In the Yuba-Sutter area, Yuba City and South Yuba City are located on the west bank of the Feather River. Marysville, Alicia, Nicolaus, and Verona are all located on the east bank.
Places
Bridges
Recreation Areas
The Feather River, seen from Yuba City. Photo by queerbychoice.
Recreation
-
Feather River Wild & Scenic Recreation Directory Websites on paddleboating, conservation, fishing, camping & hiking in and around the Feather River watershed, collected by Bruce R. Thomas
-
Feather River Paddlesports Guide Rafting, canoeing, kayaking, and innertubing on the Feather River, by Bruce R. Thomas
-
Feather River Fishing Report by J. D. Richey
Wildlife
Fish found in the Feather River include
black crappie,
bluegill,
green sunfish,
redear sunfish,
golden shiner, and
bass.1
Rare birds that can be seen at the Feather River include
bald eagle,
bank swallow,
Swainson's hawk, and
yellow-billed cuckoo. There is also a combined
great egret and
great blue heron rookery near O'Connor Lakes.2
Mammals living on the banks of the Feather River include
American badger,
North American beaver,
bobcat,
ring-tailed cat,
coyote,
black-tailed deer,
gray fox,
black-tailed jackrabbit,
American mink,
muskrat,
Virginia opossum,
North American river otter,
raccoon, Western
spotted skunk,
striped skunk, and
long-tailed weasel.3
History
Spanish explorer Luis Arguello named the river "el Rio de las Plumas" (the River of the Feathers) because he saw many feathers floating on the water.
Hydraulic mining was done extensively on the Feather River during the Gold Rush. Due to mine tailings that were dumped into the river and raised the riverbed substantially, the river is no longer navigable north of Yuba City and is only navigable by small boats south of Yuba City. (Before that, the Feather River had been navigable to
Oroville.) These mine tailings also caused the river to flood
Sacramento repeatedly in the 1870s, until steps were taken to better protect Sacramento from flooding.
The Union Pacific Railroad runs parallel to the Feather River, slightly east of it. From 1949 to 1970, the
California Zephyr offered passenger tours of the scenic
Feather River route through the Feather River canyon (north of the
Oroville). The California Zephyr trains had a feather in their logo to represent the river.
It is now the main source of water for the
California State Water Project, providing water to central and southern California.
Links
Feather River Wild & Scenic Recreation Directory Websites on paddleboating, conservation, fishing, camping & hiking in and around the Feather River watershed, collected by Bruce R. Thomas
Feather River Paddlesports Guide Rafting, canoeing, kayaking, and innertubing on the Feather River, by Bruce R. Thomas
Feather River Fishing Report by J. D. Richey
Feather River entry on Wikipedia


