Feather River

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  1. Places
    1. Bridges
    2. Recreation Areas
  2. Recreation
  3. Wildlife
  4. History
  5. Links
The Feather River forms the boundary between Yuba County and Sutter County. It is 170 miles long, draining from three separate forks (north, middle, and south) in the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range that unite in [wikipedia]Lake Oroville in Butte County. After it flows south from Lake Oroville, the Yuba River and then the Bear River flow into it. The Feather River continues south and flows into the Sacramento River.

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

featherriver.jpgThe Feather River, seen from Yuba City. Photo by queerbychoice.

Recreation

Wildlife

Fish found in the Feather River include [wikipedia]black crappie, [wikipedia]bluegill, [wikipedia]green sunfish, [wikipedia]redear sunfish, [wikipedia]golden shiner, and [wikipedia]bass.1

Rare birds that can be seen at the Feather River include [wikipedia]bald eagle, [wikipedia]bank swallow, [wikipedia]Swainson's hawk, and [wikipedia]yellow-billed cuckoo. There is also a combined [wikipedia]great egret and [wikipedia]great blue heron rookery near O'Connor Lakes.2

Mammals living on the banks of the Feather River include [wikipedia]American badger, [wikipedia]North American beaver, [wikipedia]bobcat, [wikipedia]ring-tailed cat, [wikipedia]coyote, [wikipedia]black-tailed deer, [wikipedia]gray fox, [wikipedia]black-tailed jackrabbit, [wikipedia]American mink, [wikipedia]muskrat, [wikipedia]Virginia opossum, [wikipedia]North American river otter, [wikipedia]raccoon, Western [wikipedia]spotted skunk, [wikipedia]striped skunk, and [wikipedia]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 chicoOroville.) These mine tailings also caused the river to flood sacramentoSacramento 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 [wikipedia]California Zephyr offered passenger tours of the scenic [wikipedia]Feather River route through the Feather River canyon (north of the chicoOroville). The California Zephyr trains had a feather in their logo to represent the river.

It is now the main source of water for the [wikipedia]California State Water Project, providing water to central and southern California.

Links

[WWW]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
[WWW]Feather River Paddlesports Guide Rafting, canoeing, kayaking, and innertubing on the Feather River, by Bruce R. Thomas
[WWW]Feather River Fishing Report by J. D. Richey
[wikipedia]Feather River entry on Wikipedia

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