MIDDLE FORK STANISLAUS RIVER PLANNING UNIT Stanislaus River Watershed FINAL NOVEMBER 2007 LCP Volume II SR-7 Supporting Analysis for Recommendations Potential Measure: • Monitor OHV use at Stanislaus Forebay and determine the extent of future use and management. [47], An unintended, but destructive consequence of European arrival was the introduction of foreign diseases. trout . A number of trading posts and rest stops operated on both sides of Sonora Pass including Sugar Pine, Strawberry, Baker's Station, Leavitt's Station and Big Meadows. [80] The Stanislaus and San Joaquin Water Company, formed by H.W. [67] The road became part of the state highway system in 1901 and was improved in 1906 to service the construction of Relief Dam in the headwaters of the Stanislaus River. And since this date, virtually no structural modification to a river in this country has gone unopposed. [77] Stanislaus River water flows are also a vital resource to maintain fisheries and recreational activities, dilute pollution, recharge groundwater, and control saline intrusion in the Sacramento–San Joaquin River Delta. Stanislaus River Middle Fork. It is located at an elevation of 5,700 feet 51 miles east of Sonora, CA, on Highway 108. Hydro plants on the Stanislaus River have a total capacity of more than 780 megawatts and generate 1.7 billion kilowatt hours per year. Beautiful fishing spot with accessible fishing bridge. Between 1952 and 2015, the fall chinook population has ranged from a high of 35,000 in 1953 to zero in 1977. [91], The $52 million Tri-Dam project[92] would mainly be financed by leasing hydro-power rights at these dams to Pacific Gas & Electric Company (PG&E) for a 50-year period. The Dardanelle Resort was established in 1923 at the convergence of Eagle Creek and the Middle Fork of the Stanislaus River. At an elevation of 5,950' Pigeon Flat Campground is usually open from late … The Stanislaus River is a tributary of the San Joaquin River in north-central California in the United States. [10] The 31-mile (50 km)-long North Fork rises in the Carson-Iceberg Wilderness and flows in a generally southwest direction to its confluence with the Middle Fork, passing through several small hydropower dams. trout . As many as 80 percent of the Plains Miwok who had survived Spanish colonization died in the consequent epidemic. [130] Although mostly taken over by agriculture today, the lower watershed once was home to grasslands, oak woodland, and chaparral, which are still extant in some foothill areas. [34] The "Walla Walla" term was also associated with other peoples in the region, because of their practice of digging in the earth for edible roots. Ultimately, a temporary compromise was reached, allowing the lake to be drawn down to a lower level than environmental restrictions typically allow. [89], Starting in the 1940s, the federal government had also sought to build a high dam at the Melones site. The trail parallels the river the entire length so elevation gain is at a minimum with only 277 ft in altitude gain. At Beardsley Afterbay fishing is allowed year round, with a two-trout limit (with 14” min.). [111], Since then, New Melones has struggled to fulfill its obligations to downstream water users; during droughts, the irrigation districts and the federal government have frequently fought over its water. This model proved useful for financing irrigation projects on the Stanislaus River; hydropower sales contributed greatly to repaying the bonds issued for construction. It is roughly 95 miles in length and it is divided in to three forks (the North, Middle and South) with the longest fork being the Middle Fork. In years of drought, releasing too much water for steelhead in the spring leaves too cold water for salmon and steelhead in the fall. Easy access to Middle Fork of the Stanislaus River. In addition to select campgrounds, Forest Service developed recreation facilities include Douglas Flat Picnic Area and several parking areas offering easy access to shoreline fishing. [83][81] The OID service area is located on both sides of the Stanislaus River in Stanislaus County, and the SSJID is located on the north side of the river, in Stanislaus and San Joaquin Counties. The Middle Fork Stanislaus River is a 45.7-mile (73.5 km)[3] tributary of the Stanislaus River in the central Sierra Nevada and Stanislaus National Forest of eastern California. [93] After almost ten years of construction, Donnells and Beardsley Dam were completed in 1957, and Tulloch Dam completed in 1958. Data is the average of the 1921–2003 period. The river is extremely over-allocated, meaning that claims to its water far exceed supply. [140] Spring-run chinook have since gone extinct in the Stanislaus watershed, while the spring and fall steelhead runs are considered threatened. [75] In fall 2015 higher flows on the Stanislaus River led to more than 11,000 chinook returning to the river, as compared to less than 1,000 fish in the Tuolumne and Merced. The North Fork of the Stanislaus River boasts some of the most technical Class IV whitewater rafting in California. The Stanislaus River headwaters consist of three forks in the high Sierra Nevada, in parts of Alpine County, Calaveras County and Tuolumne County. This met the districts' demands for the year but also resulted in higher water temperatures. [138], The Stanislaus River provides habitat for native anadromous fish, particularly Chinook (king) salmon, and steelhead, which spend their adult lives in the ocean but must return to fresh water to spawn. Smith called the river the "Appelamminy". National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline data. In the 1970s the construction of the federal New Melones Dam incited major opposition from recreation and environmental groups (documented on the Stanislaus River Archive), who protested the loss of one of the last free-flowing stretches of the Stanislaus. [8] Below New Melones, the river flows through the smaller Tulloch Reservoir before reaching Goodwin Dam, the oldest dam on the river (completed 1913) where large volumes of water are diverted for irrigation. The Middle Fork of the Stanislaus River below Beardsley Reservoir is one of the most fertile west slope Sierra Nevada streams. In 2016, this plan was able to conserve 75,000 acre feet (93,000,000 m3) of water. Donnells Reservoir is on the middle fork of the Stanislaus River with its crest at 4,921 feet. The fur trappers included renowned mountain men Jedediah Smith, William Henry Ashley, and Ewing Young, who explored the area in the period between 1825 and 1830. Or continue up another few miles to either Brightman campground or the bridge over the river to avoid the hard section. [181], Along the lower Stanislaus River, most of the land is privately owned. In its natural state the Stanislaus had a major spawning run in the late spring (April–June) and smaller runs in the fall and winter. After Knight's death, Lewis Dent took over the ferry operations. The Middle Fork Stanislaus converges with the North Fork and South Fork of the Stanislaus upstream of New Melones Reservoir. About a week later, after having made their way up the rugged North Fork canyon, they crossed Ebbetts Pass, becoming the first people of European descent to cross the Sierra. In 1851 the Tuolumne County Water Company was organized to divert water from the South Fork of the Stanislaus River; by 1853 it consisted of 80 miles (130 km) of canals serving as many as 1,800 miners and their claims. This prevented spring-run smolt from making their way down to the sea. [33] The Miwok had a predominantly hunter-gatherer lifestyle, although they also practiced some primitive agriculture and controlled burning of grassland to enhance their hunting grounds. Hardwood forests (California black oak, canyon live oak and blue oak) and gray pine are common along streams and canyon bottoms, and in the foothills other hardwoods such as chamise, manzanita and mountain mahogany are present. American Whitewater is actively involved in the relicense proceedings. [42] In the spring of 1827 Smith's party camped on the Laquisimes River near present-day Oakdale, having reportedly cached 1,500 pounds (680 kg) of beaver pelts nearby. [168] The Sand Bar and Mt. A 17 mile section from Beardsley Afterbay to the confluence of the North Fork Stanislaus is designated by the State of California as a Wild Trout Fishery. Below the Beardsley dam, it continues west to its confluence with the North Fork at Camp Nine, a popular swimming and fishing area near Hathaway Pines. Today, the districts irrigate a combined 120,000 acres (49,000 ha),[75] with the major crops being grapes, almonds, corn, rice, fruit orchards and pasture. Miners expected to profit within a short time and then leave these primitive conditions and return to their homes. [17] The highest peak before 1978 was 62,500 cubic feet per second (1,770 m3/s) on December 24, 1955,[6] and the lowest monthly mean was 0.635 cubic feet per second (0.0180 m3/s) in August 1977. Sand Bar Flat to Spring Gap is a three mile one way (six mile round trip) hike beginning at the Sand Bar Flat campground on the Middle Fork Stanislaus and ending at the Spring Gap Powerhouse. The river drains a watershed of 332 square miles (860 km2)[4] in Tuolumne County, much of it within the Stanislaus National Forest. [131] Riparian zones have experienced further decline from development in the floodplain and extensive mining for sand and gravel. Damage from the 2018 Donnell Fire [148], The effect of higher flows on anadromous fish has been difficult to quantify, in part due to the myriad of other factors such as pollution and non-native predators. Numbers don’t lie. [64] Only a few years later, most of the mining claims and infrastructure were destroyed by the 1862 flood. The state has recommended that 40 percent of the spring runoff be allowed to flow down the river; some environmental groups have pushed for as much as 60 percent. Today, most of the road has been replaced by the newer alignment of Highway 108. [11] Much of the watershed is at high elevation, with 40 percent of the total area above winter snow line. We would like to show you a description here but the site won’t allow us. Middle Fork Stanislaus River (lower) Sponsored by: Local, State, & Natl Parks Other Recreation All Camping Fishing. [123][125], In 2004, PG&E's license for the Tri-Dam project expired, and a new contract with the irrigation districts had to be negotiated. Prop 17 was defeated by a narrow margin of voters, in part due to heavy lobbying by water agencies. [22] The river's annual floods once spread for miles over the surrounding terrain. Put-in: Continue east on Highway 108 until you get to Baker Campground. [40] Although the Spanish ultimately did not establish any missions in the Central Valley, they forcibly took thousands of Native Americans to missions along the coast, where they were converted to Catholicism and subjected to agricultural labor. [80] In 1948 the districts joined to increase water storage on the Stanislaus River by constructing the Tri-Dam Project, consisting of Donnells and Beardsley dams on the Middle Fork, Tulloch Dam between the existing Goodwin and Melones dams, and Columbia Dam below the junction of the Middle and North Forks (this fourth site was later dropped from the proposal). The North Fork of the Stanislaus River acts like a free-flowing river, even though Spicer Reservoir is located 14 miles upstream at an elevation of 6300 feet. [169] The average season for this run is only about 3 weeks long, typically in early June. Stanislaus River, Middle Fork, lower Tuolumne County Car Accessible Driving Directions. ", "New Melones Reservoir operators ask to reduce environmental releases: Critics say mandated fish releases undermine local economy", "Water districts halt fish flow at New Melones", "Multi-Agency New Melones Plan Benefits Farmers, Fish", "California Hydroelectric Statistics & Data", "Case Study Report #41: Sand Bar Diversion, Middle Fork Stanislaus River", "North Fork Stanislaus River, Hydroelectric Development Project", "Conservation Groups Successfully Conclude 4 year Relicense, Stanislaus (CA)", "Water Quality Certification Program: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) Project No. Map It. After federal funding was approved, construction started in 1966. [95] It would be a multi-purpose unit of the Central Valley Project, providing irrigation, flood control, hydropower and fishery flows. Although New Melones was eventually built, its completion is considered to have marked the end of large dam building in the United States.[8]. [142] Furthermore, the study found that most out-migration occurred during natural rainfall events along the lower river, rather than artificial pulse flows from upstream dams. CCWD: Calaveras County Water District. [145] Other influences such as decrease of riparian habitat, gravel mining, and introduced predatory fish have also heavily affected native fish populations. Many miners traveling from the eastern United States arrived in California via the Sonora Pass, at the headwaters of the Middle Fork of the Stanislaus River. There were extensive wetlands and riparian zones along waterways with a canopy of cottonwood, sycamore and valley oak. A 2009 biological opinion from the National Marine Fisheries Service suggested that even higher flows would be required for the fish populations to truly benefit. Stanislaus River Middle Fork. [9] It flows northwest then west, receiving the Clark Fork below Dardanelle, before feeding Donnell Lake and Beardsley Lake, both formed by hydroelectric power dams. [46] According to popular legend, Estanislao would carve an "S" in a tree after his attacks, and was an inspiration for the fictional character Zorro. The planning unit contains PG&E facilities such as dams, forebays, powerhouses, powerlines, penstocks, canals, and various other associated structures. However, some large areas of riparian habitat do remain, such as around Caswell Memorial State Park. [102][103], As a result, the state of California under Governor Jerry Brown (who also objected to New Melones on economic grounds) issued a temporary limit in November 1980 to keep the lake level below Parrott's Ferry Bridge, which marked the lower end of the Stanislaus whitewater. Much of State Route 108 (the Sonora Pass Highway) runs parallel to the South Fork, as well as the upper part of the Middle Fork, linking a number of small communities in the upper Stanislaus basin. Middle Fork Stanislaus River (lower) Sponsored by: Local, State, & Natl Parks Other Recreation All Camping Fishing. The Sierra Railway was a popular filming location starting around 1917 due to the "rugged countryside and quaint, ancient trains. [38] In 1808, Moraga returned to the area to search for suitable mission sites, but was not successful. [9], The average unimpaired runoff of the Stanislaus River, as estimated at New Melones Dam, is 1,121,000 acre feet (1.383 km3) per year, or about 1,500 cubic feet per second (42 m3/s). [140], Water diversions have historically been considered the major factor decreasing salmon and steelhead populations. Harrold in 1895, improved on this system, building 47 miles (76 km) of canals along the north side of the Stanislaus River and supplying water to some 3,000 acres (1,200 ha) in Manteca and Oakdale. 2130–033", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Middle_Fork_Stanislaus_River&oldid=912873593, Rivers of the Sierra Nevada in California, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 28 August 2019, at 12:30. [117][120], PG&E also built the original 22 megawatt power station at the old 1926 Melones Dam, under a 40-year contract with the Oakdale and South San Joaquin Irrigation Districts. It is impounded at Donnell and Beardsley reservoirs. [21][22], The upper watershed comprises 90 percent of the total area and supplies a commensurate proportion of the river flow. 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