List of rivers of California

Map of some major California rivers and lakes

This is a list of rivers in the U.S. state of California, grouped by region.

North Coast (north of Humboldt Bay)

Klamath River watershed
Trinity River

Rivers and streams between the Oregon border and Humboldt Bay that empty into the Pacific Ocean (arranged north to south; tributaries with those entering nearest the sea first)

Humboldt Bay

Primary streams entering Humboldt Bay are listed north to south beginning north of the entrance to the bay and continuing in a clockwise direction. Tributaries entering nearest the bay are listed first.[1][2]

For additional detail on Humboldt Bay streams, see Humboldt Bay: Bay tributaries and sloughs.

North Coast (south of Humboldt Bay)

Eel River watershed map
Russian River near Duncan's Mills

Rivers and streams between Humboldt Bay and the Golden Gate that empty into the Pacific Ocean (arranged north to south; tributaries with those entering nearest the sea first):

For details of the Sonoma and Marin coasts, see List of watercourses in the San Francisco Bay Area.

San Francisco Bay

Streams that empty into San Francisco Bay or its tributary bays (arranged clockwise, starting at the north side of the Golden Gate; tributaries are listed from those entering nearest the bays to farthest).

For additional detail on Bay Area creeks, see List of watercourses in the San Francisco Bay Area.

San Pablo Bay

Suisun Bay

Sacramento River

Map of Sacramento River
Sacramento River near the mouth
Headwaters of the Feather River
Cache Creek, in the Coast Ranges

San Joaquin River

San Joaquin River map
The Merced River, a tributary of the San Joaquin River
The San Joaquin River

Tulare Basin

Map of the Tulare Lake Basin
Kaweah River in the foothills of the Sierra

Usually an endorheic basin, waters in this region all eventually would reach Tulare Lake. This region would overflow into the San Joaquin River during flood years when Tulare Lake overflowed.


San Francisco Bay (remainder)

Continuing clockwise around San Pablo Bay/San Francisco Bay:

For additional detail on Bay Area creeks, see List of watercourses in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Central Coast

Rivers that empty into the Pacific Ocean between the Golden Gate and Point Arguello, arranged in order from north to south.

For details of the San Mateo coast, see List of watercourses in the San Francisco Bay Area.

South Coast

Rivers that empty into the Pacific Ocean southeast of Point Arguello, arranged from north to south:

See also List of rivers of Orange County, California and List of tributaries of the Santa Ana River

Santa Barbara County

Ventura County

Los Angeles County

Orange County

Newport Bay

South Orange County Coast

San Diego County

San Diego Bay

Tributaries entering San Diego Bay are arranged from North to South:

Below San Diego Bay

Gulf of California

Rivers that empty into the Gulf of California:

Carrizo Plain

The Carrizo Plain is a large enclosed valley near the Central Coast which drains into Soda Lake.

Salton Sea

Rivers that empty into the Salton Sea:

Great Basin

Rivers in the Great Basin, arranged roughly north to south:

Northeastern California to Walker River

Mono Lake

Rivers draining into saline and endorheic Mono Lake in eastern California, from north and proceeding counterclockwise:

Owens River, Death Valley, Mojave Desert

See also

References

  1. ↑ Klamath Resource Information System (KRIS), KRIS Humboldt Bay, URL retrieved November 11, 2007
  2. ↑ Humboldt Bay Harbor District, Wetlands, Streams, Riparian Areas, and Watershed Areas, URL retrieved November 12, 2007

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Rivers of California.