Feather River
Feather River Río de las Plumas | |
---|---|
Location | |
Country | United States |
State | California |
Region | Butte County, Yuba County, Sutter County |
Cities | Oroville, Yuba City, Marysville |
Physical characteristics | |
Source | North Fork Feather River |
• location | Confluence of Rice Creek and South Arm Rice Creek, Plumas County |
• coordinates | 40°21′47″N 121°27′05″W / 40.36306°N 121.45139°W[1] |
• length | 111 mi (179 km) |
• elevation | 5,436 ft (1,657 m)[2] |
2nd source | Middle Fork Feather River |
• location | Near Beckwourth, Sierra Valley, Plumas County |
• coordinates | 39°48′49″N 120°22′46″W / 39.81361°N 120.37944°W[3] |
• length | 129 mi (208 km) |
• elevation | 4,872 ft (1,485 m)[4] |
Source confluence | Lake Oroville |
• location | Upstream of Oroville Dam |
• coordinates | 39°32′14″N 121°29′00″W / 39.53722°N 121.48333°W[5] |
• elevation | 902 ft (275 m)[5] |
Mouth | Sacramento River |
• location | Verona |
• coordinates | 38°47′08″N 121°37′17″W / 38.78556°N 121.62139°W[6] |
• elevation | 26 ft (7.9 m)[6] |
Length | 73 mi (117 km), North-south[7] |
Basin size | 6,197 sq mi (16,050 km2)[7][8] |
Discharge | |
• location | Nicolaus[9] |
• average | 8,321 cu ft/s (235.6 m3/s)[9] |
• minimum | 222 cu ft/s (6.3 m3/s) |
• maximum | 357,000 cu ft/s (10,100 m3/s) |
Basin features | |
Bear River | |
• right | Sutter Bypass |
Type | Wild, Scenic, Recreational |
Designated | October 2, 1968 |
The Feather River is the principal tributary of the
The Feather River and its forks were a center of gold mining during the 19th century. Since the 1960s, the river has provided water to central and southern California, as the main source of water for the California State Water Project. Its water is also used for hydroelectricity generation. The average annual flow of the Feather River is more than 7 million acre feet (3.3 km3).[11]
The Feather is unique in that two of its tributaries, the East Branch and Middle Fork, originate east of the Sierra Nevada in the Diamond Mountains and breach the crest of the Sierra as they flow west.[12]
Course
The river rises in four main forks in the Sierra Nevada which unite as arms of the Lake Oroville reservoir in the foothills 5 miles (8.0 km) northeast of
North Fork
The North Fork Feather River begins in Feather River Meadows at the junction of Rice Creek and South Arm Rice Creek, 40°21′47″N 121°27′5″W / 40.36306°N 121.45139°W. The names and confluence locations of the streams in this area were changed by the Board on Geographic Names in 1927.[14] USGS topographic maps, as of 1995, are mislabeled for South Arm, North Arm Rice Creek, Rice Creek and North Fork Feather River.[15] Rice Creek, labeled North Arm Rice Creek on USGS topo maps, flows south from its source at Cold Boiling Lake, 40°27′24″N 121°29′4″W / 40.45667°N 121.48444°W, in Lassen Volcanic National Park, through Crumbaugh Lake, and south to join the South Arm Rice Creek, forming the North Fork Feather River.[14]
The North Fork's length is about 100 miles (160 km),[7] or about 111 miles (179 km) including Rice Creek.[7] The total length of the Feather River from the source of Rice Creek to the Sacramento River is about 184 miles (296 km).[7]
From its source in Feather River Meadows the North Fork flows east. A tributary emerges from Buzzard Springs and flows into the Stump Ranch Marsh Area, where it joins the North Fork, which then flows southeast to Lake Almanor, a reservoir created by Canyon Dam. Below Canyon Dam the North Fork flows generally southwest through the Sierra Nevada, receiving the East Branch North Fork Feather River near Belden.[13]
The North Fork continues flowing south below the East Branch confluence. Bucks Creek, which drains Bucks Lake near Bucks Lake, California, joins from east. The North Fork flows southeast into Butte County, becoming the northern arm of Lake Oroville.[13] Before Oroville Dam was built the mouth of the North Fork was located at 39°33′20″N 121°28′0″W / 39.55556°N 121.46667°W. After the North Fork's mouth was inundated by Lake Oroville the North Fork's mouth was changed to be at 39°43′27″N 121°28′19″W / 39.72417°N 121.47194°W, according to the USGS.[15]
The North Fork Feather River drains 2,156 square miles (5,580 km2)—1,131 square miles (2,930 km2) for the North Fork itself and 1,025 square miles (2,650 km2) for East Branch North Fork. The average discharge for the two streams is about 1,930 cubic feet per second (55 m3/s) for the North Fork, and 1,000 cubic feet per second (28 m3/s) for the East Branch.[16]
East Branch
The East Branch is one of the major tributaries of the Feather River system. It originates at 40°2′16″N 120°58′57″W / 40.03778°N 120.98250°W, at the confluence of Indian Creek and Spanish Creek.[17] Indian Creek is another long and important tributary, flowing from its source at 40°18′34″N 120°41′36″W / 40.30944°N 120.69333°W, on the south slopes of Diamond Mountain, south and west, through Indian Valley and north of American Valley. Impounded at Antelope Dam, Indian Creek then joins Spanish Creek to form the East Branch North Fork Feather River.[18] The longest tributary of Indian Creek is Last Chance Creek, which rises in eastern Plumas County at 40°0′47″N 120°12′10″W / 40.01306°N 120.20278°W,[19] south of Honey Lake, and flows generally west, joining Indian Creek at the western end of Genesee Valley.[20] From its source at the Indian and Spanish Creeks confluence, the East Branch North Fork flows west past Twain and joins the North Fork near Belden.[21]
The East Branch's main stem length is about 18 miles (29 km). Indian Creek is about 52.5 miles (84.5 km) long, and Last Chance Creek is about 45 miles (72 km) long. The East Branch's most distant headwater is Last Chance Creek's source. The total length from the mouth of the East Branch to the source of Last Chance Creek is about 89 miles (143 km).[7] The total length of the Feather River from the source of Last Chance Creek to the Sacramento River is about 215 miles (346 km).[7]
Middle Fork
The Middle Fork Feather River begins at 39°48′49″N 120°22′46″W / 39.81361°N 120.37944°W, in southeastern Plumas County about 0.5 miles (0.80 km) south of Beckwourth, at the north end of the Sierra Valley.[22] It is formed by the joining of a number of tributaries that merge in an inverted river delta wetland with a complex network of irrigation ditches and drains called the Sierra Valley Channels.[23] A number of creeks merge in the Sierra Valley, the longest of which is Little Last Chance Creek, which originates at 40°1′9″N 120°13′15″W / 40.01917°N 120.22083°W and flows south through Frenchman Lake and Last Chance Valley to the Sierra Valley, where it divides into two distributary channels.[24] Other tributaries that join to form the Middle Fork in the Sierra Valley include Carman Creek, Fletcher Creek, Turner Creek, Berry Creek, Hamlin Creek, Sierraville Creek, and Smithneck Creek.[13][21]
Flowing west through the mountains from its source in the Sierra Valley the Middle Fork is joined by Big Grizzly Creek, which drains
The Middle Fork's main stem length is about 95 miles (153 km),[7] or about 129 miles (208 km) including Little Last Chance Creek.[7] The total length of the Feather River from the source of Little Last Chance Creek to the Sacramento River is about 202 miles (325 km).[7]
South Fork
The
West Branch
The 46.4-mile-long (74.7 km)
The West Branch Feather River flows by Stirling City and is joined by Big Kimshew Creek and the Little West Fork West Branch Feather River.[28] Concow Creek, flowing southwest from Concow Reservoir, joins just before the West Branch empties into the northwest arm of Oroville Lake, near Paradise.[13][21]
Drainage basin
The United States Forest Service manages over 80% of the Feather River's upper watershed, in the mountains above Lake Oroville. The alluvial valleys in this area are mostly privately owned and used for livestock grazing and hay production.[12] In terms of drainage area, the North Fork Feather River is the largest, accounting for about 60% of the total basin above Lake Oroville. The Middle Fork drains about 32% of the upper basin. Other forks and tributaries drain much smaller areas—the West Fork accounts for about 5%, and the South Fork about 3%.[12]
There are several important valleys in the otherwise mountainous upper basin. The Sierra Valley comprises an area of about 590 square miles (1,500 km2)[29] is located where a number of tributaries come together to form the Middle Fork. The valley's elevation is nearly 5,000 feet (1,500 m). It is known as the largest high-alpine valley in the continental United States. It also lies along the Pacific Flyway, making it an important seasonal home to migrating birds. Settlements in the valley include Loyalton, Sierraville, and Beckwourth, with Portola just west of Sierra Valley.[12][21]
The American Valley is located in the middle of the upper Feather basin. Spanish Creek and Greenhorn Creek join in the valley, and Spanish Creek flows north to join Indian Creek, forming the East Branch North Fork Feather River. American Valley is about 3,410 feet (1,040 m) in elevation and supports a population of about 6,500. The largest community is Quincy. Historically, American Valley was a floodplain, but settlers drained the wet meadows to create pasture for cattle and fields for hay production. Today the stream channels are deeply incised and floods rare. These alternations affected the valley's ecology. Beavers, which were once prevalent, were nearly eliminated. This in turn had a large effect on the valley's hydrology.[12][21]
Indian Valley is the third important alluvial valley of the upper basin. It is located along lower Indian Creek, near its confluence with Lights Creek. By the end of the 19th century Indian Valley was considered the most important valley of Plumas County and its swampy land was developed into a prosperous agricultural landscape. Communities in Indian Valley include Greenville and Taylorsville.[12][21]
Two large endorheic lakes, Eagle Lake and Honey Lake, lie north of the upper Feather River basin, across the Diamond Mountains.[13]
History
Historically, the
In 1836,
The 1849
The Feather River Route
The Western Pacific Railroad operated a railroad through the Feather River canyon. This route was selected because it leads to a low pass over the Sierra Nevada mountains. The Western Pacific California Zephyr trains used this route and had a feather in their logo to represent the river. Today, there is no scheduled passenger service along the Feather River Route. The present day California Zephyr, run by Amtrak, operates over Donner Pass.
River modifications
Since 1967, the Feather River's origin at the confluence of its four forks has been submerged under the waters of
Directly downstream from Oroville Dam lies the
The Feather's main tributaries, the Yuba and the Bear, are also impounded by large dams that provide irrigation water and flood control.
Water diversions, especially from Lake Oroville, has reduced the
Ecology
The
The Feather River stonecrop (Sedum albomarginatum) is a rare plant endemic to the Feather River watershed.
The California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) has developed a safe eating advisory for the upper[34] and lower[35] sections of Feather River based on levels of mercury found in fish caught from this water body.
See also
- Adventist Health Feather River
- Clio trestle
- List of rivers of California
- Feather Canyon
References
- ^ "North Fork Feather River". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. 1981-01-19. Retrieved 2010-10-23.
- ^ "Rice Creek". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. 1990-08-01. Retrieved 2010-10-23.
- ^ "Middle Fork Feather River". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. 1981-01-19. Retrieved 2010-10-23.
- ^ "Sierra Valley Channels". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. 1981-01-19. Retrieved 2010-10-23.
- ^ a b "Lake Oroville". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. 1981-01-19. Retrieved 2010-10-23.
- ^ a b "Feather River". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. 1981-01-19. Retrieved 2010-10-23.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline data. The National Map Archived 2012-03-29 at the Wayback Machine, accessed March 10, 2011
- ^ "Boundary Descriptions and Names of Regions, Subregions, Accounting Units and Cataloging Units". U.S. Geological Survey. Retrieved 2010-08-22.
- ^ a b "USGS Gage #11425000 on the Feather River near Nicolaus". National Water Information System. United States Geological Survey. 1944–1983. Retrieved 2010-09-08.
- ISBN 978-0-8018-7312-6.
- ^ "California Central Valley Unimpaired Flow Data" (PDF). California Department of Water Resources. May 2007. Retrieved 2017-09-24.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i George, Holly; David Lile; Cheree Childers; Cindy Noble; Andrea Oilar; Katherine Haworth; Kristen Schmidt; Gabe Miller. "Upper Feather River Watershed (UFRW) Irrigation Discharge Management Program" (PDF). University of California. Archived from the original (PDF) on 12 June 2010. Retrieved 4 August 2010.
- ^ USGS topographic maps
- ^ a b U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Rice Creek
- ^ a b U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: North Fork Feather River
- ^ Wills, Leah. "Upper Feather River Integrated Regional Water Management Plan" (PDF). Plumas County. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 September 2011. Retrieved 4 August 2010.
- ^ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: East Branch North Fork Feather River
- ^ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Indian Creek
- ^ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Last Chance Creek
- ^ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Genesee Valley
- ^ a b c d e f g h Plumas National Forest Map, USDA Forest Service
- ^ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Middle Fork Feather River
- ^ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Sierra Valley Channels
- ^ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Little Last Chance Creek
- ^ a b U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: South Fork Feather River
- ^ "Butte Creek Watershed Existing Conditions Report, Chapter 4: Water Supply and Service Areas of Water Suppliers" (PDF). Butte Creek Watershed Conservancy. Retrieved 4 August 2010.
- ^ "Pacific Gas and Electric Company's Application for Authorization to Divest Its Hydroelectric Generating Facilities and Related Assets, Section 4: Hydrology & Water Quality" (PDF). Battle Creek Watershed Conservancy. Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 July 2011. Retrieved 4 August 2010.
- ^ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Little West Fork West Branch Feather River
- ^ Sustainability Plan Concept Document sierravalleygmd.org
- ^ Lyman, George D. John Marsh, Pioneer: The Life Story of a Trail-blazer on Six Frontiers, pp. 206-8, The Chautauqua Press, Chautauqua, New York, 1931.
- ^ Winkley, John W., Dr. John Marsh: Wilderness Scout, pp. 54-5, The Parthenon Press, Nashville, Tennessee, 1962.
- ^ Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. Govt. Print. Off. pp. 124.
- USGS. Retrieved 4 August 2010.
- ^ Admin, OEHHA (2014-12-30). "Feather River, Upper". OEHHA. Retrieved 2018-06-12.
- ^ Admin, OEHHA (2014-12-30). "Feather River, Lower". OEHHA. Retrieved 2018-06-12.