Feather River
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The Feather River is the principal tributary of the
Sacramento River The Sacramento River ( es, Río Sacramento) is the principal river of Northern California in the United States and is the largest river in California. Rising in the Klamath Mountains, the river flows south for before reaching the Sacramento–S ...
, in the
Sacramento Valley , photo =Sacramento Riverfront.jpg , photo_caption= Sacramento , map_image=Map california central valley.jpg , map_caption= The Central Valley of California , location = California, United States , coordinates = , boundaries = Sierra Nevada (ea ...
of
Northern California Northern California (colloquially known as NorCal) is a geographic and cultural region that generally comprises the northern portion of the U.S. state of California. Spanning the state's northernmost 48 counties, its main population centers incl ...
. The river's
main stem In hydrology, a mainstem (or trunk) is "the primary downstream segment of a river, as contrasted to its tributaries". Water enters the mainstem from the river's drainage basin, the land area through which the mainstem and its tributaries flow.. A ...
is about long. Its length to its most distant headwater tributary is just over . The main stem Feather River begins in
Lake Oroville Lake Oroville is a reservoir formed by the Oroville Dam impounding the Feather River, located in Butte County, northern California. The lake is situated northeast of the city of Oroville, within the Lake Oroville State Recreation Area, in th ...
, where its four long tributary forks join—the South Fork, Middle Fork, North Fork, and West Branch Feather Rivers. These and other tributaries drain part of the northern
Sierra Nevada The Sierra Nevada () is a mountain range in the Western United States, between the Central Valley of California and the Great Basin. The vast majority of the range lies in the state of California, although the Carson Range spur lies primarily ...
, and the extreme southern Cascades, as well as a small portion of the
Sacramento Valley , photo =Sacramento Riverfront.jpg , photo_caption= Sacramento , map_image=Map california central valley.jpg , map_caption= The Central Valley of California , location = California, United States , coordinates = , boundaries = Sierra Nevada (ea ...
. The total
drainage basin A drainage basin is an area of land where all flowing surface water converges to a single point, such as a river mouth, or flows into another body of water, such as a lake or ocean. A basin is separated from adjacent basins by a perimeter, t ...
is about , with approximately above
Lake Oroville Lake Oroville is a reservoir formed by the Oroville Dam impounding the Feather River, located in Butte County, northern California. The lake is situated northeast of the city of Oroville, within the Lake Oroville State Recreation Area, in th ...
. 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 The California State Water Project, commonly known as the SWP, is a state water management project in the U.S. state of California under the supervision of the California Department of Water Resources. The SWP is one of the largest public wate ...
. Its water is also used for
hydroelectricity Hydroelectricity, or hydroelectric power, is Electricity generation, electricity generated from hydropower (water power). Hydropower supplies one sixth of the world's electricity, almost 4500 TWh in 2020, which is more than all other Renewabl ...
generation. The average annual flow of the Feather River is more than 7 million acre feet (3.3 km3). 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 The Diamond Mountains are a mountain range along the border of Eureka and White Pine Counties, in northern Nevada, Western United States. Geography The range reaches a maximum elevation of on the summit of Diamond Peak. The range separates ...
and breach the crest of the Sierra as they flow west.


Course

The river rises in four main forks in the Sierra Nevada which unite as arms of the Lake Oroville reservoir in the foothills northeast of Oroville in eastern Butte County. In terms of drainage areas the largest is the North Fork, which drains about 60% of the entire upper Feather River watershed. The Middle Fork is the second largest, draining about 32% of the upper basin. The South Fork and the West Branch are much smaller, each drains less than 5% of the upper basin. The main stem Feather River begins at Oroville Dam, the outlet of Lake Oroville. From there the river flows generally south across the
Sacramento Valley , photo =Sacramento Riverfront.jpg , photo_caption= Sacramento , map_image=Map california central valley.jpg , map_caption= The Central Valley of California , location = California, United States , coordinates = , boundaries = Sierra Nevada (ea ...
, east of the
Sutter Buttes The Sutter Buttes (Maidu: ''Histum Yani'' or ''Esto Yamani'', Wintun: ''Olonai-Tol'', Nisenan: ''Estom Yanim'') are a small circular complex of eroded volcanic lava domes which rise as buttes above the flat plains of the Sacramento Valley in Su ...
, past Oroville and
Yuba City Yuba City (Maidu: ''Yubu'') is a city in Northern California and the county seat of Sutter County, California, United States. The population was 70,117 at the 2020 census. Yuba City is the principal city of the Yuba City Metropolitan Statistica ...
– Marysville. The Feather receives the
Yuba River The Yuba River is a tributary of the Feather River in the Sierra Nevada and eastern Sacramento Valley, in the U.S. state of California. The main stem of the river is about long, and its headwaters are split into three major forks. The Yuba River ...
from the east at Yuba City and the Bear River from the east south of Yuba City. It empties into the Sacramento River from the north, about northwest of Sacramento.
USGS The United States Geological Survey (USGS), formerly simply known as the Geological Survey, is a scientific agency of the United States government. The scientists of the USGS study the landscape of the United States, its natural resources, a ...
topographic map In modern mapping, a topographic map or topographic sheet is a type of map characterized by large- scale detail and quantitative representation of relief features, usually using contour lines (connecting points of equal elevation), but historic ...
s


North Fork

The
North Fork Feather River The North Fork Feather River is a watercourse of the northern Sierra Nevada in the U.S. state of California. It flows generally southwards from its headwaters near Lassen Peak to Lake Oroville, a reservoir formed by Oroville Dam in the foothills ...
begins in Feather River Meadows at the junction of Rice Creek and South Arm Rice Creek, . The names and confluence locations of the streams in this area were changed by the Board on Geographic Names in 1927. USGS
topographic map In modern mapping, a topographic map or topographic sheet is a type of map characterized by large- scale detail and quantitative representation of relief features, usually using contour lines (connecting points of equal elevation), but historic ...
s, as of 1995, are mislabeled for South Arm, North Arm Rice Creek, Rice Creek and North Fork Feather River. Rice Creek, labeled North Arm Rice Creek on USGS topo maps, flows south from its source at Cold Boiling Lake, , in
Lassen Volcanic National Park Lassen Volcanic National Park is an American national park in northeastern California. The dominant feature of the park is Lassen Peak, the largest lava dome, plug dome volcano in the world and the southernmost volcano in the Cascade Range. L ...
, through Crumbaugh Lake, and south to join the South Arm Rice Creek, forming the North Fork Feather River. The North Fork's length is about , or about including Rice Creek. The total length of the Feather River from the source of Rice Creek to the Sacramento River is about . 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 Lake Almanor is a large reservoir in northwestern Plumas County, northeastern California, United States. The reservoir has a capacity of and a maximum depth of about 90 feet (27 meters). It is formed by Canyon Dam on the North Fork of the Feather ...
, 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. 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. Before Oroville Dam was built the mouth of the North Fork was located at . After the North Fork's mouth was inundated by Lake Oroville the North Fork's mouth was changed to be at , according to the USGS. The North Fork Feather River drains — for the North Fork itself and for East Branch North Fork. The average discharge for the two streams is about for the North Fork, and for the East Branch.


East Branch

The East Branch is one of the major tributaries of the Feather River system. It originates at , at the confluence of Indian Creek and Spanish Creek. Indian Creek is another long and important tributary, flowing from its source at , 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. The longest tributary of Indian Creek is Last Chance Creek, which rises in eastern Plumas County at , south of
Honey Lake Honey Lake is an endorheic basin, endorheic sink (geography), sink in the Honey Lake Valley in northeastern California, near the Nevada border. Summer evaporation reduces the lake to a lower level of and creates an alkali flat. Honey Lake dries ...
, and flows generally west, joining Indian Creek at the western end of Genesee Valley. From its source at the Indian and Spanish Creeks confluence, the East Branch North Fork flows west past
Twain Twain may refer to: People * Mark Twain, pen name of American writer Samuel Langhorne Clemens (1835–1910) * Norman Twain (1930–2016), American film producer * Shania Twain (born 1965), Canadian singer-songwriter Places * Twain, California, a ...
and joins the North Fork near Belden.Plumas National Forest Map
USDA Forest Service
The East Branch's main stem length is about . Indian Creek is about long, and Last Chance Creek is about 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 . The total length of the Feather River from the source of Last Chance Creek to the Sacramento River is about .


Middle Fork

The
Middle Fork Feather River The Middle Fork Feather River is a major river in Plumas and Butte Counties in the U.S. state of California. Nearly long, it drains about of the rugged northern Sierra Nevada range. Its headwaters are located near Beckwourth in the largest al ...
begins at , in southeastern Plumas County about south of Beckwourth, at the north end of the
Sierra Valley Sierra Valley is a large mountain valley located west of the crest of California's Sierra Nevada mountain range in Plumas and Sierra Counties, north of Interstate 80. Geography An intermontaine valley at approximately elevation, Sierra Valle ...
. It is formed by the joining of a number of tributaries that merge in an
inverted river delta {{noref, date=July 2008 An inverted river delta is special category of river delta in which the narrow end of the delta emerges on the seafront and the wide end is located further inland, so that with respect to the seafront, the locations of both ...
wetland with a complex network of irrigation ditches and drains called the Sierra Valley Channels. A number of creeks merge in the Sierra Valley, the longest of which is Little Last Chance Creek, which originates at and flows south through Frenchman Lake and Last Chance Valley to the Sierra Valley, where it divides into two
distributary A distributary, or a distributary channel, is a stream that branches off and flows away from a main stream channel. Distributaries are a common feature of river deltas. The phenomenon is known as river bifurcation. The opposite of a distributar ...
channels. 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. Flowing west through the mountains from its source in the Sierra Valley the Middle Fork is joined by Big Grizzly Creek, which drains
Lake Davis Lake Davis is an artificial lake in Plumas County, California near the Sierra Nevada community of Portola. Its waters are impounded by Grizzly Valley Dam, which was completed in 1966 as part of the California State Water Project. The lake is ...
to the north. Then the river flows through Portola and Delleker in the Humbug Valley. Sulphur Creek joins in the Mohawk Valley at
Clio In Greek mythology, Clio ( , ; el, Κλειώ), also spelled Kleio, is the muse of history, or in a few mythological accounts, the muse of lyre playing. Etymology Clio's name is etymologically derived from the Greek root κλέω/ÎºÎ»ÎµÎ¯Ï ...
. Continuing west, the Middle Fork passes between Graeagle and Blairsden and further downstream south of Sloat in Long Valley. At Sloat, Long Valley Creek and Polar Creek enters the Feather. The Feather then enters a long and deep gorge. It is joined by numerous small tributaries. The
Pacific Crest Trail The Pacific Crest Trail (PCT), officially designated as the Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail, is a long-distance hiking and equestrian trail closely aligned with the highest portion of the Cascade and Sierra Nevada mountain ranges, which lie ...
crosses near Onion Valley Creek. The Middle Fork turns to flow southwest and south, through Bald Rock Canyon and the
Feather River Canyon Feathers are epidermal growths that form a distinctive outer covering, or plumage, on both avian (bird) and some non-avian dinosaurs and other archosaurs. They are the most complex integumentary structures found in vertebrates and a premier e ...
and on into the middle arm of Lake Oroville. The Middle Fork's main stem length is about , or about including Little Last Chance Creek. The total length of the Feather River from the source of Little Last Chance Creek to the Sacramento River is about .


South Fork

The
South Fork Feather River The South Fork Feather River is a Lake Oroville tributary in the south portion of the Middle Fork Feather Watershed which drains several reservoirs including Little Grass Valley Reservoir. See also *List of rivers of California This is a li ...
originates in southern Plumas County near the Plumas-Sierra county line, at . It heads on the southwest slope of Pilot Peak, just north of Gibsonville Ridge and Bunker Hill Ridge. It flows west and southwest to
Little Grass Valley Reservoir Little Grass Valley Reservoir is an artificial lake in Plumas County, California and Plumas National Forest near the Pacific Crest Trail. The lake's waters are impounded by Little Grass Valley Dam (National ID CA00269), which was completed in 196 ...
, an impoundment created by Little Grass Valley Dam. Below the dam the South Fork flows southwest between Mooreville Ridge and Lumpkin Ridge and enters Butte County. Just before entering Lake Oroville the Ponderosa Diversion Dam impounds the South Fork in the Ponderosa Reservoir. Below the dam the river becomes the south arm of Lake Oroville. The mouth of the South Fork is considered to be where the river empties into Ponderosa Reservoir, . The mouth was formerly located farther west at , until it was inundated by Lake Oroville. The total stream distance from the head of the South Fork to the juncture with the Middle Fork in Lake Oroville is .U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline data
The National Map
, accessed March 10, 2011


West Branch

The West Branch Feather River, sometimes called the West Fork Feather River, has a drainage area that is small but slightly larger than that of the South Fork. It originates in Butte County at , in
Lassen National Forest Lassen National Forest is a United States national forest of 1,700 square miles (4,300 km2) in northeastern California. It is named after pioneer Peter Lassen, who mined, ranched and promoted the area to emigrant parties in the 1850s. Wildli ...
. It flows southwest through Snag Lake and by Coon Hollow, after which it is joined by Philbrook Creek, which drains Philbook Reservoir to the east. From there the West Branch flows more directly south and leaves Lassen National Forest. It is joined by Fish Creek and Last Chance Creek (there are several streams named Last Chance Creek in the Feather River watershed). Downstream from Last Chance Creek a diversion dam draws off some of the West Branch's water. The diverted water flows into Hendricks Canal, a long conduit composed of ditch, flume, and tunnel sections, with a capacity of . Along with other facilities, such as Philbrook Reservoir, Hendricks Canal is part of the Toadtown development, which conveys water through the several canals and powerhouses. The water ultimately empties into Butte Creek, a tributary of the Sacramento River. Another diversion dam on the West Branch Feather River near Magalia, called the Magalia 73 Dam, conveys water into the Upper Miocene Canal, which runs to Kunkle Reservoir and the Lime Saddle Powerhouse on Lake Oroville. From the powerhouse water is carried by the Middle Miocene Canal to the Coal Canyon Powerhouse and on into the Oroville-Thermalito Complex. The Miocene Canal and Lime Saddle Powerhouse are part of the DeSabla Regional Bundle of hydroelectric facilities operated by the
Pacific Gas and Electric Company The Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) is an American investor-owned utility (IOU). The company is headquartered in the Pacific Gas & Electric Building, in San Francisco, California. PG&E provides natural gas and electricity to 5.2 milli ...
. 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. Concow Creek, flowing southwest from Concow Reservoir, joins just before the West Branch empties into the northwest arm of Oroville Lake, near
Paradise In religion, paradise is a place of exceptional happiness and delight. Paradisiacal notions are often laden with pastoral imagery, and may be cosmogonical or eschatological or both, often compared to the miseries of human civilization: in paradis ...
.


Drainage basin

The
United States Forest Service The United States Forest Service (USFS) is an agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture that administers the nation's 154 national forests and 20 national grasslands. The Forest Service manages of land. Major divisions of the agency inc ...
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. 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%. There are several important valleys in the otherwise mountainous upper basin. The
Sierra Valley Sierra Valley is a large mountain valley located west of the crest of California's Sierra Nevada mountain range in Plumas and Sierra Counties, north of Interstate 80. Geography An intermontaine valley at approximately elevation, Sierra Valle ...
comprises an area of about is located where a number of tributaries come together to form the Middle Fork. The valley's elevation is nearly . It is known as the largest high-alpine valley in the continental United States. It also lies along the
Pacific Flyway The Pacific Flyway is a major north-south flyway for migratory birds in the Americas, extending from Alaska to Patagonia. Every year, migratory birds travel some or all of this distance both in spring and in fall, following food sources, heading ...
, 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. 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 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 Beavers are large, semiaquatic rodents in the genus ''Castor'' native to the temperate Northern Hemisphere. There are two extant species: the North American beaver (''Castor canadensis'') and the Eurasian beaver (''C. fiber''). Beavers a ...
, which were once prevalent, were nearly eliminated. This in turn had a large effect on the valley's hydrology. 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. Two large
endorheic An endorheic basin (; also spelled endoreic basin or endorreic basin) is a drainage basin that normally retains water and allows no outflow to other external bodies of water, such as rivers or oceans, but drainage converges instead into lakes ...
lakes,
Eagle Lake Eagle Lake may refer to: Cities, towns, townships etc. Canada * Eagle Lake, Haliburton County, Ontario * Eagle Lake, Parry Sound District, Ontario * Eagle Lake 27, Ontario (Indian reserve) * Eagle Lake, Kenora District, Ontario United States * ...
and
Honey Lake Honey Lake is an endorheic basin, endorheic sink (geography), sink in the Honey Lake Valley in northeastern California, near the Nevada border. Summer evaporation reduces the lake to a lower level of and creates an alkali flat. Honey Lake dries ...
, lie north of the upper Feather River basin, across the Diamond Mountains.


History

Historically, the
Maidu The Maidu are a Native American people of northern California. They reside in the central Sierra Nevada, in the watershed area of the Feather and American rivers. They also reside in Humbug Valley. In Maiduan languages, ''Maidu'' means "man." ...
were the main Native American inhabitants of the upper Feather River basin's American, Indian, and Sierra Valleys. Maidu villages were located in the Big Meadows area, now inundated by Lake Almanor, and in American Valley where Quincy is now located. The Maidu migrated to the Sierra Valley in the spring and summer, but did not stay during the harsh winters. The Washoe hunted in the upper Feather River basin, especially in Long Valley, Sierra Valley, and Mohawk Valley. There is evidence of
Paiute Paiute (; also Piute) refers to three non-contiguous groups of indigenous peoples of the Great Basin. Although their languages are related within the Numic group of Uto-Aztecan languages, these three groups do not form a single set. The term "Pai ...
and Washoe settlements in the Long Valley area. In 1836,
John Marsh John Marsh may refer to: Politicians * John Marsh (MP fl. 1394–1397), MP for Bath * John Marsh (MP fl. 1414–1421), MP for Bath *John Allmond Marsh (1894–1952), Canadian Member of Parliament * John Otho Marsh Jr. (1926–2019), American c ...
,
Jose Noriega Jose is the English transliteration of the Hebrew and Aramaic name ''Yose'', which is etymologically linked to ''Yosef'' or Joseph. The name was popular during the Mishnaic and Talmudic periods. * Jose ben Abin * Jose ben Akabya *Jose the Galile ...
and a company of men, went on an exploration of Northern California. They felled trees, made dugout canoes, and ascended the Sacramento River. They proceeded up a tributary, and found a place where the whole surface was covered in feathers. They named it ''El Rio de las Plumas,'' River of the Feathers. The 1849
California Gold Rush The California Gold Rush (1848–1855) was a gold rush that began on January 24, 1848, when gold was found by James W. Marshall at Sutter's Mill in Coloma, California. The news of gold brought approximately 300,000 people to California fro ...
brought a flood of prospectors and settlers to the region. The American and Indian Valleys were settled in the 1850s. In the Sierra Valley the first settlers arrived in 1852.


The Feather River Route

The
Western Pacific Railroad The Western Pacific Railroad was a Class I railroad in the United States. It was formed in 1903 as an attempt to break the near-monopoly the Southern Pacific Railroad had on rail service into northern California. WP's Feather River Route dire ...
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 The ''California Zephyr'' is a passenger train operated by Amtrak between Chicago and the San Francisco Bay Area (at Emeryville), via Omaha, Denver, Salt Lake City, and Reno. At , it is Amtrak's longest daily route, and second-longest overal ...
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 The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, Trade name, doing business as Amtrak () , is the national Passenger train, passenger railroad company of the United States. It operates inter-city rail service in 46 of the 48 contiguous United Stat ...
, 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
Lake Oroville Lake Oroville is a reservoir formed by the Oroville Dam impounding the Feather River, located in Butte County, northern California. The lake is situated northeast of the city of Oroville, within the Lake Oroville State Recreation Area, in th ...
, created by the construction of
Oroville Dam Oroville Dam is an earthfill embankment dam on the Feather River east of the city of Oroville, California, in the Sierra Nevada foothills east of the Sacramento Valley. At 770 feet (235 m) high, it is the tallest dam in the U.S. and serv ...
in 1967. At about high, it is the tallest dam in the United States and wields nearly complete control over the flow of the Feather River by creating one of the largest reservoirs in California. The dam was built with the purpose of preventing the frequent floods that often inundated this part of the Sacramento Valley, and to store water for agricultural uses downstream during the dry season. The dam is the principal feature for the
California State Water Project The California State Water Project, commonly known as the SWP, is a state water management project in the U.S. state of California under the supervision of the California Department of Water Resources. The SWP is one of the largest public wate ...
, storing water for more than 23 million people and of farmland in Central and Southern California Directly downstream from Oroville Dam lies the Oroville-Thermalito Complex, which consists of two reservoirs, a Forebay and Afterbay, both used for hydroelectricity generation. Although the water diverted from the Feather for this purpose is returned to the river, the water of downstream canals do not, except in the form of irrigation return flows (agricultural waste water). Downstream of Oroville, the river's flow is sucked away by numerous irrigation canals that supply water to the agricultural businesses of the lower Feather River valley. The heavy usage of water from the river has reduced its flow significantly. The Feather's main tributaries, the Yuba and the Bear, are also impounded by large dams that provide irrigation water and flood control.
New Bullards Bar Dam New Bullards Bar Dam is a variable radius concrete arch dam constructed in the early 1960s in California on the North Yuba River. Located near the town of Dobbins in Yuba County, the dam forms the New Bullards Bar Reservoir, which can hold abo ...
and
Englebright Dam Englebright Dam is a high variable radius concrete arch dam on the Yuba River in the Sacramento River Basin, located in Yuba and Nevada counties of California, United States. It was put into service in 1941 by the United States Army Corps of En ...
are located on the Yuba, and Rollins Dam and Camp Far West are situated on the Bear. Smaller dams now also block other tributaries, including the Middle, South and North Forks of the Feather. The watershed's high mountain streams are often utilized in complex schemes for
hydroelectricity Hydroelectricity, or hydroelectric power, is Electricity generation, electricity generated from hydropower (water power). Hydropower supplies one sixth of the world's electricity, almost 4500 TWh in 2020, which is more than all other Renewabl ...
generation, including the
Pacific Gas and Electric The Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) is an American investor-owned utility (IOU). The company is headquartered in the Pacific Gas & Electric Building, in San Francisco, California. PG&E provides natural gas and electricity to 5.2 milli ...
Canyon Power Project on the North Fork, which uses water from
Lake Almanor Lake Almanor is a large reservoir in northwestern Plumas County, northeastern California, United States. The reservoir has a capacity of and a maximum depth of about 90 feet (27 meters). It is formed by Canyon Dam on the North Fork of the Feather ...
, and the Yuba Hydroelectric Project which taps the Middle and South Forks of the Yuba River. Water diversions, especially from Lake Oroville, has reduced the
streamflow Streamflow, or channel runoff, is the flow of water in streams and other channels, and is a major element of the water cycle. It is one component of the movement of water from the land to waterbodies, the other component being surface runoff. Water ...
of the Feather River. The
USGS The United States Geological Survey (USGS), formerly simply known as the Geological Survey, is a scientific agency of the United States government. The scientists of the USGS study the landscape of the United States, its natural resources, a ...
has operated a
stream gage A stream gauge, streamgage or stream gauging station is a location used by hydrologists or environmental scientists to monitor and test terrestrial bodies of water. Hydrometric measurements of water level surface elevation ("stage") and/or volu ...
downriver of Oroville Dam since 1902. The river's average annual discharge between 1902 and 1967, before the dam was built, was . From 1969 to 2009 the average flow is , mainly due to diversion for power generation at the Thermalito pumped-storage plant. Most of this water is returned to the river further downstream via a tailrace canal. The maximum discharge at this stream gauge was , recorded on March 19, 1907. The minimum was , recorded on September 19, 1972.


Ecology

The
riparian area A riparian zone or riparian area is the interface between land and a river or stream. Riparian is also the proper nomenclature for one of the terrestrial biomes of the Earth. Plant habitats and communities along the river margins and banks ar ...
of the Feather River supports a rich
biodiversity Biodiversity or biological diversity is the variety and variability of life on Earth. Biodiversity is a measure of variation at the genetic (''genetic variability''), species (''species diversity''), and ecosystem (''ecosystem diversity'') l ...
of native
flora Flora is all the plant life present in a particular region or time, generally the naturally occurring (indigenous) native plants. Sometimes bacteria and fungi are also referred to as flora, as in the terms '' gut flora'' or '' skin flora''. E ...
and
fauna Fauna is all of the animal life present in a particular region or time. The corresponding term for plants is ''flora'', and for fungi, it is '' funga''. Flora, fauna, funga and other forms of life are collectively referred to as '' biota''. Zoo ...
. The Sierra Nevada reaches have considerable wild river features and steep gradients. In lower reaches, after joining of the forks, there is also significant habitat; near
Yuba City Yuba City (Maidu: ''Yubu'') is a city in Northern California and the county seat of Sutter County, California, United States. The population was 70,117 at the 2020 census. Yuba City is the principal city of the Yuba City Metropolitan Statistical ...
, for example, there are extents of the river with numerous valley oak trees with understory of
wild grape Wild grape may refer to: * ''Vitis'' species; specially Vitis vinifera, ''Vitis vinifera'' subsp. ''sylvestris'' (the wild ancestor of ''Vitis vinifera''), ''Vitis californica'' (California wild grape), ''Vitis girdiana'' (desert wild grape), and ' ...
. The Feather River stonecrop (''Sedum albomarginatum'') is a rare plant
endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsew ...
to the Feather River watershed. The
California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment The Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment, commonly referred to as OEHHA (pronounced oh-EEE-ha), is a specialized department within the cabinet-level California Environmental Protection Agency ( CalEPA) with responsibility for evaluatin ...
(OEHHA) has developed a safe eating advisory for the upper and lower 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 This is a list of rivers in the U.S. state of California, grouped by region. Major lakes and reservoirs, if applicable, are indicated in italics. North Coast (north of Humboldt Bay) Rivers and streams between the Oregon border and Humboldt Bay th ...
* Feather Canyon


References


External links


The Feather River Anthology (1966)
by
Kenneth E. Boulding Kenneth Ewart Boulding (; January 18, 1910 – March 18, 1993) was an English-born American economist, educator, peace activist, and interdisciplinary philosopher.David LatzkoKenneth E. Boulding Commentsat personal.psu.edu. Accessed 24 April 200 ...

Feather River CanyonFeather River CRMwatershed mapFeather River Canal Company, 1889-1897.
{{Authority control Rivers of the Sierra Nevada (United States) Tributaries of the Sacramento River Wild and Scenic Rivers of the United States Geography of the Sacramento Valley Rivers of Butte County, California Rivers of Plumas County, California Rivers of Sierra County, California Rivers of Sutter County, California Rivers of Yuba County, California Rivers of Northern California Rivers of the Sierra Nevada in California