The Sacramento River at Meridian EarthCache
The Sacramento River at Meridian
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The Sacramento River is the longest river in California. Starting near Mt Shasta in the Cascade Range, the Sacramento flows 382 miles southwest through the northern central valley of California, between the Pacific Coast Range and the Sierra Nevada.
Not far downstream from the confluence with the American river, the Sacramento (along with the San Joaquin river) forms the San Joaquin river delta and then flows into the northern arm of San Francisco bay. Its chief tributaries are the Pit, Feather, McCloud and American rivers. The Pit river is the longest of these, but the Feather and American rivers carry larger volumes of water.
Man-made channels make the river navigable for 180 miles upstream from San Francisco bay; ocean-going ships travel as far inland as the city of Sacramento. Marine animals such as gray whales and sea lions are occasionally found far inland after navigating the river for food or refuge and then losing track of how to get back to the Pacific Ocean. In May 2007 a humpback whale and her calf, affectionately named Delta and Dawn, by the media, traveled 90 miles up the Sacramento river before being rescued. Rescuers broadcast humpback whale sounds to draw the whales back to the ocean.
Shasta Dam, on the Sacramento river, is located about ten miles north of Redding. The dam was completed in 1945 and provides flood control, irrigation and domestic water supply, and hydroelectric power. The Sacramento river throughout its length is known for fishing (trout in the upper elevations, bass, catfish, and sturgeon in the lower reaches) and water sports.
To log this cache, stand on the levee (at N 39 08.775 W 121 55.015) and answer four questions:
1. What type of bridge do you see? What is the message on the large green sign attached to the north side of the bridge? If you are unable to read it (and don't have your binoculars with you), make an educated guess.
2. Estimate the width of the river at this site, and the height of the levee you are standing on. How is the far bank of the river different than the near one?
3. What is the fenced platform at the river's edge that is located about a 100 yards north of where you are standing? What is the highest elevation number on the gauge that is attached to the platform?
4. Name three species of birds that you see flying along the river. If no birds are present, identify 3 types of trees which are visible nearby.
Please post a picture of yourself or a member of your party at the site holding your gps.
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Treasures
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