Ten Mile River (California) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Ten Mile River (California) |
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Ten Mile River, looking north from California 1
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| Other name(s) | Ten Mile Creek, Tenmile |
| Country | United States |
| State | California |
| Region | Mendocino |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Main source | Confluence of North Fork Ten Mile Creek and Middle Fork Ten Mile Creek 49 ft (15 m) 39°33′10″N 123°46′01″W / 39.55278°N 123.76694°W |
| River mouth | Pacific Ocean 0 ft (0 m) 39°33′10″N 123°46′01″W / 39.55278°N 123.76694°W |
| Basin features | |
| Tributaries |
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The Ten Mile River (also called Ten Mile Creek) is located in northern Mendocino County, California, United States. It got its name because its mouth is about 10 miles (16 km) north of the Noyo River. The areas around the lower Ten Mile River are very important. They offer great freshwater and saltwater marsh homes for many different birds.
The Ten Mile River Estuary, Ten Mile Beach, and Ten Mile State Marine Reserve work together. They form a special protected ocean area. This area stretches from the river's mouth out into the ocean for about 5 nautical miles (9.3 km; 5.8 mi). Ten Mile Beach is also part of MacKerricher State Park. This park goes south from the river's mouth for about 5 miles (8.0 km) to Cleone. It includes about 1,300 acres (526 ha) of beautiful sand dunes.
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River History
People have been cutting down trees in the Ten Mile River area since the early 1870s. At first, workers used axes. Oxen then dragged the cut trees to mills in Fort Bragg, about 10 miles (16 km) south.
Railroad tracks were built in 1910 on the South Fork. More tracks were added to other parts of the river in the 1920s. In the 1930s, tractors replaced the railroads for moving logs. After a law called the California Forest Practice Act passed in 1973, logging on steep hills changed. More eco-friendly methods, like using cables, became common.
The Georgia Pacific Company logged trees on both sides of the river until 1999. Then, the Hawthorne Timber Company bought Georgia-Pacific's land there. Trees in this area are now logged on a 60-year cycle. This means they wait 60 years before cutting trees in the same spot again.
Bridges Over the River
An old story from 1861 in Harper's Magazine described crossing the Ten Mile River. It said the crossing could be dangerous because of the tide. Sometimes, the tide made it impossible to cross for hours, unless you swam.
Later, a bridge for California State Route 1 was built near the river's mouth. It was north of a small town called Inglenook. A new concrete bridge replaced an older wooden bridge in 1954.
Studies later showed the 1954 bridge was not safe enough for earthquakes. So, a new concrete bridge was built on Highway 1 in 2009. This new bridge is 45 feet (14 m) wide and 1,479 feet (451 m) long. It cost $43.5 million to build.
In 2012, the Ten Mile River Estuary became a State Marine Conservation Area (SMCA). This was part of the Marine Life Protection Act. At the same time, Ten Mile Beach SMCA and Ten Mile State Marine Reserve were also created. This made a continuous Marine Protected Area (MPA) zone. It stretches from the estuary's upper end out to 5 nautical miles (9.3 km; 5.8 mi) into the ocean. This MPA zone helps protect the nearby lands. These lands include MacKerricher State Park and the Inglenook Fen-Ten Mile Dunes Natural Preserve.
River Life and Nature
The Ten Mile River sometimes connects to the ocean, and sometimes it doesn't. This means the estuary can become a freshwater lagoon in some years. Because of this, the types of fish that use the river change a lot each year.
When the river mouth is open, the Ten Mile River Estuary is a path for fish like salmon and steelhead. It's also a growing area for young ocean fish, such as flatfish. In summer, young shiner surfperch gather in the saltmarshes when the tide comes in.
When the mouth is closed, the water becomes less salty. The tides also slow down for hours. Then, fish like sculpins and Three-spined stickleback stay in the river through the summer. These lagoon conditions are perfect for the endangered Northern tidewater goby. This small fish likes slow-moving water. The goby lives in the estuary and several miles upstream. It can be found in areas where California Golden beavers have built dams.
The sand dunes around the estuary are home to rare plants. The freshwater and saltwater marshes along the estuary are vital homes for birds. This area is popular for activities like paddle sports and bird watching.
Fish Populations
The Ten Mile River used to have a large population of Coho Salmon. However, Steelhead fish are now more common. The river provides cold, fresh water for fish to migrate and lay eggs. But logging has affected the river's environment, like many rivers in the area.
A study by the United States Environmental Protection Agency found something important. It said that "sediment" (like dirt and sand) was harming the cold-water fish. This included the migration, spawning, and early growth of fish like coho salmon and steelhead trout.
The number of coho salmon laying eggs in Ten Mile River has dropped. In the early 1960s, there were about 6,000 fish. By the 1990s, this number was much lower, from 14 to 250. Many things caused this drop. These include natural changes, too much sediment from logging, and warmer water. The warmer water is due to trees being removed from the riverbanks. Also, there is less woody debris in the salmon's homes.
Because of these problems, the river was listed as "sediment impaired" in 1998. This means it had too much sediment. Better logging practices and regular road care have helped reduce the sediment. This allows timber harvesting to continue in 45% of the Ten Mile River area.
River System and Water Flow
The main part of the Ten Mile River starts where the North Fork Ten Mile River and Middle Fork Ten Mile River meet. It flows southwest, then northwest, to the Pacific Ocean. This is about 5.7 miles (9.2 km) south of Westport.
The North Fork Ten Mile River begins at an elevation of 2,400 feet (732 m). The Middle Fork Ten Mile River starts at 2,460 feet (750 m) on the north side of Sherwood Peak. Both the middle and north forks are about 15 miles (24 km) long. The river then flows for another 7 miles (11 km) from where they join to its mouth at the Pacific Ocean. The river's watershed, which is the land area that drains into the river, covers about 120 square miles (310 km2). To the south, it borders the Noyo River watershed. To the east and north, it borders the South Fork Eel River watershed.
The amount of water flowing in the river depends on rainfall. The coast gets about 40 inches (1,000 mm) of rain each year. Inland areas get more, about 51 inches (1,300 mm). When there isn't much rain, sand bars can block the narrow river mouth. This often closes it completely in the summer. When this happens, the estuary part of the Ten Mile River temporarily becomes a freshwater lagoon. In a lagoon, the water is less salty, and the tides don't affect it as much. The estuary conditions return when big storms open the river mouth again to the ocean.
