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GC1674E

EarthcacheAmerican River At Nimbus

A cache by 2Dee2Dee     Hidden: 9/25/2007

Size: Size: Not chosen (Not chosen)     Difficulty: 1.5 out of 5     Terrain: 1 out of 5 (1 is easiest, 5 is hardest)


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N/S ? ??.??? W/E ??? ??.??? 
In California, United States

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With seasonal Salmon and Steelhead runs, the river and lakes formed by the flood control dams on the American River provide a shared recreation area bounded by extensive nature areas and multi-use trails. It is also home to many migratory birds and ducks.
Free Parking Coordinates 38 38.006, -121 13.432

TO LOG this cache stand at 38 38.119 -121 13.469 to observe acceptible answers to the following questions sent in a separate offline email to us. You MUST ALSO post a photo of yourselves on YOUR LOG taken somewhere near the site or around the Fish Hatchery area.

1. Read Plaque and tell us what is distinctive about this bridge?
2. Judge the river width at this point.
3. Describe the geologic difference between the North and South banks of the river.
4. What is the use of the derrick like structure a few yards West?
5. How many operable sections in the structure ¼ mile East?
6. Post an interesting personal photo taken anywhere near the site.

The American River Division of the Central Valley Project provides water for irrigation, municipal and industrial use, hydroelectric power, and recreation. Flood control is provided through a system of dams, canals, and power plants. The Folsom Unit consists of Folsom Dam, Lake, and Power plant; Nimbus Dam and Power plant; and Lake Natoma, all on the American River.

Nimbus Dam is on the American River in Sacramento County, California, 7 miles downstream from Folsom Dam. It re-regulates the releases for power made through the Folsom Power plant. Nimbus Dam is a concrete gravity dam 1,093 feet long and 87 feet high. Eighteen radial gates, each 40-feet by 24-feet, control the flows. The total volume of material used in the dam is 121,100 cubic yards. Reclamation operates the dam. Nimbus Dam and Power plant was completed and accepted by the Government in July 1955. Nimbus Dam forms Lake Natoma, with a capacity of 8,760 acre-feet and a surface area of 540 acres.

Nimbus Power plant. Constructed and operated by Reclamation, is located on the right abutment of Nimbus Dam, on the north side of the river. Its two generators has a combined output of 3,500 kilowatts. It started operating in 1955.

Nimbus Fish Hatchery. Construction of Folsom and Nimbus Dams blocked access to natural spawning grounds of salmon and steelhead trout. To compensate for the loss of these spawning areas, Reclamation constructed a fish hatchery about a quarter of a mile downstream from Nimbus Dam. The hatchery is on the left bank of the river, about 0.3 mile below the dam. It is operated by the State of California with Reclamation funds. Work began on April 20, 1955 and was finished and accepted on October 17, 1955.

Whether you arrive on four wheels, or follow the American River Bike Trail on two, a visit to the Nimbus Fish Hatchery should not be missed. Watching the spawning fish and learning about their adventures makes learning fun. While there are no formal guided tours, there's plenty to make a self-guided tour worth your while. Around the first week of November the salmon make their way up a ''fish ladder'' to lay eggs in the pond at the top. The Hatchery has a capacity of 30,000,000 eggs. That's a lot of salmon!


American River Bluffs. The Sacramento Valley is a structural trough occupying approximately the northern third of the Great Valley Geomorphic Province. The area is near the edge of a structural trough associated with the bedrock formation of the Sierra Nevada province. The trough is filled with marine, lacustrine and alluvial deposits. The American River at Nimbus is composed of variable topography with up to 150 feet of relief across the river. Along the north side, the higher elevations consist of the resistant material (bedrock) that composes the bluffs and slopes along the American River, while on the south side the lower relief is the result of a combination of low topographic, erodible material located within the floodplain of the American River, and of areas of man-made embankment fills above natural grade. The site is generally underlain by thin veneer of colluvium derived from the poorly to semi-consolidated sediments of the Turlock Lake Formation, over semi-consolidated sediments of the Laguna Formation. Quaternary and Tertiary-age alluvial deposits are composed of medium dense to dense silts, sands and gravels. The Laguna and Turlock Formations unconformably overlay the Mehrten Formation, and which is exposed in rock cut on the north side of the American River channel. The Mehrten Formation is composed of moderately indurate andesitic conglomerates, sandstone and breccia.

 


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Logged Visits (123 total. Visit the Gallery (130 images))

Found it117     Didn't find it2     Write note3     Publish Listing1     

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Cache find counts are based on the last time the page generated.

 November 25, 2009 by bunkyboo (61 found)
Because of the construction going on in this area, the coordinates listed were closed off. We rode all around trying to find a way in and we just couldn't Probably could have answered some of the questions without going to the listed coordinates, but we decided not to do that. Will probably come back later when the construction starts winding down.

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 November 1, 2009 by fgitano (159 found)
We saw deer, birds, and a few salmon swimming up the river.

View This Log
Photo Fish Hatchery

 October 31, 2009 by Steph2472 (167 found)
Sort of found it....too much construction, but we had a great time viewing the river and the runs. Fish in both spots were very active today.

View This Log
Photo Hatchery Fish

 September 24, 2009 by Vole` (5151 found)
With rubberpaws for this fine earthcache. Hope to return and really get to see it all after the construction is finished or so I can at least see more. Hope to see the salmon run etc. Picture is with rubberpaws' log. Thanks for bringing us here.

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 September 24, 2009 by rubberpaws (6581 found)
there is a lot of construction going on but you can still get to the hatchery, just can't get to all the views. didn't even know this was here, so glad this earthcache brought us here to enjoy and the future when the salmon are running.
thanks again.

View This Log
Photo me in the distance with the construction
Photo Vole` at the river

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Current Time: 2/10/2010 2:20:33 AM (GMT-08:00) Pacific Time (US & Canada) (10:20 AM GMT)
Last Updated: 11/25/2009 4:14:50 PM (GMT-08:00) Pacific Time (US & Canada) (12:14 AM GMT)
Rendered: From Database
Coordinates are in the WGS84 datum


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