Upper Pit River Watershed IRWM (implementation stage)
The Upper Pit River Watershed IRWM aims to accomplish the following goals: maintain or improve water quality within the watershed; maintain availability of water for irrigation demands and ecological needs (both ground and surface water); sustain/improve aquatic, riparian, and wetland communities; sustain and improve upland vegetation and wildlife communities; control & prevent the spread of invasive noxious weeds; strengthen community watershed stewardship; reduce river and stream channel erosion and restore channel morphology; support community sustainability by strengthening natural-resource-based economies; support and encourage better coordination of data, collection, sharing, and reporting in the watershed; improve domestic drinking water supply efficiency/reliability; address the water-related needs of disadvantaged communities; conserve energy, address the effects of climate variability, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
To learn more about the Upper Pit River Watershed IRWM group, please visit the Upper Pit River IRWM website and review their IRWMP!
2014 Accomplishments:
2015 Goals:
REGIONAL DESCRIPTION
The Pit River is the primary river in northeastern California, a significant tributary to the Sacramento River, and an integral hydrologic feature for the region. The Upper Pit River watershed comprises four primary sub-watersheds including the Upper Pit River, Fall River, Burney Creek, and Hat Creek sub-watersheds. The northern, eastern, and southern boundaries are defined by the Upper Pit River sub-watershed, and the western boundary is defined by the Fall River, Burney Creek, and Hat Creek sub-watersheds. The watershed is 2,891,575 acres and covers portions of Modoc, Siskiyou, Lassen, and Shasta Counties. Please note: This chapter does not incorporate statistics and other detailed information from the addition of the Goose Lake area to the IRWM region.
The climate of the Upper Pit River watershed is characterized by hot, dry summers and cold winters. Temperature and precipitation ranges differ from the lower elevations to the higher elevations. The Warner Mountains receive an average of 20 to 30 inches of precipitation (mainly snowfall) annually, while the lower-elevation valley floors receive less than ten inches of precipitation per year. The Fall River sub-watershed receives less than ten inches per year in the valley and up to 65 inches per year on the western boundary. The Hat Creek and Burney Creek sub- watersheds receive approximately 15 inches per year at the lower elevations and up to 85 to 95 inches of precipitation per year near Lassen Peak. The watershed is home to a diverse range of wildlife species. The vegetation that characterizes the watershed is highly varied, ranging from conifer forests, sagebrush, juniper, and chaparral to agricultural and grassland areas, wet meadows, riparian vegetation, and aspen stands.
Rural resource-based economies generally characterize the Upper Pit River watershed. Agriculture and timber production have remained this watershed's main industries since the colonization of the West. The largest city in the watershed is Burney (Shasta County) with a population of 3,154, and Alturas with a current population of 2,8273 is the Modoc County seat. Land use in the watershed is heavily influenced by ownership. Over 60 percent of the watershed is publicly owned. Most of the low- and mid-elevation lands are privately owned and used primarily for agriculture (ranching and farming) and residential purposes, while commercial timber companies and the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) or Bureau of Land Management (BLM) hold the majority of land in the upper elevations. Sixty-five jurisdictional dams exist in the watershed, primarily for agricultural uses.
The Pit River Tribe is a federally recognized Tribe composed of 11 autonomous bands located in northeastern California since time immemorial. The territory consists of all ancestral lands recognized by the Indian Claims Commission on July 29, 1959; findings of the Claims Commission assert the Tribe’s jurisdiction over its territory’s lands, waters, properties, air space, fish, wildlife, and other resources. The Native American pre-colonization population is estimated to be much higher than early federal census data show. Today, overall population density is generally less than ten persons per square mile. The Pit River Tribe looks to the Winters Doctrine as the basis for their Tribal water rights. The Winters Doctrine, also known as the “implied reservation of water doctrine,” has been consistently upheld by the Supreme Court.
Nearly 70 percent of total storage capacity in the Upper Pit River watershed is associated with four reservoirs. These reservoirs include Big Sage (77,000 acre-feet), Moon Lake (39,500 acre-feet), West Valley (23,000 acre-feet), and Dorris (11,100 acre-feet). The Tule Lake dam (Moon Lake) was constructed on Cedar Creek in 1904, and Big Sage dam was constructed in 1921. The West Valley and Dorris dams were constructed in the 1930s. Several water districts in the watershed receive water from these reservoirs as the mainstem and many tributaries of the Pit River are used as a conveyance for irrigation water. These reservoirs increase summer flows in the Pit River during June, July, August, and September.
Streams in the watershed include the North and South Forks of the Pit River, including their many tributaries, (i.e., Big Juniper Creek, Cedar Creek, Dry Creek, East Creek, Fitzhugh Creek, Gleason Creek, Joseph Creek, Linville Creek, Little Juniper Creek, Mile Creek, Mill River, Negro Creek, Parker Creek, Pine Creek, Shields Creek, Stony Canyon Creek, and Thomas Creek). These contribute to the mainstem of the Pit River. Tributaries to the mainstem of the Pit River include: Ash Creek, Burney Creek, Butte Creek, Dutch Flat Creek, Fall River, Hat Creek, Horse Creek, Juniper Creek, Rush Creek, Stone Coal Creek, Turner Creek, and Willow Creek. Other smaller springs and seeps contribute additional flow throughout the watershed.
The Fall River is unique, as its primary source of flow is from springs within the Fall River Valley. Hydromodification has played an important role in the Fall River Valley. Primary hydrologic features in the watershed include both manmade and natural features. At the time of early settlement, Fall River was naturally obstructed, causing the waters of Big Lake to encompass an area that reached just north of present-day McArthur. The impeded water created a large swamp that covered several thousand acres with an expanse of tules and a wet-meadow-fringed marsh fed by a network of springs. Blasting equipment was used to form a channel through the barrier at Manning’s Falls, and two large gates were built to lower the water level of the river. A levee and drainage canal system were later constructed to direct the water from the swamp to the Pit River. Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) began construction of the Pit 1 Powerhouse in 1920 and began using it to generate power in 1922. The Pit 1 diversion redirected the entire unallocated flow of the Fall River for electric energy. PG&E purchased the swamplands in 1924 and sealed the irrigation gates and levees. The former swampland now includes 1,400 acres of open water, mainly consisting of Big Lake, Tule River, and some canals along with adjacent pastureland, which is leased for grazing. The majority of the Fall River flow continues to be diverted for Pit 1 power generation.
In the mountain valleys and basins of the Upper Pit River watershed, groundwater has been developed to supplement surface water supplies. Most of the rivers and streams of the watershed have water rights that were adjudicated between 1870 and 1940. The diversion of surface water has historically supported agriculture. Drought conditions and increasing competition for surface water have led to significant groundwater development for irrigation in many of the alluvial basins within the watershed.
The Upper Pit River watershed sits in one of the most unique volcanic regions in North America. The region consists primarily of Cenozoic-age (younger than 65 million years) volcanic rocks overlain by Quaternary volcanic, alluvial, and lacustrine deposits. The western portion of the region contains many Pliocene and recent Holocene volcanics. Central and eastern portions of the watershed consist of heavily faulted, late Cenozoic volcanics and more recent Tertiary volcanics of the Warner Mountains. Volcanic-rock aquifers are located in the Modoc Plateau and the Cascade Mountains in volcanic terrains that extend into Oregon. In general, these aquifers are not distinct, readily identifiable aquifers because they contain water in fractures, volcanic pipes, tuff beds, rubble zones, and interbedded sand layers, primarily in basalts of Miocene age or younger. The watershed is home to abundant geothermal resources. A massive reserve of 450-degree F water lies approximately 5,000 feet below Medicine Lake. The water, heated by a large body of cooling magma, is stored in the pore space of the surrounding volcanic rock. Isolated hot springs are common throughout the watershed and have been used for a variety of economic endeavors.
Contact:
Stacey Hafen
North Cal-Neva RC&D Council, Inc.
P.O. Box 1434 | 221 W. 8th Street
Alturas, CA 96101
530-233-4314 ext. 114
To learn more about the Upper Pit River Watershed IRWM group, please visit the Upper Pit River IRWM website and review their IRWMP!
2014 Accomplishments:
- Successfully applying for and earning DWR IRWM Round 2 Implementation as well as Drought Mitigation funding.
- This funding allowed the region to implement 6 projects which range from Community Service District Infrastructure Improvement to 1000 acres of juniper removal!
2015 Goals:
- This region will try to incorporate the Goose Lake Area into the IRWMP.
- To amend our IRWMP with regional information, objectives and goals and projects related to our newly expanded boundaries.
REGIONAL DESCRIPTION
The Pit River is the primary river in northeastern California, a significant tributary to the Sacramento River, and an integral hydrologic feature for the region. The Upper Pit River watershed comprises four primary sub-watersheds including the Upper Pit River, Fall River, Burney Creek, and Hat Creek sub-watersheds. The northern, eastern, and southern boundaries are defined by the Upper Pit River sub-watershed, and the western boundary is defined by the Fall River, Burney Creek, and Hat Creek sub-watersheds. The watershed is 2,891,575 acres and covers portions of Modoc, Siskiyou, Lassen, and Shasta Counties. Please note: This chapter does not incorporate statistics and other detailed information from the addition of the Goose Lake area to the IRWM region.
The climate of the Upper Pit River watershed is characterized by hot, dry summers and cold winters. Temperature and precipitation ranges differ from the lower elevations to the higher elevations. The Warner Mountains receive an average of 20 to 30 inches of precipitation (mainly snowfall) annually, while the lower-elevation valley floors receive less than ten inches of precipitation per year. The Fall River sub-watershed receives less than ten inches per year in the valley and up to 65 inches per year on the western boundary. The Hat Creek and Burney Creek sub- watersheds receive approximately 15 inches per year at the lower elevations and up to 85 to 95 inches of precipitation per year near Lassen Peak. The watershed is home to a diverse range of wildlife species. The vegetation that characterizes the watershed is highly varied, ranging from conifer forests, sagebrush, juniper, and chaparral to agricultural and grassland areas, wet meadows, riparian vegetation, and aspen stands.
Rural resource-based economies generally characterize the Upper Pit River watershed. Agriculture and timber production have remained this watershed's main industries since the colonization of the West. The largest city in the watershed is Burney (Shasta County) with a population of 3,154, and Alturas with a current population of 2,8273 is the Modoc County seat. Land use in the watershed is heavily influenced by ownership. Over 60 percent of the watershed is publicly owned. Most of the low- and mid-elevation lands are privately owned and used primarily for agriculture (ranching and farming) and residential purposes, while commercial timber companies and the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) or Bureau of Land Management (BLM) hold the majority of land in the upper elevations. Sixty-five jurisdictional dams exist in the watershed, primarily for agricultural uses.
The Pit River Tribe is a federally recognized Tribe composed of 11 autonomous bands located in northeastern California since time immemorial. The territory consists of all ancestral lands recognized by the Indian Claims Commission on July 29, 1959; findings of the Claims Commission assert the Tribe’s jurisdiction over its territory’s lands, waters, properties, air space, fish, wildlife, and other resources. The Native American pre-colonization population is estimated to be much higher than early federal census data show. Today, overall population density is generally less than ten persons per square mile. The Pit River Tribe looks to the Winters Doctrine as the basis for their Tribal water rights. The Winters Doctrine, also known as the “implied reservation of water doctrine,” has been consistently upheld by the Supreme Court.
Nearly 70 percent of total storage capacity in the Upper Pit River watershed is associated with four reservoirs. These reservoirs include Big Sage (77,000 acre-feet), Moon Lake (39,500 acre-feet), West Valley (23,000 acre-feet), and Dorris (11,100 acre-feet). The Tule Lake dam (Moon Lake) was constructed on Cedar Creek in 1904, and Big Sage dam was constructed in 1921. The West Valley and Dorris dams were constructed in the 1930s. Several water districts in the watershed receive water from these reservoirs as the mainstem and many tributaries of the Pit River are used as a conveyance for irrigation water. These reservoirs increase summer flows in the Pit River during June, July, August, and September.
Streams in the watershed include the North and South Forks of the Pit River, including their many tributaries, (i.e., Big Juniper Creek, Cedar Creek, Dry Creek, East Creek, Fitzhugh Creek, Gleason Creek, Joseph Creek, Linville Creek, Little Juniper Creek, Mile Creek, Mill River, Negro Creek, Parker Creek, Pine Creek, Shields Creek, Stony Canyon Creek, and Thomas Creek). These contribute to the mainstem of the Pit River. Tributaries to the mainstem of the Pit River include: Ash Creek, Burney Creek, Butte Creek, Dutch Flat Creek, Fall River, Hat Creek, Horse Creek, Juniper Creek, Rush Creek, Stone Coal Creek, Turner Creek, and Willow Creek. Other smaller springs and seeps contribute additional flow throughout the watershed.
The Fall River is unique, as its primary source of flow is from springs within the Fall River Valley. Hydromodification has played an important role in the Fall River Valley. Primary hydrologic features in the watershed include both manmade and natural features. At the time of early settlement, Fall River was naturally obstructed, causing the waters of Big Lake to encompass an area that reached just north of present-day McArthur. The impeded water created a large swamp that covered several thousand acres with an expanse of tules and a wet-meadow-fringed marsh fed by a network of springs. Blasting equipment was used to form a channel through the barrier at Manning’s Falls, and two large gates were built to lower the water level of the river. A levee and drainage canal system were later constructed to direct the water from the swamp to the Pit River. Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) began construction of the Pit 1 Powerhouse in 1920 and began using it to generate power in 1922. The Pit 1 diversion redirected the entire unallocated flow of the Fall River for electric energy. PG&E purchased the swamplands in 1924 and sealed the irrigation gates and levees. The former swampland now includes 1,400 acres of open water, mainly consisting of Big Lake, Tule River, and some canals along with adjacent pastureland, which is leased for grazing. The majority of the Fall River flow continues to be diverted for Pit 1 power generation.
In the mountain valleys and basins of the Upper Pit River watershed, groundwater has been developed to supplement surface water supplies. Most of the rivers and streams of the watershed have water rights that were adjudicated between 1870 and 1940. The diversion of surface water has historically supported agriculture. Drought conditions and increasing competition for surface water have led to significant groundwater development for irrigation in many of the alluvial basins within the watershed.
The Upper Pit River watershed sits in one of the most unique volcanic regions in North America. The region consists primarily of Cenozoic-age (younger than 65 million years) volcanic rocks overlain by Quaternary volcanic, alluvial, and lacustrine deposits. The western portion of the region contains many Pliocene and recent Holocene volcanics. Central and eastern portions of the watershed consist of heavily faulted, late Cenozoic volcanics and more recent Tertiary volcanics of the Warner Mountains. Volcanic-rock aquifers are located in the Modoc Plateau and the Cascade Mountains in volcanic terrains that extend into Oregon. In general, these aquifers are not distinct, readily identifiable aquifers because they contain water in fractures, volcanic pipes, tuff beds, rubble zones, and interbedded sand layers, primarily in basalts of Miocene age or younger. The watershed is home to abundant geothermal resources. A massive reserve of 450-degree F water lies approximately 5,000 feet below Medicine Lake. The water, heated by a large body of cooling magma, is stored in the pore space of the surrounding volcanic rock. Isolated hot springs are common throughout the watershed and have been used for a variety of economic endeavors.
Contact:
Stacey Hafen
North Cal-Neva RC&D Council, Inc.
P.O. Box 1434 | 221 W. 8th Street
Alturas, CA 96101
530-233-4314 ext. 114
