Gualala River

Geobox|River
name = Gualala River
native_name =
other_name =
category = river
etymology =
nickname =


image_caption = The Gualala River near its mouth.
country = United States
state = California
region = Sonoma County
region1 = Mendocino County
district =
municipality =
parent =
tributary_right =
tributary_left =
city = Gualala, California
landmark =
river =
source = South Fork Gualala River
source_location = Mohrhardt Ridge
source_region = | source_country =
source_elevation_imperial = 1880
source_lat_d = 38 | source_lat_m = 34 | source_lat_s = 17 | source_lat_NS = N
source_long_d = 123 | source_long_m = 10 | source_long_s = 3 | source_long_EW = W
source_coordinates_note = Gnis|235010|South Fork Gualala River]
source1 = North Fork/Billings Creek
source1_location = Snook Mountain
source1_region = | source_country =
source1_elevation_imperial = 1840
source1_lat_d = 38 | source1_lat_m = 50 | source1_lat_s = 46 | source1_lat_NS = N
source1_long_d = 123 | source1_long_m = 19 | source1_long_s = 56 | source1_long_EW = W
source1_coordinates_note = Gnis|219293|Billings Creek]
source_confluence = confluence
source_confluence_location = convert|2|mi|km|0|abbr=on northeast of Gualala, California
source_confluence_region = | source_confluence_country =
source_confluence_elevation_imperial = 23
source_confluence_lat_d = 38 | source_confluence_lat_m = 46 | source_confluence_lat_s = 42 | source_confluence_lat_NS = N
source_confluence_long_d = 123 | source_confluence_long_m = 29 | source_confluence_long_s = 56 | source_confluence_long_EW = W
source_confluence_note =
mouth = Pacific Ocean
mouth_location = west of Gualala, California
mouth_region = | mouth_country =
mouth_elevation_imperial = 0
mouth_lat_d = 38 | mouth_lat_m = 46 | mouth_lat_s = 7 | mouth_lat_NS = N
mouth_long_d = 123 | mouth_long_m = 32 | mouth_long_s = 2 | mouth_long_EW = W
mouth_coordinates_note = Gnis|253221|Gualala River]
length_imperial = 3.4
length_note = confluence to mouth
length_orientation =
width_imperial = | width_orientation =
depth_imperial =
volume_imperial =
watershed_imperial = 298
free = | free_type =


map_caption =
map_background =
map_locator =
map_locator_x =
map_locator_y =
website =
footnotes =

The Gualala River is a river on the northern coast of California. Most of the river is in Sonoma County, but a portion is in Mendocino County. The convert|32|mi|km|0|adj=on|abbr=on long river's headwaters are high in the Coast Range and it empties into the Pacific Ocean. For its last few miles, it forms the boundary between Sonoma County and Mendocino County.

The river has three forks: the South Fork, Wheatfield Fork and the North Fork. The South Fork is the longest and travels northwest, parallel to the coast. The Wheatfield Fork begins west of Lake Sonoma and has the largest flow of the three forks. Its tributaries include Tombs, Wolf, House, Haupt and Fuller creeks. Wheatfield is the first fork to combine with the South Fork. Buckeye Creek, a tributary of the river, joins the South Fork next. It is followed by Rockpile Creek and Big Pepperwod Creek. The North Fork is the only part of the river in Mendocino County. It travels roughly southwest towards the coast and meets the South Fork at the border between the counties, a few miles before the river flows into the ocean.

The mountainous watershed has an area of about convert|298|sqmi|km2|-1|abbr=on, three quarters of it in Sonoma County and one quarter in Mendocino County. Rainfall varies from convert|38|in|cm|-1|abbr=on per year at the coast to convert|70|in|cm|-1|abbr=on inland. The watershed is sparsely populated. Timber production is the predominant land use, historically and currently. Grazing was previously important but has become less prevalent.

The most important problem for the watershed is excessive erosion. The area has a high degree of natural erosion because of uplift and displacement caused by the San Andreas Fault, which runs through the area. However, logging and roads have greatly increased the amount of sedimentation in the river. Kelly Road, which runs between Lake Sonoma and Annapolis, California, is a major source of sediment in the river and its tributaries. High water temperatures is another significant problem. Logging has removed large streamside trees that provided shade and reduced the amount of large woody debris, which creates pools.

References

* [http://www.gualalariver.org/river/default.html Friends of the Gualala River]
* [http://www.krisweb.com/biblio/gualala_rclc_higgins_1997_litsearch.pdf Klamath Resource Information System]

External links

* [http://www.coastalwatersheds.ca.gov/Watersheds/NorthCoast/Gualala/tabid/97/Default.aspx California Coastal Watershed Program - Gualala River]

ee also

*Gualala Point Regional Park
*List of rivers in California
*List of watercourses in the San Francisco Bay Area