owens River in eastern California in the United States. It is located to the east of the Sierra Nevada , west of the White Mountains and Inyo Mountains , and is split between the Great Basin Desert and
3410-595: Was recorded on July 11, 2021, tied with July 1988 and July 1993. The 2010 United States Census reported that Ridgecrest had a population of 27,616. The population density was 1,289.5 inhabitants per square mile (497.9/km ). The racial makeup of Ridgecrest was 21,387 (77.4%) White , 1,113 (4.0%) African American , 341 (1.2%) Native American , 1,209 (4.4%) Asian , 143 (0.5%) Pacific Islander , 1,836 (6.6%) from other races , and 1,587 (5.7%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4,941 persons (17.9%). The Census reported that 27,420 people (99.3% of
3472-418: Was 33.8 years. For every 100 females, there were 100.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 99.9 males. There were 11,915 housing units at an average density of 556.3 units per square mile (214.8 units/km ), of which 6,525 (60.5%) were owner-occupied, and 4,256 (39.5%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.9%; the rental vacancy rate was 9.2%. 16,520 people (59.8% of
3534-408: Was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 99.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.9 males. The median income for a household in the city was $ 44,971, and the median income for a family was $ 52,725. Males had a median income of $ 46,993 versus $ 29,558 for females. The per capita income for the city was $ 21,312. About 10.2% of families and 12.3% of the population were below
3596-417: Was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.54. There were 7,172 families (66.5% of all households); the average family size was 3.10. The population was spread out, with 7,544 people (27.3%) under the age of 18, 2,654 people (9.6%) aged 18 to 24, 7,157 people (25.9%) aged 25 to 44, 6,844 people (24.8%) aged 45 to 64, and 3,417 people (12.4%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age
3658-698: Was established in November 1943, providing a strong job base for the years to come. Ridgecrest incorporated in 1963. During this era the growth of Ridgecrest was governed by the continuing needs of the high tech industries coupled to the Naval Air Weapons Station (NAWS) programs for testing arms and guidance systems. According to the United States Census Bureau , the city has a total area of 21.4 square miles (55.4 km ), of which 20.8 sq mi (53.9 km )
3720-451: Was far higher than what the farmers received. Farmers who resisted the pressure from Los Angeles until 1930 received the highest price for their land; most farmers sold their land from 1905 to 1925, and received less than Los Angeles was willing to pay. The sale of their land brought the farmers substantially more income than if they had kept the land for farming and ranching. None of the sales were made under threat of eminent domain . As
3782-444: Was formed by a long series of earthquakes, such as the 1872 Lone Pine earthquake , that have moved the graben down and helped move the Sierra Nevada up. The graben is much larger than the depth of the valley suggests; gravity studies suggest that 10,000 feet (3,048 m) of sedimentary rock mostly fills the graben and that a very steep escarpment is buried under the western length of the valley. The topmost part of this escarpment
SECTION 60
#17327724999133844-548: Was inhabited in late prehistoric times by the Timbisha (also called Panamint or Koso) in the extreme south end around Owens Lake and by the Mono tribe (also called Owens Valley Paiute ) in the central and northern portions of the valley. The Timbisha speak the Timbisha language , classified in the Numic branch of Uto-Aztecan language family . The closest related languages are Shoshoni and Comanche . The Eastern Mono speak
#912087