Napa River

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Napa River
The Napa River in Napa, as viewed from COPIA
Mouth	San Pablo Bay/Carquinez Strait
Basin countries	US

The Napa River, approximately 50 mi (80 km) long, is a river in northern California in the United States. It drains a famous wine-growing region called the Napa Valley in the mountains northeast of San Francisco. Milliken Creek is a tributary of the Napa River.

It rises in northwestern Napa County south of Mt. St. Helena in the Mayacamas Mountains of the California Coast Ranges. It flows south for 4 mi (6 km), entering the head of the slender Napa Valley north of Calistoga. In the valley it flows southeast past Calistoga, St Helena, Rutherford, Oakville and through Napa, its head of navigation. Downstream from Napa, it forms a tidal estuary, entering Mare Island Strait, a narrow channel on the north end of San Pablo Bay. Where the Napa River discharges to the San Pablo Bay is a large wetland known as the Napa Sonoma Marsh. The Napa River watershed encompasses approximately 426 sq mi (1120 km²).

Known for the vineyards in its valley, the river also provides a habitat for salmon and steelhead. Although Chinook salmon still spawn in the river, the Coho salmon population is extinct in the river and the steelhead population has been greatly reduced in recent years.

[edit] Napa Flood of 1986

Main article: Napa River flood of 1986

In 1986, the worst of 21 floods occurring in the Napa County occurred, and 5,000 evacuated, 250 homes were destroyed, and three people died.

[edit] Napa River-Napa Creek Flood Protection Project

After the devastating flood of 1986, the dormant Napa River Flood Project was revitalized. The Project underwent a lengthy redesign and was approved by the local voters in 1998. Construction began in 2000 and is expected to continue through 2011 or later.