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Arroyo Seco (Salinas River Tributary)
The Arroyo Seco ("dry stream") is a major tributary of the Salinas River in central California. About long, it drains a rugged area of the Coast Ranges east of Big Sur before flowing through the agricultural Salinas Valley. Name "Arroyo Seco" means "dry stream" or "dry wash" in Spanish. The river probably got its name because it disappears into the ground more than above its mouth for most of the year, however, it reaches the Salinas during the rainy season. The river above the Salinas Valley is actually a fairly large perennial stream. The common name, Arroyo Seco River or Arroyo Seco Creek, is actually a tautology because the name contains two mentions of "watercourse", thus "Arroyo Seco River" literally translates to "dry streambed river". Course The river rises in several unnamed forks in the Santa Lucia Mountains of the Coast Ranges near the Pacific Ocean. It flows generally north, cutting into a steep gorge, receiving Lost Valley Creek and Tassajara Creek both from the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ventana Wilderness
The Ventana Wilderness of Los Padres National Forest is a federally designated wilderness area located in the Santa Lucia Range along the Central Coast (California), Central Coast of California. This wilderness was established in 1969 when the Ventana Wilderness Act redesignated the 55,800-acre (22,600 ha) Ventana Primitive Area as the Ventana Wilderness and added land, totalling . In 1978, the Endangered American Wilderness Act of 1978, Endangered American Wilderness Act added , increasing the total wilderness area to about . The California Wilderness Act of 1984 added about . The Los Padres Condor Range and River Protection Act of 1992 created the approximately 14,500-acre (5,900 ha) Silver Peak Wilderness and added about to the Ventana Wilderness in addition to designating the Big Sur River as a National Wild and Scenic Rivers System, Wild and Scenic River. The Big Sur Wilderness and Conservation Act of 2002 expanded the wilderness for the fifth time, adding nearly , ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Drainage Divide
A drainage divide, water divide, ridgeline, watershed, water parting or height of land is elevated terrain that separates neighboring drainage basins. On rugged land, the divide lies along topographical ridges, and may be in the form of a single range of hills or mountains, known as a dividing range. On flat terrain, especially where the ground is marshy, the divide may be difficult to discern. A triple divide is a point, often a summit, where three drainage basins meet. A ''valley floor divide'' is a low drainage divide that runs across a valley, sometimes created by deposition or stream capture. Major divides separating rivers that drain to different seas or oceans are continental divides. The term ''height of land'' is used in Canada and the United States to refer to a drainage divide. It is frequently used in border descriptions, which are set according to the "doctrine of natural boundaries". In glaciated areas it often refers to a low point on a divide where it is po ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Santa Lucia Range
The Santa Lucia Range (sæntə luˈsiːə) or Santa Lucia Mountains is a rugged mountain range in coastal Central California, running from Carmel southeast for to the Cuyama River in San Luis Obispo County. The range is never more than from the coast.''Big Sur: Images of America'', Jeff Norman, Big Sur Historical Society, Arcadia Publishing (2004), 128 pages, The range forms the steepest coastal slope in the contiguous United States. Cone Peak at tall and three miles (5 km) from the coast, is the highest peak in proximity to the ocean in the lower 48 United States. The range was a barrier to exploring the coast of central California for early Spanish explorers. Geography The Santa Lucia Range is part of the Outer South California Coast Ranges, in the Pacific Coast Ranges System. The coastal side of the range rises directly from the shoreline, with oceanfront ridges rising directly to the crest of the coastal range. The crest of the range is never more than from ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Rivers Of Monterey County, California
A river is a natural stream of fresh water that flows on land or inside caves towards another body of water at a lower elevation, such as an ocean, lake, or another river. A river may run dry before reaching the end of its course if it runs out of water, or only flow during certain seasons. Rivers are regulated by the water cycle, the processes by which water moves around the Earth. Water first enters rivers through precipitation, whether from rainfall, the runoff of water down a slope, the melting of glaciers or snow, or seepage from aquifers beneath the surface of the Earth. Rivers flow in channeled watercourses and merge in confluences to form drainage basins, or catchments, areas where surface water eventually flows to a common outlet. Rivers have a great effect on the landscape around them. They may regularly overflow their banks and flood the surrounding area, spreading nutrients to the surrounding area. Sediment or alluvium carried by rivers shapes the landscape aro ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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 that empty into the Pacific Ocean (arranged north to south; tributaries with those entering nearest the sea first). Bold indicates rivers with more detailed lists in following sections. *Smith River (California), Smith River (List of rivers of California#Smith River, jump to tributaries) *Elk Creek *Wilson Creek *Klamath River (List of rivers of California#Klamath River, jump to tributaries) *Redwood Creek (Humboldt County), Redwood Creek (List of rivers of California#Redwood Creek, jump to tributaries) *Little River (Humboldt County), Little River *Mad River (California), Mad River (List of rivers of California#Mad River, jump to tributaries) Smith River *Smith River (California), Smith River **Rowdy Creek **Mill Creek **Myrtle Creek **S ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
National Wild And Scenic River
The National Wild and Scenic Rivers System was created by the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act of 1968 (Public Law 90-542), enacted by the U.S. Congress to preserve certain rivers with outstanding natural, cultural, and recreational values in a free-flowing condition for the enjoyment of present and future generations. The Act is notable for safeguarding the special character of these rivers, while also recognizing the potential for their appropriate use and development. It encourages river management that crosses political boundaries and promotes public participation in developing goals for river protection. The Act, signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson in the height of the United States environmental era, states:"It is hereby declared to be the policy of the United States that certain selected rivers of the Nation which, with their immediate environments, possess outstandingly remarkable scenic, recreational, geologic, fish and wildlife, historic, cultural or other similar ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Steelhead Trout
Steelhead, or occasionally steelhead trout, is the anadromous form of the coastal rainbow trout or Columbia River redband trout (''O. m. gairdneri'', also called redband steelhead). Steelhead are native to cold-water tributaries of the Pacific basin in Northeast Asia and North America. Like other sea-run (anadromous) trout and salmon, steelhead spawn in freshwater, smolts migrate to the ocean to forage for several years and adults return to their natal streams to spawn. Steelhead are iteroparous, although their survival rate is approximately only 10–20%. Description The freshwater form of the steelhead is the rainbow trout (''Oncorhynchus mykiss''). The difference between these forms of the species is that steelhead migrate to the ocean and return to freshwater tributaries to spawn, whereas non-anadromous rainbow trout do not leave freshwater. Steelhead are also larger and less colorful than rainbow trout. Steelhead can weigh up to and reach in length. They can live u ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Spotted Owl
The spotted owl (''Strix occidentalis'') is a species of true owl. It is a resident species of old-growth forests in western North America, where it nests in tree hollows, old bird of prey nests, or rock crevices. Nests can be between high and usually contain two eggs (though some contain as many as four). It is a nocturnal owl which feeds on small mammals and birds. Three subspecies are recognized, ranging in distribution from British Columbia to Mexico. The spotted owl is under pressure from habitat destruction throughout its range, and is currently classified as a near-threatened species. Description The spotted owl has an average length of , wingspan of , and weight of . Its eggs are a little over long, and are white and smooth with a slightly grainy texture. The spotted owl is similar in appearance to the barred owl, but has cross-shaped markings on the underparts, whereas the barred owl is alternately barred on the breast and streaked on the belly. Barred owls are lar ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Western Pond Turtle
The western pond turtle (''Actinemys marmorata''), also known commonly as the Pacific pond turtle is a species of small to medium-sized turtle in the family Emydidae. The species is endemic to the western coast of the United States and Mexico, ranging from western Washington state to northern Baja California. It was formerly found in Canada (in British Columbia), but in May 2002, the Canadian Species at Risk Act listed the Pacific pond turtle as being extirpated. Taxonomy and systematics Its genus classification is mixed. ''Emys'' and ''Actinemys'' were used among published sources in 2010. It was known by several names in the Indigenous languages of its range, including kʰá:wanaka: ( Northeastern Pomo), kʰa:wana (Southern Pomo), and ʔaləšək (Lushootseed). Description The dorsal color of ''A. marmorata'' is usually dark brown or dull olive, with or without darker reticulations or streaking. The plastron is yellowish, sometimes with dark blotches in the centers of the scut ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Riparian Zone
A riparian zone or riparian area is the interface between land and a river or stream. In some regions, the terms riparian woodland, riparian forest, riparian buffer zone, riparian corridor, and riparian strip are used to characterize a riparian zone. The word ''riparian'' is derived from Latin ''wiktionary:ripa, ripa'', meaning "bank (geography), river bank". 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 are called riparian vegetation, characterized by aquatic plant, hydrophilic plants. Riparian zones are important in ecology, environmental resource management, and civil engineering because of their role in soil conservation, their habitat biodiversity, and the influence they have on terrestrial animal, terrestrial and semiaquatic fauna as well as aquatic ecosystems, including grasslands, woodlands, wetlands, and even non-vegetative areas. Riparian zones may be natural ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
San Antonio River (California)
The San Antonio River is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map accessed March 15, 2011 river in southern Monterey County, California. The river was used as an irrigation source for Mission San Antonio de Padua. Geography The river travels southeast from its headwaters in the Santa Lucia Range in the Los Padres National Forest and into Lake San Antonio. This is a reservoir behind the San Antonio Dam, an earth-fill dam on the river that forms the largest lake in the county. Downstream from the dam, the river travels east until it joins the Salinas River (California), Salinas River. The Nacimiento River, which feeds Lake Nacimiento and is also a Salinas River tributary, parallels the San Antonio River's path several miles to the southwest. Ecology After depletion by 19th century fur trappers, North American beaver, California golden beaver (''Castor canadensis subauratus'') have expanded their range from the San Anton ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Big Sur River
The Big Sur River is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map, accessed March 15, 2011 river on the Central Coast (California), Central Coast of California. The river drains a portion of the Big Sur area, a thinly settled region of the Central California coast where the Santa Lucia Mountains rise abruptly from the Pacific Ocean. The upper river and watershed lies within the Ventana Wilderness and encompasses the headwaters downstream to the area known as the Gorge. The lower river flows roughly northwest through Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park, the Big Sur village, several private camp grounds and Andrew Molera State Park where it flows through a lagoon and sandbar into the Pacific Ocean at the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. Major Tributaries of the river include, in order: Redwood Creek (Monterey County), Redwood Creek, Lion Creek, Logwood Creek, Terrace Creek, Ventana Creek, Post Creek, Pfeiffer-Redwood Creek, Juan ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
