The Central Valley is surrounded by three mountain ranges: Sierra Nevada to the east, Coastal Range to the west, and the Tehachapi Range to the South. Over the millennia, the valley was filled by sediments from these mountains creating an extraordinary flatness along the valley floor. Water from the winter snow melts historically turned the valley into an inland sea. Irrigation and dams have drained the valley and control the flooding now. Thousands of years of being an inland sea provided very rich soil for farmland.
The Central Valley is large – 40 to 60 miles wide and stretches approximately 450 miles northwest to southeast. The roughly 22,500 square miles of valley account for 13.7% of California’s total land area and is home to some of the nation’s most productive agricultural area. The northern end of valley receives over 20 inches of rain annually while the southern end is a semi-arid desert climate.
The unique geology of the mountains and valley allowed for the construction of the California Aqueduct. Water is collected from the mountain rivers in the north and is redistributed to the water-scarce but populous south. The long travel from the wet north to the dry south wouldn’t be possible without the flatness of the valley floor. The aqueduct travels for 300 miles, mostly along the western flank of the Central Valley, delivering more than 13,000 cu ft/s of water. About 70% of the water provided is used for urban areas and 30% is used for irrigation in the valley.
To reach Southern California, water must be pumped over the Tehachapi Mountains. The pipes you see south of GZ are part of the Chrisman Plant where water is lifted 520 feet. This is just the beginning of the journey over the Tehachapi Mountains to its final destination: LA.
Logging Requirements
In order to mark this cache as found, please send me a email answering all of the questions below.
- List the name of this earthcache
- Are there signs around GZ that the valley soil is fertile?
- In your opinion, why is the Chrisman Plant where it is? What feature is the location taking advantage of?
- In your Found log, post a photo showing you were at the site.
KCC Non-Traditional Cache Contest
This cache is part of the Kern County Cachers Non-Traditional Cache Contest that started July 11, 2015 and the caches that receive the most favorite points win prizes! Be sure to check out all of the quality KCC NTCC caches on the KCC Non-Traditional Cache Contest Caches Bookmark List and if you like my cache, please consider awarding it a favorite point. Thank you!