Upper Feather River Watershed Facts

The Feather River watershed has long been recognized for its recreational and aesthetic value. An abundance of mountain rivers, lakes and reservoirs dot the landscape, creating both summer and winter recreational opportunities.

The Feather River watershed has been impacted by 140 years of intense human use. Natural resource management practices have changed greatly over the years.  Current conditions are a result of some combination of long term effects due to historic mining, grazing and timber harvest practices, wildfire, floods, railroad and road construction. These past uses have contributed to the degradation of over 60 percent of the watershed, leading to accelerated erosion, degraded water quality, decreased vegetation and soil productivity, and degraded terrestrial and aquatic habitats.

Annually, 1.1 million tons of sediment is delivered to Rock Creek Dam at the downstream end of the East Branch North Fork Feather River (EBNFFR) of which 80 percent is attributable to human activities.

Long-term vegetation disturbance and consequent gully erosion has led to  dramatic change in hydrology, leading to reduced summer flow, higher summer water temperature, lower water tables, reduced meadow storage capacity, and trend from perennial to intermittent flow. Many downcut streams no longer sustain late-season flow, causing adverse consequences to riparian and upland vegetation, aquatic communities, and downstream water users.

The activities of the FRCRM are intended to reverse these negative trends and improve overall watershed condition through responsible land stewardship and restoration practices.

• Area: 2.3 million acres or 3,222 square miles
• Elevation Range: 2,250 to over 10,000 feet
• Climate: Mediterranean, mean annual temperature- 49 to 57 degrees Fahrenheit
• Precipitation: Varies from 70 inches on western slope to 12 inches of the eastern slope of the Sierra Nevada. Mean annual precipitation is 43 inches, which falls mostly as rain below 4,000 feet and as snow above 4,000 feet elevation.
• Vegetation: Diverse and ranges from productive mixed conifer and deciduous forests on the western slope to sparse sage/yellow pine plant communities on the eastern slope.
• Land Ownership: 65% (1,511,281 acres) public land.
  
• Population: 33,168 people
• Counties: Plumas, Sierra, Lassen, and Butte Counties
• Geologic Regions: Cascade Range, Sierra Nevada, and Great Basin



• The Upper Feather River Watershed is the only Sierra Nevada watershed that originates east of the Sierra crest.
• The Feather River consists of three branches, which join and flow into the Sacramento River.
• The Upper Feather River Watershed is the major source for the California State Water Project, which delivers water to more than 23 million Californians for urban, industrial, and agricultural water uses. (More information on the State Water Project)
  
• Annual runoff provides over 1,400 MW of hydroelectric power.