Talk:San Joaquin River

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Exploring the San Joaquin River

The San Joaquin River is located in California, near the Sacramento River. The Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers share a delta. The waters of the San Joaquin are used greatly by people. People fish a lot in these waters. Salmon are greatly fished there. This is the second largest river in California.

I have a few questions for those with answers:

1) What is the precise length of the San Joaquin River? I have received different lengths and maybe you know the correct one. 2) Who is the river keeper? 3) What goes on around the river? 4) Anything else I should know about the San Joaquin river? Please let me know

By: Nathan Mai

[edit] Animals around the SJR

I was wondering if anyone had seen anything besides just stray cats and squirells around this general area, if they could post that around here. I'd like to know about what else lives around this area.

Actually I'm slowly going through and working on building a series of water articles related to California. The general outline I have for rivers will be as follows: 1. Geography / Course (with maps), including the headwaters, tributaries, and confluence / destination, 2. Physical Characteristics, including hydrology / runoff, geology, water quality, and ecology (this is where I'll right about the native and invasive species of import to the watershed), 3. Economics, including navigation, fishing, water supply, power generation, tourism, and 4. historical / political significance, including major cities, cultural issues, military events, and of course major current events. To directly answer your question, the major species of concern really are the native salmon species and Pacific flyway waterfowl ... after that there are plenty of species tied to the watershed worth noting, including the Tule Elk and various rodents and reptiles. MCalamari 00:20, 31 May 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Source of river

The source of the San Joaquin river is Thousand Island Lake at 9834 feet, which is at 37°43′15″N, 119°10′56″W. Notice that it feeds the Middle Fork of the San Joaquin. The North Fork of the San Joaquin arises from Twin Island Lakes at 37°41′29″N, 119°13′58″W, but Twin Island Lakes are only at 9625 feet of elevation. The source of a river is the highest elevation that running water flows from.

Many people think that the Ritter Range is the Sierra Crest, but that's not true. The range to the east of the Ritter Range (including Mount San Joaquin is the true Sierra Crest. So, it is possible for water to flow from Thousand Island Lake out to the Pacific.

Later -- I just traced the South Fork of the San Joaquin River. It originates from Martha Lake at 37°05′39″N, 118°44′18″W, at elevation 11004 feet! That's the winner, I'll modify the article.

-- hike395 12:58, 4 March 2006 (UTC)

An even higher source might be Blue Lake (just east of Blue Lake Pass). This lake drains into Bench Canyon and then joins the river running from Twin Lakes. Griot 17:09, 27 June 2006 (UTC)

Nope, that's 10524 feet. But, there is an unnamed lake at 37°43′33″N, 119°14′37″W that is at 3410 m (11190 feet) on the North Fork that seems to be even higher. Time to change it again hike395 13:24, 7 January 2007 (UTC)

Lake Catherine (37°41'58.43"N; 119°12'23.28"W) is at 11,067 feet. It drains into Twin Lakes. At least this lake has a name. I nominate it as the source. There are about a million unnamed lakes sitting at the base of glaciers in the Sierra. Moreover, Google Earth shows your unnamed lake at 10,881 feet, and not only that, but Google Maps shows yet another unnamed lake higher than the one you cite! And not only, but traveling by Google Earth, it appears to make like the lake you cite drains into Silver Lake on the east side. How about if we pool our money and go on an actual fact-finding junket into these parts? Griot 02:01, 6 March 2007 (UTC)

I looked at the Topozone map, not Google Earth. The topo map says it is 3410+/10 m in elevation, while Lake Catherine is listed at 3365 m. The topo map clearly shows that both the unnamed lake and Lake Catherine drain into Twin Lakes (are you sure we're talking about the same lake?)

I've been close to, but never at Lake Catherine. It's a great neighborhood :-) hike395 06:19, 6 March 2007 (UTC)

[edit] North Fork Stream

Question: under "Headwaters", the page currently says: The North Fork, (a stream), begins at... -- and I just wonder what "a stream" means? My understanding is that "stream" is a generic term for flowing water channel, that is, river, creek, brook, whatever. So I don't understand why this is mentioned? Pfly 08:14, 11 January 2007 (UTC)