Middle Fork Eel River
Encyclopedia
The Middle Fork Eel River is a major tributary of the Eel River
of northwestern California
in the United States
. It drains a rugged and sparsely populated region of the Yolla Bolly Mountains, part of the California Coast Range, in Trinity
and Mendocino
Counties. Its watershed comprises roughly 745 mi2 of land, or 20% of the entire Eel River basin.
at the crest of the Coast Range about a mile or so north of Wrights Ridge and west of The Knob, at the confluence of several small unnamed streams. It makes a large bend to the south, then southeast past the confluence with Rattlesnake Creek (on the left) and the boundary between Trinity and Mendocino Counties. Turning south around Taliaferro Ridge at the Beaver Creek confluence, it then runs southwest to where the Black Butte River
enters from the left. Williams Creek enters on the right, then the Middle Fork flows south through Round Valley Indian Reservation, passing within a few miles of Covelo
before receiving Mill Creek from the right. Hayshed and Elk Creeks both enter from the left as the river rounds a bend to the north. Afterwards, the river's final miles are spent flowing westwards through a gorge to the confluence with the main stem near Dos Rios
.
. It is believed that he said that "enough treaties had already been broken with the Indians".
and USFS
from 1966 to 1999. In 1999 they described the Middle Fork summer steelhead run as “The largest remaining wild run of these magnificent fish”. It was noted to be “...probably the only population that has not been touched by a hatchery program, and as such, is most likely the State’s most important summer steelhead population”. Counts from the annual surveys indicated that the Middle Fork summer steelhead population has declined since 1987, to 471 fish were counted in 1999.
Eel River (California)
The Eel River is a major river system of the northern Pacific coast of the U.S. state of California. Approximately 200 miles long, it drains a rugged area in the California Coast Ranges between the Sacramento Valley and the ocean. For most of its course, the river flows northwest, parallel to the...
of northwestern California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It drains a rugged and sparsely populated region of the Yolla Bolly Mountains, part of the California Coast Range, in Trinity
Trinity County, California
Trinity County is a large, rugged and mountainous, heavily forested county located in the northwestern portion of the U.S. state of California, along the Trinity River and within the Salmon/Klamath Mountains. It covers an area of over two million acres , and as of the 2010 census its population...
and Mendocino
Mendocino County, California
Mendocino County is a county located on the north coast of the U.S. state of California, north of the greater San Francisco Bay Area and west of the Central Valley. As of the 2010 census, the population was 87,841, up from 86,265 at the 2000 census...
Counties. Its watershed comprises roughly 745 mi2 of land, or 20% of the entire Eel River basin.
Course
The Middle Fork Eel River flows almost 70 stream miles. It rises in the Yolla Bolly-Middle Eel WildernessYolla Bolly-Middle Eel Wilderness
The Yolla Bolly-Middle Eel Wilderness is a federally designated wilderness area located west of Red Bluff in the state of California. Created by the Wilderness Act of 1964, the land area was originally ....
at the crest of the Coast Range about a mile or so north of Wrights Ridge and west of The Knob, at the confluence of several small unnamed streams. It makes a large bend to the south, then southeast past the confluence with Rattlesnake Creek (on the left) and the boundary between Trinity and Mendocino Counties. Turning south around Taliaferro Ridge at the Beaver Creek confluence, it then runs southwest to where the Black Butte River
Black Butte River
The Black Butte River is located in the Mendocino National Forest of northern California in Lake, Glenn and Mendocino counties. It is a tributary to the Middle Fork Eel River and flows northward for from its headwaters near Round Mountain to the confluence with the Middle Fork Eel River.The...
enters from the left. Williams Creek enters on the right, then the Middle Fork flows south through Round Valley Indian Reservation, passing within a few miles of Covelo
Covelo, California
Covelo is a census-designated place in Mendocino County, California, United States. Covelo is located east-northeast of Laytonville, at an elevation of 1398 feet...
before receiving Mill Creek from the right. Hayshed and Elk Creeks both enter from the left as the river rounds a bend to the north. Afterwards, the river's final miles are spent flowing westwards through a gorge to the confluence with the main stem near Dos Rios
Dos Rios, California
Dos Rios is an unincorporated community in Mendocino County, California. It is located east-southeast of Laytonville, at an elevation of 961 feet ....
.
History
In 1967, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers proposed to build an enormous dam on the Middle Fork Eel River shortly above the confluence with the Eel River. The Dos Rios Dam would have been 730 feet (222.5 m) tall, creating a reservoir that covered 110000 acres (445.2 km²) of land (including Round Valley, the Middle Fork Eel River watershed's primary agricultural area and also the location of the town of Covelo, plus the Round Valley Indian Reservation). If built, this dam would have diverted most of the flow of the river into the Central Valley for irrigation purposes. The project was eventually defeated by public outcry from local residents and the intervening of then-California governor Ronald ReaganRonald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
. It is believed that he said that "enough treaties had already been broken with the Indians".
Ecology
In a 1965 California Fish and Wildlife Plan, the Middle Fork Eel River watershed supported an annual run of 23,000 Steelhead trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) in 178 miles of stream habitat. Steelhead surveys were conducted by DFGCalifornia Department of Fish and Game
The California Department of Fish and Game is a department within the government of California, falling under its parent California Natural Resources Agency. The Department of Fish and Game manages and protects the state's diverse fish, wildlife, plant resources, and native habitats...
and USFS
United States Forest Service
The United States Forest Service is an agency of the United States Department of Agriculture that administers the nation's 155 national forests and 20 national grasslands, which encompass...
from 1966 to 1999. In 1999 they described the Middle Fork summer steelhead run as “The largest remaining wild run of these magnificent fish”. It was noted to be “...probably the only population that has not been touched by a hatchery program, and as such, is most likely the State’s most important summer steelhead population”. Counts from the annual surveys indicated that the Middle Fork summer steelhead population has declined since 1987, to 471 fish were counted in 1999.
See also
- North Fork Eel RiverNorth Fork Eel RiverThe North Fork Eel River is the smallest of four major tributaries of the Eel River in northwestern California in the United States. It drains a rugged wilderness area of about in the California Coast Ranges, and flows through national forests for much of its length...
- South Fork Eel RiverSouth Fork Eel RiverThe South Fork Eel River is the longest and largest tributary of the Eel River, in the north-central part of the U.S. state of California. The river flows north from Laytonville to Dyerville/Founders' Grove where it joins the Eel River on the left bank...
- List of rivers of California
- Yolla Bolly-Middle Eel WildernessYolla Bolly-Middle Eel WildernessThe Yolla Bolly-Middle Eel Wilderness is a federally designated wilderness area located west of Red Bluff in the state of California. Created by the Wilderness Act of 1964, the land area was originally ....
Works cited
- Reisner, Marc. Cadillac DesertCadillac DesertCadillac Desert, by Marc Reisner, is a 1986 book published by Viking about land development and water policy in the western United States. Subtitled The American West and its Disappearing Water, it gives the history of the Bureau of Reclamation and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and their struggle...
, revised edition, Penguin USA, (1993), ISBN 0-14-017824-4