Big River (California) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Big River |
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Big River, from the Big River Unit of Mendocino Headlands State Park
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 Location of the mouth in California
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| Other name(s) | Arroyo Grande |
| Country | United States |
| State | California |
| Region | Mendocino County |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Main source | Impassable Rocks 7 mi (11 km) south of Willits, California 39°19′3″N 123°22′23″W / 39.31750°N 123.37306°W |
| River mouth | Pacific Ocean Mendocino, California 0 ft (0 m) 39°18′8″N 123°47′41″W / 39.30222°N 123.79472°W |
| Basin features | |
| Basin size | 181 sq mi (470 km2) |
The Big River is a 41.7-mile (67.1 km) long river in Mendocino County, California. It flows from the northern California Coast Ranges to the Pacific Ocean near Mendocino, California. Near the ocean, the river forms a special area called an estuary. This estuary is 8 miles (13 km) long and is the longest undeveloped one in California. It's a mix of fresh and salty water.
Contents
River History: A Look Back in Time
Who Lived Here First?
Long ago, before Europeans arrived, the land around the Big River was home to the Mitom Pomo people. They were a group of the Northern Pomo tribe. They lived near Willits, California and along the coast. They even had a village called Buldam near the river's mouth.
Why is it Called Big River?
The river got its name, "Big River," because of the giant redwoods that used to grow along its banks. These huge trees made the river look very grand. On an old map from 1844, it was called "Arroyo Grande," which also means "Big River" in Spanish.
Logging and Mills: Changing the River
Since the 1850s, the timber industry has been very important here. The first sawmill was built in 1852 in what is now Mendocino, California. This mill used the river to transport wood.
Workers built special "splash dams" on the river. In winter, they would open the floodgates. This would send logs rushing downstream to special areas called "booms." These booms kept the logs from floating out to sea. This way of moving logs changed the river a lot. It caused more dirt to wash into the water and removed natural wood from the riverbed. The estuary, where the river meets the ocean, was even used as a log storage area from 1852 to 1938.
Big River's Journey: From Mountains to Ocean
Where Does the River Start?
The Big River watershed covers 181 square miles (469 km²). It starts in the Mendocino Range, which is part of the California Coast Ranges. The river begins high up, about 2,800 feet (865 meters) above sea level. This is about 30 miles (48 km) inland from the Pacific Ocean.
Some of the river's water comes from Montgomery Creek. This creek flows through beautiful old-growth redwoods in Montgomery Woods State Natural Reserve.
The River's Path to the Sea
From its start, the river flows mostly west through Jackson Demonstration State Forest. As it gets closer to the ocean, it passes through Mendocino Woodlands State Park and the Big River Unit of Mendocino Headlands State Park. Finally, it reaches the Pacific Ocean just south of Mendocino, California.
The Special Estuary: Where Fresh and Salt Water Mix
The Big River Estuary is the longest undeveloped estuary in California. In summer, salty ocean water can reach 8.3 miles (13.4 km) upstream. In winter, when there's more freshwater from rain, the salty water only reaches about 3 miles (4.8 km) upstream.
People have long wanted to protect this beautiful and important area. In 2002, a large piece of land around the estuary was bought by the Mendocino Land Trust. They then gave it to California State Parks. In 2010, the estuary waters became a State Marine Conservation Area. This means it's a special place where marine life is protected.
Wildlife and Nature: The River's Living World
Rain and River Flow
The Big River gets most of its water from rain. About 90 percent of the rain falls between October and April. On the coast, it rains about 40 inches (102 cm) each year. Inland, near Willits, it rains about 51 inches (130 cm). Winters have gentle rain, while summers are dry and cool, often with coastal fog. The river is important for recreation and provides water for farming and industry in Mendocino.
Fish Friends in the River
The Big River is a vital home for many fish. It has cold, fresh water that fish need to migrate and lay their eggs. Several types of salmon and trout that live here are listed as endangered or threatened. These include:
- Coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch)
- Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha)
- Steelhead trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)
Other native fish include the Pacific lamprey, sculpins, three-spined stickleback, and the Sacramento sucker.
Estuary Life: A Busy Place
The Big River Estuary is a very important wetland habitat. Many fish use it as a nursery or feeding ground:
- Pacific Herring lay their eggs here.
- Shiner surfperch and Bay Pipefish give birth here.
- Young English sole and copper rockfish come here to grow.
- Many marine fish, like night smelt, visit seasonally to feed.
- Coastal species like cabezon and kelp greenling move in and out all year.
Beavers: River Engineers
California golden beavers were brought back to the Big River area in the mid-1900s. They had disappeared earlier because of hunting. Beavers are like natural engineers! Their dams help the river by:
- Catching dirt and making the water cleaner.
- Creating pools where young salmon can stay during summer.
- Raising the water level, which helps streams stay full in dry seasons.
- Making more places for fish to hide.
- Slowing down strong storm flows.
Studies show that when beavers were gone, salmon and trout populations dropped a lot. Having beavers back helps these endangered fish. Other animals like river otters and mink also live in the Big River.
Land Use: How People Use the River's Land
Timber and the River
Growing and harvesting trees (timber production) is the main way people use the land around the Big River. The first sawmill was built in 1852. By 1873, it was the most important mill in Mendocino County. It operated until 1931. Logs were brought to the mill by river or by a railway that went 9 miles (14 km) up the Big River.
Forests and Conservation Efforts
The North Fork Big River area was logged by the Caspar Lumber Company. Their land became the Jackson Demonstration State Forest in 1955. This forest makes up about one-third of the river's watershed. Other companies own most of the rest of the land.
Like many rivers on the northern California Coast, the biggest problem for the Big River has been too much dirt (sediment) washing into the water. This happens because of logging practices. This extra dirt harms the river and its fish. Also, old log jams from past logging can block fish from swimming upstream to lay eggs.
Today, people are working to improve the Big River watershed. They want to help the salmon and trout by using better logging methods. Modern logging and road care have reduced the amount of dirt washing into the river. This allows timber harvesting to continue in 55% of the watershed while also helping the river's health.
