Petaluma River
Petaluma River | |
---|---|
Etymology | Coast Miwok |
Location | |
Country | United States |
State | California |
Region | Sonoma and Marin counties |
City | Petaluma, California |
Physical characteristics | |
Source | |
• location | 1.5 mi (2 km) southwest of Cotati, California |
• coordinates | 38°18′18″N 122°43′3″W / 38.30500°N 122.71750°W[1] |
• elevation | 332 ft (101 m) |
Mouth | San Pablo Bay |
• location | 5 mi (8 km) east of Novato, California |
• coordinates | 38°6′38″N 122°29′15″W / 38.11056°N 122.48750°W[1] |
• elevation | 0 ft (0 m) |
Length | 18 mi (29 km)[1] |
Basin size | 370 km² (140 sq. miles) |
Discharge | |
• location | Petaluma (USGS gage station 11459000) |
• average | 17 cu ft/s (0.48 m3/s) |
• minimum | 0 cu ft/s (0 m3/s) |
• maximum | 9,620 cu ft/s (272 m3/s) |
Basin features | |
Tributaries | |
• left | Adobe Creek |
• right | San Antonio Creek |
The Petaluma River is a river in the California counties of Sonoma and Marin[1] that becomes a tidal slough for most of its length. The headwaters are in the area southwest of Cotati. The flow is generally southward through Petaluma's old town, where the waterway becomes navigable, and then flows another 10 mi (16 km) through tidal marshes before emptying into the northwest corner of San Pablo Bay.
History
The word Petaluma may derive from the Miwok words pe’ta, flat, and luma, back. The Miwok people lived in Sonoma County for more than 2500 years. Petaluma was the name of a village on a low hill east of Petaluma creek and north east of the present day town of Petaluma. The first recorded exploration of the Petaluma River was by Captain Fernando Quiros in October, 1776. While other members of his Spanish expedition collected adobe and timber for the new Presidio of San Francisco and for the Mission San Francisco de Asís (Mission Dolores), Quiros and his sailors tried unsuccessfully to sail from San Pablo Bay to Bodega Bay.[2]
Petaluma River Watershed
Located in southern Sonoma County, California, and a portion of northeastern
While the river's source lies over 300 ft (100 m) above sea level, it descends to 50 ft (15 m) within about 0.4 mi (600 m). The river is fully tidal 11 mi (18 km) from its mouth, indicating its slight gradient through the marshes below Petaluma. The United States Army Corps of Engineers dredges this section to keep it navigable by gravel barges and pleasure craft.
Ecology
The Petaluma River Watershed hosts several federally endangered animals including the
Habitat and pollution
The
Because the Petaluma River is relatively well-protected, most of the pollution comes from nearby storm drains. It is up to the people of Petaluma to keep the river clean.
Because most of the length of the waterway is tidal and urban/suburban, there is a significant collection of tidally deposited debris along the banks. Despite the poor aesthetics including turbidity, the water quality is not particularly poor.[9]
It has been alleged that the greatest threat to the Petaluma River is the planned Dutra asphalt plant. The reported concerns involve the "loud noises it will create" that will scare away the birds and "throw off the entire ecosystem".[10]
Bridges
The following
Removal and replacement of the U.S. Route 101 highway bridge over the river began in 2013. The existing bridge was an 866 feet long, twin reinforced concrete box girder bridge (with a pre-cast I girder span over the river) that was built in 1955. It had two lanes of traffic in each direction, limited sight lines, and no shoulders. The new bridge is a 907 feet long, precast, post-tensioned spliced concrete girder design with three lanes of traffic in each direction and standard shoulders.[13] Construction completed in mid-2016.[14]
See also
- Endangered species
- List of rivers in California
- List of watercourses in the San Francisco Bay Area
- Wetland
References
- ^ a b c d U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Petaluma River
- ^ Adair Heig (1982). History of Petaluma, A California River Town. San Francisco, California: Scottwall Associates.
- ^ a b c The Southern Sonoma County Resource Conservation District (July 1999). Petaluma Watershed Enhancement Plan (Report). The State Water Resources Control Board. Retrieved June 24, 2010.
- ^ Prunuske Chatham, Inc. (February 1999). Fisheries Enhancement Opportunities in the Petaluma River Watershed (PDF) (Report). Southern Sonoma County Resource Conservation District. Retrieved June 24, 2010.
- ^ Malcolm MacConnell (1999). "Miracle at Adobe Creek". Reader's Digest. Archived from the original on July 5, 2010. Retrieved June 24, 2010.
- ^ "Project Highlights". United Anglers of Casa Grande High School. 2001. Archived from the original on July 5, 2010. Retrieved June 24, 2010.
- ^ "Petaluma River Water Quality Profile" (PDF). ca.gov. Retrieved April 10, 2018.
- ^ Kay Ransom, C. Michael Hogan, Ballard George et al., Environmental Impact Report for the Petaluma General Plan, prepared by Earth Metrics Inc. for the city of Petaluma (1986)
- ^ California, City of Petaluma IT Division, State of. "Petaluma". cityofpetaluma.net. Retrieved April 10, 2018.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ "Stop the New Dutra Asphalt Plant in Petaluma". nopetalumaasphaltplant.com. Retrieved April 10, 2018.
- ISBN 0-88130-738-6.
- ^ "National Bridge Inventory Database".
- ^ "Caltrans District 4 | MSN 101 Petaluma Blvd South Interchange and Petaluma Bridge Project Interstate 116 Interchange Project". June 9, 2013. Archived from the original on June 9, 2013. Retrieved June 7, 2023.
- ^ "Birders hopeful for return of swallows to Petaluma bridge". Petaluma Argus-Courier. March 25, 2016. Retrieved June 7, 2023.
External links
- Petaluma Wetlands Alliance
- real-time measurements
- LIVE Blue Heron Nesting Camera Petaluma River, Petaluma, CA
- PRBO Conservation Science (based in Petaluma)