| Sacramento River | |
|---|---|
 Sacramento River
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| Country | United States |
| State | California |
| Major cities | Redding, Sacramento |
| Length | 447 mi (719 km) [1] |
| Watershed | 27,000 sq mi (69,930 km²) [2] |
| Primary source | South Fork Sacramento River |
| - coordinates | [3] |
| - elevation | 5,912 ft (1,802 m) [4] |
| Other source | Middle Fork Sacramento River |
| - coordinates | |
| - elevation | 6,359 ft (1,938 m) |
| Source confluence | |
| - location | Near Lake Siskiyou, Siskiyou County, California |
| - coordinates | [5] |
| - elevation | 3,858 ft (1,176 m) [6] |
| Mouth | Suisun Bay |
| - location | Sacramento County, California, Solano County, California, California |
| - coordinates | [7] |
| - elevation | 9 ft (3 m) [8] |
| Major tributaries | |
| - left | Pit River, Feather River, American River |
 Map of the Sacramento River watershed. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the California ( is a US state on the West Coast of the United States, along the Pacific Ocean. Redding is a city in Northern California. It is the County seat of Shasta County California, USA A mile is a unit of Length, usually used to measure Distance, in a number of different systems including Imperial units United States The kilometre ( American spelling: kilometer) symbol km is a unit of Length in the Metric system, equal to one thousand The square mile is an imperial and US unit of Area equal the area of a square of one statute mile. Square Kilometre ( US spelling square kilometer) symbol km2, is a decimal multiple of the SI unit of A foot (plural feet or foot; symbol or abbreviation ft or sometimes &prime – the prime symbol) is a non-SI unit The metre or meter is a unit of Length. It is the basic unit of Length in the Metric system and in the International A foot (plural feet or foot; symbol or abbreviation ft or sometimes &prime – the prime symbol) is a non-SI unit The metre or meter is a unit of Length. It is the basic unit of Length in the Metric system and in the International Confluence, in Geography, describes the meeting of two or more Bodies of water. Lake Siskiyou is a Reservoir formed by Box Canyon Dam on the Sacramento River, in far northern California, near the town of Mt Siskiyou County is a County located in the far northernmost part of the U California ( is a US state on the West Coast of the United States, along the Pacific Ocean. A foot (plural feet or foot; symbol or abbreviation ft or sometimes &prime – the prime symbol) is a non-SI unit The metre or meter is a unit of Length. It is the basic unit of Length in the Metric system and in the International Suisun Bay (pronounced "soo-soon" is a shallow Tidal estuary located at in central California, USA. Sacramento County is a county in the US state of California. The County seat is the city of Sacramento, the State capital Solano County is a County located in Bay-Delta region of the U California ( is a US state on the West Coast of the United States, along the Pacific Ocean. A foot (plural feet or foot; symbol or abbreviation ft or sometimes &prime – the prime symbol) is a non-SI unit The metre or meter is a unit of Length. It is the basic unit of Length in the Metric system and in the International The Pit River or Pitt River is a major river watershed draining Northeastern California into the State's Central Valley. This article treats the river in California For other uses see Feather River (disambiguation The Feather River is a principal tributary of American River ( Río de los Americanos in the Mexican period located in the US state of California, has a prominent place in United States history for
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The Sacramento River is the longest river in the U.S. state of California. "Riverine" redirects here For the use of that term in Maritime geography, see there The United States of America —commonly referred to as the California ( is a US state on the West Coast of the United States, along the Pacific Ocean. Starting at the confluence of the South Fork and Middle Fork Sacramento River, near Mount Shasta in the Cascade Range, the Sacramento flows south for 447 miles (719 km) [9] , through the northern Central Valley of California, between the Pacific Coast Range and the Sierra Nevada. Mount Shasta ( Úytaahkoo, Karuk) or the "White Mountain" in English a 14179-foot (4322 m Stratovolcano, is the second-highest peak in the The Central Valley is a large flat valley that dominates the central portion of the U The Pacific Coast Ranges are the series of Mountain ranges that stretch along the west coast of North America from Alaska to northern and central Mexico The Sierra Nevada ( Spanish for "Snowy Range" is a Mountain range located in the U
Not far downstream from its confluence with the American River, the Sacramento River joins the San Joaquin River in the Sacramento River Delta, which empties into Suisun Bay, the northern arm of San Francisco Bay. American River ( Río de los Americanos in the Mexican period located in the US state of California, has a prominent place in United States history for The San Joaquin River ( 330 miles (530 km long is the second-longest River in California, United States. The Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta is an expansive inland River delta and Estuary in northern California in the United States. San Francisco Bay is a shallow productive Estuary through which water draining from approximately forty percent of California, flowing in the Sacramento
The chief tributaries of the Sacramento River are the Pit, Feather, McCloud and American rivers. The Pit River or Pitt River is a major river watershed draining Northeastern California into the State's Central Valley. This article treats the river in California For other uses see Feather River (disambiguation The Feather River is a principal tributary of The McCloud River is a tributary of the Sacramento River, approximately 50 mi (80 km long in northern California in the United States. American River ( Río de los Americanos in the Mexican period located in the US state of California, has a prominent place in United States history for The Pit River is the longest of these, but the Feather and American rivers carry larger volumes of water. The Pit River's watershed formerly included Goose Lake, and still does during rare periods of high water. Goose Lake is a large Alkaline lake on the California - Oregon border in the western United States. [10]
Contents |
Course
According to Mt. Shasta Recreation & Parks District, the designated headwaters of the Sacramento River are at about 3600 feet (1100 m) elevation in Mount Shasta City Park ()[11]. Mount Shasta is a city in Siskiyou County California, located at around 3600 ft (1100 m on the flanks of Mount Shasta, a prominent northern California landmark The USGS cites the river's source as the confluence of the South Fork Sacramento River and Middle Fork Sacramento River. The United States Geological Survey ( USGS) is a scientific agency of the United States government. [12]
Big Springs feeds Big Springs Creek which flows south into Lake Siskiyou. Lake Siskiyou is a Reservoir formed by Box Canyon Dam on the Sacramento River, in far northern California, near the town of Mt However, feeding Lake Siskiyou from the west are the North, Middle, and South Forks of the Sacramento River which bring water from much higher elevations, including from Castle Lake (elevation 5,440 ft (1,660 m)[13] The South Fork originates at 5,912 feet (1,802 m) at Cedar Lake (), the Middle Fork originates at 6,359 feet (1,938 m) in several headwater streams near Chipmunk Lake (), and the North Fork originates from springs at about 7,900 feet (2,408 m) near . Castle Lake is a glacial lake ( Cirque lake or tarn) located in northern California along the eastern edge of the Klamath Mountains
These various headwaters flow into Lake Siskiyou near the city of Mt. Shasta. From there the river flows generally south, closely followed by Interstate 5. Interstate 5 (I-5 is the main Interstate highway on the West Coast of the United States, paralleling the Pacific Ocean from Canada to Mexico Just north of the city of Redding, the river is impounded by Shasta Dam, which creates a reservoir called Shasta Lake. Redding is a city in Northern California. It is the County seat of Shasta County California, USA Shasta Dam is a curved gravity concrete Dam (National ID No CA10186 on the Sacramento River above Redding California near Shasta Lake City Shasta Lake is a reservoir created by the building of Shasta Dam in California, USA. The Pit River and McCloud River tributaries join the Sacramento in Shasta Lake.
Below Shasta Dam, the Sacramento River continues to flow south, passing Redding and collecting many small streams. The river passes by Red Bluff and near Chico. Red Bluff is the County seat of Tehama County California. As of the 2000 census the incorporated city had a total Population of 13147 but it is currently Chico (pop 86949 is the most populous city in Butte County, California, United States, with 105000 It bends slightly west around Sutter Buttes, then collects the tributary waters of the Feather River just north of the City of Sacramento. The Sutter Buttes, also known as the Marysville Buttes or Histum Yani ( Maidu) are a small circular complex of eroded volcanic Lava domes In Sacramento, the American River joins the Sacramento River.
Below Sacramento, the river enters the Sacramento River Delta, where it is joined by the San Joaquin River. The San Joaquin River ( 330 miles (530 km long is the second-longest River in California, United States. The combined waters then exit into Suisun Bay, San Pablo Bay, and San Francisco Bay, before finally entering the Pacific Ocean at the Golden Gate. Suisun Bay (pronounced "soo-soon" is a shallow Tidal estuary located at in central California, USA. San Pablo Bay is a shallow tidal Estuary that forms the northern extension San Francisco Bay is a shallow productive Estuary through which water draining from approximately forty percent of California, flowing in the Sacramento The Golden Gate is the North American Strait connecting San Francisco Bay to the Pacific Ocean.
Natural history
Every year in October, California's native King Salmon (Chinook) return to the river from the Pacific Ocean to migrate upstream to spawning grounds. This migration attracts thousands of sport fisherman from all over America. Yearly salmon runs can stretch all the way through December.
Marine animals such as whales and sea lions are occasionally found far inland after navigating the river for food or refuge and then losing track of how to get back to the Pacific Ocean. Whales are marine mammals which are neither Dolphins (ie members of the families Delphinidae or Platanistoidae) nor Porpoises Orcas For other uses of the term "sea lion" see Sea lion (disambiguation. The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth 's Oceanic divisions In October 1985 a humpback whale affectionately named "Humphrey the humpbacked whale" by television media traveled 69 miles (111 km) up the Sacramento River before being rescued. Humphrey the Whale is arguably the most widely publicized Humpback whale in history having errantly entered San Francisco Bay twice departing from his Mexico Rescuers downstream broadcast sounds of humpback whales feeding to draw the whale back to the ocean. [14]
On May 14, 2007, two humpback whales were spotted by media and onlookers traveling the deep waters near Rio Vista. The humpback whale ( Megaptera novaeangliae) is a Baleen Whale. The duo, generally believed to be mother and calf (Delta, the mother and Dawn, her calf[15]), continued to swim upstream to the deep water ship channel near West Sacramento, about 90 miles (140 km) inland. The Sacramento Deep Water Ship Channel is a Canal from Sacramento California to the Sacramento River, which flows into San Francisco Bay. West Sacramento is a city in Yolo County, California. It is contiguous with Sacramento, but is separated by the Sacramento River which is also There was concern because the whales had been injured, perhaps by a boat's propeller or keel, leaving a gash in each whale's skin. The whales were carefully inspected by biologists and injected with antibiotics to help prevent infection. [16] After days of efforts to lure (or frighten) the whales in the direction of the ocean, the whales eventually made their way south into San Francisco Bay, where they lingered for several days. By May 30, 2007, the cow and calf apparently slipped out unnoticed under the Golden Gate Bridge into the Pacific Ocean, likely under cover of night. The Golden Gate Bridge is a suspension Bridge spanning the Golden Gate, the opening of the San Francisco Bay onto the Pacific Ocean [17][18]
Rio Vista, California hosts an annual Bass Festival each October to celebrate the return of bass to the river. Rio Vista is a city located in the eastern end of Solano County California, on the Sacramento River, in the Sacramento River Delta region The Bass Festival, also known as Bass Derby is held during the second weekend of October in Rio Vista California. Bass (ˈbæs is a name shared by many different species of popular Gamefish.
History
The Sacramento River helped form the track of a trade and travel route known as the Siskiyou Trail, which stretched from California's Central Valley to the Pacific Northwest. The Siskiyou Trail stretched from California's Central Valley to Oregon's Willamette Valley; modern-day Interstate 5 follows this pioneer path The Pacific Northwest is a region in the northwest of North America (the term refers to the land not the ocean The Siskiyou Trail closely paralleled the Sacramento River and took advantage of the valleys and canyons carved by the river through the rugged terrain of Northern California. Northern California is the northern portion of the US state of California. Based on the original footpaths of Native Americans, the Siskiyou Trail was expanded by Hudson's Bay Company trappers in the 1830s, and expanded further by California Gold Rush "Forty-Niners" in the 1850s. The California Gold Rush (1848&ndash1855 began on January 24 1848 when Gold was discovered by James Marshall at Sutter's Mill in Coloma, California Today, Interstate 5 and the Union Pacific Railroad occupy the path of the ancient Siskiyou Trail. Interstate 5 (I-5 is the main Interstate highway on the West Coast of the United States, paralleling the Pacific Ocean from Canada to Mexico
Economy and control
Man-made channels make the river navigable for 180 miles (290 km) upstream of San Francisco Bay; ocean-going ships travel as far inland as the City of Sacramento.
The Sacramento Area Flood Control Agency is a Joint Powers agency tasked with keeping the Sacramento River within its banks and levees. [19] California Governor Schwarzenegger declared a State of Emergency in February 2006 in an attempt to repair the levees, whose failure could impact the drinking water quality of two-thirds of California residents.
See also
References
- ^ USGS GNIS: Sacramento River, USGS GNIS (the given length is in error, not being measured from 1:24,000 quads despite USGS's claim)
- ^ USGS - NAWQA - Water Quality in the Sacramento River Basin - Introduction
- ^ USGS GNIS: Middle Fork Sacramento River, USGS GNIS
- ^ Google Earth elevation for GNIS source coordinates. List of Rivers in California ( US state) grouped by location Far North Coast Rivers and streams between the Oregon border and Humboldt Google Earth is a Virtual globe program that was originally called Earth Viewer and was created by Keyhole Inc, a company acquired by Google in 2004 The Geographic Names Information System ( GNIS) is a database that contains name and locative information about more than two million physical and cultural features located throughout Retrieved on April 28, 2007.
- ^ USGS GNIS: Sacramento River, USGS GNIS
- ^ Google Earth elevation for GNIS source coordinates. Google Earth is a Virtual globe program that was originally called Earth Viewer and was created by Keyhole Inc, a company acquired by Google in 2004 The Geographic Names Information System ( GNIS) is a database that contains name and locative information about more than two million physical and cultural features located throughout Retrieved on April 28, 2007.
- ^ USGS GNIS: Sacramento River, USGS GNIS
- ^ Google Earth elevation for GNIS source coordinates. Google Earth is a Virtual globe program that was originally called Earth Viewer and was created by Keyhole Inc, a company acquired by Google in 2004 The Geographic Names Information System ( GNIS) is a database that contains name and locative information about more than two million physical and cultural features located throughout Retrieved on April 28, 2007.
- ^ http://www.swrcb.ca.gov/rwqcb5/tentative/0708/ilp-wkshp/introduction.pdf CA EPA State Water Resource Control Board. Various other sources list the river length from 320 to 450 miles (720 km). Measured by the USGS utilizing the standard 1:24,000 scale quadrangle sources, the river is 375 miles (604 km) from its mouth in Suison Bay at Broad Slough to the confluence with the Pit River in Lake Shasta. The United States Geological Survey ( USGS) is a scientific agency of the United States government. The Pit River or Pitt River is a major river watershed draining Northeastern California into the State's Central Valley. Shasta Lake is a reservoir created by the building of Shasta Dam in California, USA. The distance from there to the confluence of the Middle and South Forks of the Sacramento is an additional 72 miles (116 km) for a total of 447 miles (719 km). (The slightly longer South Fork adds 11 miles (18 km) for a grand total of 458 miles (737 km). ) When the 315-mile (507 km) Pit River is added to the 375-mile (604 km) Sacramento River length below their confluence, the Sacramento-Pit River system totals 690 miles (1,110 km), the third longest river enitirely within one state after the Kuskokwim River in Alaska and the Trinity River in Texas. The Kuskokwim River is the 9th largest river in the United States of America ranked by average discharge volume at its mouth 17th Alaska ( Аляска Alyaska) is a state in the United States of America, in the northwest of the North American continent
- ^ Pit River Watershed Alliance.
- ^ Mt. Shasta Recreation & Parks District.
- ^ USGS GNIS: Sacramento River, USGS GNIS
- ^ USGS GNIS: Castle Lake).
- ^ Tokuda, Wendy; Richard Hall (June 1992). Humphrey the Lost Whale: a true story. ISBN 0893463469.
- ^ See "Delta Dawn," the popular song recorded by Helen Reddy (1973), among other recording artists. " Delta Dawn " is a song written by former child Rockabilly star Larry Collins and Songwriter Alex Harvey and recorded by a number of artists
- ^ canada.com | Article
- ^ [1] Sulek, Julia Prodis; San Jose Mercury News; "Whales vanish with morning fog;" published May 31, 2007. Accessed June 2, 2007
- ^ Glen Martin. "Whales' enriching diversion", San Francisco Chronicle, Thursday, May 31, 2007, pp. B-1.
- ^ Sacramento Flood History
External links
- Sacramento River Portal
- USGS Introduction to the Sacramento River
- Upper Sacramento River Exchange
- Museum of the Siskiyou Trail
- Sacramento River Flooding - Online Video from KVIE Public Television
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