Sutter Basin facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Sutter Basin |
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| Geography | |
| Country | United States |
| State | California |
| Region | Lower Feather Watershed |
The Sutter Basin is a large area in the Sacramento Valley of California, a state in the United States. It covers about 264 sq mi (680 km2) of land. This area is part of the Feather River's drainage basin. A drainage basin is like a giant bowl where all the rain and water flow into one main river.
The Sutter Basin also includes a fire protection district. This district helps keep the area safe from fires. Farmers in the basin use water from the Sutter-Butte Canal to water their crops. This canal gets its water from the Thermalito Afterbay. The Feather River forms the eastern border of the basin. The Sutter Bypass creates its southwestern border.
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What is the Sutter Bypass?
The Sutter Bypass is a special channel built with high banks called levees. It is part of a big system designed to control floods in the Sacramento River area. This bypass is located along the southwestern edge of the Sutter Basin.
How the Sutter Bypass Works
The main job of the Sutter Bypass is to help manage extra water during floods. When the Sacramento River has too much water, especially more than 23,000 cu ft/s (650 m3/s) (which is a lot of water flowing every second!), the water can overflow.
This overflow happens at a place called the Tisdale Weir. A weir is like a low dam that lets water flow over the top. The Tisdale Weir is about 53 ft (16 m) tall. When the Sacramento River gets too high, water flows over the Tisdale Weir. This extra water then travels through the Sutter Bypass. The bypass carries this water safely to the Feather River.
Other Water Sources
The Sutter Bypass also collects water from other places. For example, the Colusa Weir also sends overflow from the Sacramento River into the bypass. Smaller waterways like the Snake River, Gilsizer Slough, and Wadsworth Canal also drain into the Sutter Bypass. All these waters eventually reach the Feather River.
Wildlife in the Bypass
A part of the Sutter Bypass, about 3.24 sq mi (8.4 km2), is home to the Sutter National Wildlife Refuge. This refuge is a protected area for animals and plants. It is part of the larger Sutter Bypass Wildlife Area, which covers about 5.00 sq mi (12.9 km2) in California. These areas provide important habitats for many different kinds of wildlife.
