Deer Creek (Tehama County, California) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Deer Creek |
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Upper Deer Creek Falls in April 2020.
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 Location of the mouth in California
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| Other name(s) | Arroyo de los Venados, Rio de los Venados |
| Country | United States |
| State | California |
| Region | Tehama County |
| Cities | Childs Meadows, Vina |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Main source | North slope of Butt Mountain Lassen National Forest 7,320 ft (2,230 m) 40°12′44″N 121°22′31″W / 40.21222°N 121.37528°W |
| River mouth | Sacramento River One mile west of Vina, California 180 ft (55 m) 39°55′35″N 122°04′54″W / 39.92639°N 122.08167°W |
| Basin features | |
| Tributaries |
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Deer Creek is a 60-mile-long river in Northern California. It flows southwest through Tehama County, California. This creek is an important branch of the Sacramento River.
Deer Creek is very special because it's one of only three rivers that still has native runs of spring-run Chinook salmon. These salmon are an endangered species in California. The creek is a safe home for them and other types of salmon and trout.
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History of Deer Creek
Deer Creek flows through the Ishi Wilderness. This area is named after Ishi, who was the last member of the Native American Yana or Yahi people. They originally lived in this region.
The Spanish explorers gave the creek its first name, which was Arroyo de los Venados or Rio de los Venados. This means "Deer Creek" or "Deer River." They named it this because there were so many deer living in the area. Today, Black-tailed deer still live in the Deer Creek area. They are part of a large group of deer called the Tehama deer herd. This herd once had as many as 100,000 deer!
Where Does Deer Creek Flow?
Deer Creek and its smaller streams drain an area of about 229 square miles. The creek flows mostly southwest for its entire 60-mile length.
Starting Point of the Creek
The creek starts high up in the Lassen National Forest. It begins at an elevation of 7,320 feet on Butt Mountain, which is in the southern Cascade Range. This is a few miles west of Lake Almanor.
Journey Through Forests and Canyons
In its upper parts, Deer Creek flows through green meadows and thick forests. Two smaller streams, Lost Creek and Gurnsey Creek, join Deer Creek here. After leaving these open areas, Deer Creek flows through a deep, rocky canyon.
Reaching the Sacramento Valley
Finally, Deer Creek reaches the Sacramento Valley. About 11 miles after entering the valley, it joins the Sacramento River. This happens at a low elevation of only 180 feet. It's about 7 miles southeast of the small city of Tehama, California.
Waterfalls and Protected Lands
There are two natural waterfalls in the upper part of Deer Creek: Lower and Upper Deer Creek Falls. Lower Deer Creek Falls has a special structure called a fish ladder. This helps fish swim past the falls. Upper Deer Creek Falls is the natural end point for salmon swimming upstream. It also has a fish ladder, but it's not opened for fish in the spring anymore.
Most of the upper part of Deer Creek is public land, mainly in the Lassen National Forest. This helps protect the creek. However, there are also large private farms and ranches in the middle and lower parts of the area.
How Water is Used
In the lower parts of the creek, after it flows into the Sacramento Valley, some water is taken out for other uses. There are four places where water is diverted. Three of these use small dams, and one uses a ditch. There are no large dams that store water on Deer Creek. Because most of the creek flows through protected land, it is still quite natural.
Animals and Plants of Deer Creek
Deer Creek is a very important place for many animals, especially fish.
Fish Species
- Spring-run Chinook salmon: These salmon are a special type that are endangered. Deer Creek is one of their last strongholds.
- Steelhead trout: These are a type of rainbow trout that also swim from the ocean to fresh water.
- Fall-run Chinook salmon: Another type of Chinook salmon.
- Late-fall-run Chinook salmon: A third type of Chinook salmon.
- Pacific lamprey: An ancient, eel-like fish.
In the past, there were about 2,800 spring-run Chinook salmon in Deer Creek. But their numbers started to drop in the 1980s, sometimes to only a few hundred.
Protecting Meadows and Wildlife
Groups like the Sierra Meadows Partnership are studying how to help the meadows around Deer Creek. They are looking at how restoring these meadows can help store carbon. They are also studying Childs Meadows, which is on Gurnsey Creek, a branch of Deer Creek.
Scientists are looking at how the meadow changes when cows are kept away from the riverbanks. They are also building special structures that act like beaver dams. These help the water stay in the meadow longer.
Many important animals live in this area, including:
- Great gray owl: A large owl that lives in forests.
- Willow flycatcher: A small bird that lives near water.
- Greater sandhill crane: A tall bird that lives in wetlands.
All these animals need healthy areas along rivers and streams. Sadly, many of these areas in California have been damaged by too much grazing by animals or by building new developments.
A bird survey in 2015 found many more types of birds in healthy meadows compared to damaged ones. This included Childs Meadows and Carter Meadow in the Deer Creek area. Childs Meadow is especially important. It's one of the few remaining places where the willow flycatcher and the Cascades frog still live. The Cascades frog has disappeared from half of its old homes in California.
Unique Vernal Pools
In the lower part of the Deer Creek area, there are special places called vernal pools. These are temporary pools of water that form in the spring and dry up later. They are very unique habitats. Most of California's original vernal pools are now gone. A large group of these pools can be found at the Nature Conservancy's Vina Plains Reserve.
Fun Activities at Deer Creek
Deer Creek is a great place for fishing! It's one of the few rivers in California that still has native trout and migrating salmon. This makes it a popular spot for people who love to fish.
