Middle Yuba River

Last updated
Middle Yuba River
Yubamap-01.png
Map of the Yuba River watershed, including the Middle Yuba
Location
Country United States
State California
Physical characteristics
Source Sierra Nevada
  location Tahoe National Forest, Nevada County
  coordinates 39°25′24″N120°29′05″W / 39.42333°N 120.48472°W / 39.42333; -120.48472 [1]
  elevation7,320 ft (2,230 m)
Mouth Yuba River
  location
North San Juan, Nevada/Yuba County
  coordinates
39°22′07″N121°08′11″W / 39.36861°N 121.13639°W / 39.36861; -121.13639 Coordinates: 39°22′07″N121°08′11″W / 39.36861°N 121.13639°W / 39.36861; -121.13639 [1]
  elevation
1,129 ft (344 m)
Length55.4 mi (89.2 km)
Basin size198 sq mi (510 km2) [2]
Discharge 
  location North San Juan, CA [2]
  average383 cu ft/s (10.8 m3/s) [2]
  minimum15.5 cu ft/s (0.44 m3/s)
  maximum26,000 cu ft/s (740 m3/s)

The Middle Yuba River is one of the three main forks of the Yuba River in Northern California in the United States. The river rises at the crest of the Sierra Nevada, and flows generally west through canyons to join the North Yuba River near North San Juan. The confluence of the two rivers forms the main stem of the Yuba River, which then continues west to join the Feather River. The Middle Yuba forms much of the border between Nevada County and Sierra County and in its lower reaches a small segment of the Nevada–Yuba County line. The Middle Yuba drains a remote, rugged portion of the Tahoe National Forest, with elevations ranging from 8,373 ft (2,552 m) at English Mountain to 1,129 ft (344 m) at the confluence with the Yuba River.

The river is dammed and diverted several times to provide hydroelectricity, greatly reducing the flow in all but the wettest years. Jackson Meadows Dam and Milton Diversion Dam near the headwaters are part of the Yuba-Bear Hydroelectric Project, which transport water to the South Yuba and Bear Rivers. Jackson Meadows Reservoir, stocked with 10,000 pounds of rainbow trout annually, is also a popular recreation area. [3]

Further downstream, Our House Dam diverts water through a series of tunnels to New Bullards Bar Reservoir on the North Yuba River. Water is also taken from Oregon Creek, the main tributary of the Middle Yuba. This enables the generation of more power at the New Colgate Powerhouse, situated 4.7 miles (7.6 km) downstream from the confluence of the North and Middle Yuba Rivers. [4]

The Middle Yuba River was a major mining site during the California Gold Rush. It was one of the areas most heavily affected by hydraulic mining, which washed large volumes of loose sediment into the river channel. In 1941 the Englebright Dam was constructed on the Yuba River below the Middle Fork to capture this debris before it could travel further downstream. [5] [6]

In 2008 studies were carried out by the Nevada Irrigation District, which owns Jackson Meadows and Milton Dams, to determine optimum flows for whitewater boating. This may ultimately result in the restoration of some of the natural flows to the Middle Yuba. [7] The minimum required release from Milton Dam is 3 cubic feet per second (0.085 m3/s), a tiny fraction of the pre-development flow. [8]

See also

Related Research Articles

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Stanislaus River River in north-central California, US

The Stanislaus River is a tributary of the San Joaquin River in north-central California in the United States. The main stem of the river is 96 miles (154 km) long, and measured to its furthest headwaters it is about 150 miles (240 km) long. Originating as three forks in the high Sierra Nevada, the river flows generally southwest through the agricultural San Joaquin Valley to join the San Joaquin south of Manteca, draining parts of five California counties. The Stanislaus is known for its swift rapids and scenic canyons in the upper reaches, and is heavily used for irrigation, hydroelectricity and domestic water supply.

Yuba River Waterway in Northern California

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 40 miles (64 km) long, and its headwaters are split into three major forks. The Yuba River proper is formed at the North Yuba and Middle Yuba rivers' confluence, with the South Yuba joining a short distance downstream. Measured to the head of the North Yuba River, the Yuba River is just over 100 miles (160 km) long.

New Spicer Meadow Reservoir Body of water

New Spicer Meadow Reservoir is a reservoir in the Sierra Nevada, within the Stanislaus National Forest in eastern Tuolumne County, California.

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Englebright Dam Dam in Nevada / Yuba counties, California

Englebright Dam is a 280 ft (85 m) high variable radius concrete arch dam on the Yuba River in the Sacramento River Basin, located in Yuba and Nevada Counties of California, USA. It was put into service in 1941 by the United States Army Corps of Engineers.

North Fork Feather River River in California, United States

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 of the Sierra, where it runs into the Feather River. The river drains about 2,100 square miles (5,400 km2) of the western slope of the Sierras. By discharge, it is the largest tributary of the Feather.

Bear River (Feather River tributary) River in California, United States

The Bear River is a tributary of the Feather River in the Sierra Nevada, winding through four California counties: Yuba, Sutter, Placer, and Nevada. About 73 miles (117 km) long, the river flows generally southwest through the Sierra then west through the Central Valley, draining a narrow, rugged watershed of 295 square miles (760 km2).

American River River in California, United States

The American River is a 30-mile (50 km)-long river in California that runs from the Sierra Nevada mountain range to its confluence with the Sacramento River in downtown Sacramento. Via the Sacramento River, it is part of the San Francisco Bay watershed. This river is fed by the melting snowpack of the Sierra Nevada and its many headwaters and tributaries, including the North Fork American River, the Middle Fork American River, and the South Fork American River.

Feather Headwaters

The Feather Headwaters is the watershed of the Feather River above Lake Oroville, totaling 3,450 sq mi (8,900 km2). Subdivided into 3 watersheds, the North Fork Feather Watershed is 1,090 sq mi (2,800 km2)—including the West Branch drainage of about 282.5 sq mi (732 km2), the East Branch North Fork Feather Watershed is 1,010 sq mi (2,600 km2), and the Middle Fork Feather Watershed is 1,350 sq mi (3,500 km2)—including the South Fork drainage of about 132 sq mi (340 km2). Headwaters drainage is impaired by the Palermo Canal at Oroville Dam, the Hendricks Canal at the West Branch Feather River, and the Miners Ranch Canal at the South Fork's Ponderosa Reservoir. Additionally, the Pacific Gas and Electric Company releases Upper Feather water into the Hyatt Generating-Pumping Plant for hydroelectric generation during daily peak demand.

Middle Fork American River Tributary of the river in Northern California

The Middle Fork American River is one of three forks that form the American River in Northern California. It drains a large watershed in the high Sierra Nevada west of Lake Tahoe and northeast of Sacramento in Placer and El Dorado Counties, between the watersheds of the North Fork American River and South Fork American River. The Middle Fork joins with the North Fork near Auburn and they continue downstream to Folsom Lake as the North Fork, even though the Middle Fork carries a larger volume of water.

Big Creek Hydroelectric Project

The Big Creek Hydroelectric Project is an extensive hydroelectric power scheme on the upper San Joaquin River system, in the Sierra Nevada of central California. The project is owned and operated by Southern California Edison (SCE). The use and reuse of the waters of the San Joaquin River, its South Fork, and the namesake of the project, Big Creek – over a vertical drop of 6,200 ft (1,900 m) – have over the years inspired a nickname, "The Hardest Working Water in the World".

Jackson Meadows Dam is a dam in Nevada County, California.

North Fork Stanislaus River River in California, United States

The North Fork Stanislaus River is a 31.2-mile (50.2 km) tributary of the Stanislaus River in the central Sierra Nevada and Stanislaus National Forest of eastern California.

Yuba–Bear Hydroelectric Project

The Yuba–Bear Hydroelectric Project is a complex hydroelectric scheme in the northern Sierra Nevada in California, tapping the upper Yuba River and Bear River drainage basins. The project area encompasses approximately 400 square miles (1,000 km2) in Nevada, Placer, and Sierra Counties. Owned by the Nevada Irrigation District, it consists of 16 storage dams plus numerous diversion and regulating dams, and four generating stations producing 425 million kilowatt hours of electricity each year. The Yuba–Bear Hydroelectric Project consists of the Bowman development, Dutch Flat No. 2 development, Chicago Park development, and Rollins development.

South Fork San Joaquin River River in California, United States

The South Fork San Joaquin River is the largest headwater of the San Joaquin River in central California, United States. About 48 miles (77 km) long, it drains an area of the high Sierra Nevada about 60 miles (97 km) northeast of Fresno.

References

  1. 1 2 "Middle Yuba River". Geographic Names Information System . United States Geological Survey. 1981-01-19. Retrieved 2016-02-20.
  2. 1 2 3 "USGS Gage #11410001 on the Middle Yuba River near North San Juan, CA". National Water Information System. U.S. Geological Survey. 1900–2005. Retrieved 2016-02-20.
  3. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2016-02-20.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  4. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2016-02-25. Retrieved 2016-02-20.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  5. http://pubs.usgs.gov/sir/2005/5246/Study%20Area.html
  6. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-03-06. Retrieved 2016-02-20.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  7. "American Whitewater".
  8. http://foothillswaternetwork.org/relicensing/Yuba-Bear/NID_%20Process_Plan_Schedule.pdf [ bare URL PDF ]