Russian River (California)

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

---

image_caption = The Russian River downstream of Duncans Mills
country = United States
state = California
region = Sonoma and Mendocino counties
district =
municipality =
parent =
tributary_right = Dry Creek
tributary_right1 = Austin Creek
tributary_left = Mark West Creek
tributary_left1 = Maacama Creek
tributary_left2 = Green Valley Creek
tributary_left3 = Big Sulphur Creek
city = Ukiah
city1 = Healdsburg
landmark =
river =
source = Laughlin Range
source_location = convert|5|mi|km|0|lk=on|abbr=on east of Willits, California
source_region = | source_country =
source_elevation_imperial = 1960
source_elevation_note = Google Earth elevation for source coordinates]
source_lat_d = 39 | source_lat_m = 23 | source_lat_s = 0 | source_lat_NS = N
source_long_d = 123 | source_long_m = 14 | source_long_s = 18 | source_long_EW = W
source_coordinates_note = Gnis|267200|Russian River]
source1 =
source1_location = | source1_region = | source1_country =
source1_elevation_imperial =
source1_lat_d = | source1_lat_m = | source1_lat_s = | source1_lat_NS =
source1_long_d = | source1_long_m = | source1_long_s = | source1_long_EW =
source_confluence =
source_confluence_location = | source_confluence_region = | source_confluence_country =
source_confluence_elevation_imperial =
source_confluence_lat_d = | source_confluence_lat_m = | source_confluence_lat_s = | source_confluence_lat_NS =
source_confluence_long_d = | source_confluence_long_m = | source_confluence_long_s = | source_confluence_long_EW =
mouth = Pacific Ocean
mouth_location = Jenner
mouth_region = California | mouth_country =
mouth_elevation_imperial = 0
mouth_lat_d = 38 | mouth_lat_m = 27 | mouth_lat_s = 2 | mouth_lat_NS = N
mouth_long_d = 123 | mouth_long_m = 7 | mouth_long_s = 46 | mouth_long_EW = W
mouth_coordinates_note =
length_imperial = 100
length_note = [ [http://www.bartleby.com/69/15/R05515.html Russian River] , The Columbia Gazetteer of North America]
length_orientation =
width_imperial = | width_orientation =
depth_imperial =
volume_imperial =
watershed_imperial = 1485
watershed_note = cite web|url=http://www.scwa.ca.gov/about_your_water/water_supply.php|title=Water Supply|accessdate=2008-04-07]
discharge_location = near Healdsburg
discharge_location_note = [ [http://pubs.usgs.gov/wdr/2004/wdr-ca-04-2/WDR.CA.04.vol2.pdf Water Resources Data—California, Water Year 2004] , Volume 2]
discharge_imperial = 1430
discharge_round = 1
discharge_max_imperial = 69300
discharge_min_imperial = 12
free = | free_type =


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

:"For other uses, see Russian River."The Russian River is a river in the Northern California counties of Mendocino and Sonoma.

Course

The Russian River springs from the Laughlin Range about convert|5|mi|km|0|lk=on|abbr=on east of Willits in Mendocino County. It flows generally southward to Redwood Valley, then parallels U.S. Route 101 past Calpella, to join the East Fork Russian River just below Lake Mendocino.

From there the Russian River flows south, past Ukiah and Hopland, and crosses into Sonoma County just north of Cloverdale. Closely paralleled by U.S. Route 101, it descends into the Alexander Valley, where it is joined by Big Sulphur Creek. It flows south past Cloverdale, Asti, and Geyserville.

East of Healdsburg, Maacama Creek joins the Russian River. After a series of sweeping bends, the river flows under U.S. Route 101 and receives water from Lake Sonoma via Dry Creek. The river then turns westward and joins Mark West Creek north of Forestville. The river passes Rio Dell, Rio Nido, and Guerneville, where it meets State Route 116. Paralleled by State Route 116, it continues past Guernewood Park and Monte Rio. Austin Creek enters from the north before passing through Duncans Mills then the Russian River flows under State Route 1 and empties into the Pacific Ocean between Jenner and Goat Rock Beach. Its mouth is about convert|60|mi|km|-1|lk=on|abbr=on north of the San Francisco Bay's Golden Gate.

The lower Russian River is a popular spring, summer, and fall destination for tourists as the river is very safe then for swimming and boating, with a gentle current. The river is dangerous in the winter, with swift current and muddy water.

History

The river takes its name from the Russian trappers who explored the river in the early 19th century, and established their Fort Ross trade colony convert|10|mi|km|0|lk=on|abbr=on northwest of its mouth. They called it the Slavyanka River. The redwoods that lined its banks drew loggers to the river in the late 19th century.

According to the USGS, variant names of the Russian River include: Misallaako, Rio Ruso, Shabaikai, Slavianka, and Slavyanka.

River modifications

A portion of the Eel River is diverted to headwaters of the Russian River in Potter Valley. [http://www.scwa.ca.gov/ The Sonoma County Water Agency] draws drinking water from the Russian River for sale to over 540,000 residents of Sonoma County, Mendocino County, and northern Marin County. [cite web
url=http://www.envirocentersoco.org/SCWA/structure.htm
title=Sonoma County Water Agency Structure] Santa Rosa's Laguna Wastewater Treatment Plant treats sewage from several communities to tertiary standards and returns some of it to the river by way of the Laguna de Santa Rosa.

Russian River Valley

Its banks are lined with vineyards, and an area of the Russian River Valley was approved as an American Viticultural Area in 1983 and enlarged in 2006 [Russian River Valley Winegrowers Association] . The Russian River Valley AVA is a sub-district of the Sonoma County AVA. It produces award-winning Chardonnay and pinot noir wines in addition to other wine varietals, and is home to many small and several large commercial wineries.

ee also

*Bohemian Grove
*California wine
*Goat Rock Beach
*Guerneville
*List of rivers in California
*List of watercourses in the San Francisco Bay Area
*Rio Nido
*Southern Pomo

References

External links

* [http://www.russianriver.com/ Russian River Chamber of Commerce]
* [http://www.russianrivertravel.com/ Russian River Visitor Website]
* [http://www.rrvw.org/ Russian River Valley Winegrowers Association]