Sierra Nevada, Merced River & Central Valley Connections

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Water, geology, climate & soils: Sierra Nevada, Merced River & Central Valley connections Roger Bales UC Merced Water, in all its forms, is indeed the crowning glory of the Sierra. Whether in motion or at rest, the waters of the Sierra are a constant joy to the beholder. Above all, they are the Sierra’s greatest contribution to human welfare. F. Farquhar, 1965. History of the Sierra Nevada Bierstadt, 1863-75 Contemplating the lace-like fabric of streams outspread over the mountains, we are reminded that everything is flowing somewhere, animals and so called lifeless rocks as well as water.. J. Muir, 1911, My First Summer in the Sierra Bierstadt, 1863-75 The Sierra Nevada & Central Valley Sacramento San Francisco Fresno N 050100 miles M. Hill, Geology of 4,500 million 570 million The longpastof theSierraNevada ancient seas the Sierra Nevada, 1975 225 million granite deposits forms gold 135 million erosive 65 million times & volcanoes days offire 38 million 3 million mountains tremble, lift&tilt days ofice 1 million Mammoth 400,000 Mountain erupts Melting of last ice age glacier 20,000 present Yosemite Valley & the days of ice before after M. Hill, Geology of the Sierra Nevada, 1975 Yosemite Valley today Douglas Alden UCSD-SIO 2005 “The Range of Light” & “Snowy Range” Obata, Yosemite Falls Audette, Half Dome above the Merced River Where has all of this rock gone? Douglas Alden UCSD-SIO 2005 Geology of the Sierra Nevada Diverse geological activities have produced a broad suite of rock formations in the Sierra Nevada, dominated by granite but including many types of igneous, sedimentary & metamorphic rocks. Geology of the Sierra Nevada Because the Sierra Nevada is underlain by mostly granitic rocks, soils are thin & rocky. Although the fertility of the soil in general over the Sierra Nevada is rather low, the range contains some of the most productive sites for conifers in the world. Many individual rivers drain the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada, flowing eventually into San Francisco Bay Topography of Upper Merced river basin Yosemite Valley Merced river headwaters are covered with snow in winter & spring Satellite snowcover Much of the precipitation falls as snow at high elevations % SCA 76-100 51-75 26-50 Tuolumne 1-25 Merced May 10, 2004 Streamflow peaks during spring snowmelt Peaks occur in late spring to early summer Headwaters receive little summer precipitation & are largely snow free by late summer Streams flow year round Merced river profile Triple Divide 10000 8000 6000 Yosemite Valley 4000 Elevation, ft Merced river canyon Snelling 2000 100 80 60 40 20 0 miles Streams enter the U-shaped Yosemite Valley from higher V-shaped canyons From Yosemite Valley the river drops to El Portal & the Merced River Canyon Merced river canyon near Briceburg .

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Yosemite National Park U.S
National Park Service Yosemite National Park U.S. Department of the Interior Merced Wild & Scenic River Final Comprehensive Management Plan and Environmental Impact Statement Designated in 1987, the The Merced Wild and Scenic River Merced Wild and Scenic River Final Comprehensive Merced Wild and Scenic River includes 81 miles The Merced Wild and Scenic River, designated in Management Plan and Environmental Impact State- in Yosemite National 1987, includes 122 miles of the Merced River on the ment (Final Merced River Plan/EIS) is the National Park and the El Portal Park Service’s response to these requirements. Administrative Site. western side of the Sierra Nevada in California. The National Park Service (NPS) manages 81 miles of the Merced Wild and Scenic River through Yosem- The Final Merced River Plan/EIS will be the guid- ite National Park and the El Portal Administrative ing document for protecting and enhancing river Site, including the headwaters and both the Mer- values and managing use and user capacity within ced River’s main stem and the South Fork Merced the Merced River corridor for the next 20 years. As River. As the Merced River flows outside Yosemite’s such, it evaluates impacts and threats to river values western boundary, the U.S. Forest Service and the and identifies strategies for protecting and enhanc- Bureau of Land Management manage the next 41 ing these values over the long-term. The plan fol- miles of the Merced Wild and Scenic River. lows and documents planning processes required by the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), Why a Comprehensive Management Plan? the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA), The Wild and Scenic Rivers Act (WSRA) requires and other legal mandates governing National Park comprehensive planning for all designated rivers to Service decision-making.
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Sacramento and San Joaquin Basins Climate Impact Assessment
Technical Appendix Sacramento and San Joaquin Basins Climate Impact Assessment U.S. Department of the Interior Bureau of Reclamation October 2014 Mission Statements The mission of the Department of the Interior is to protect and provide access to our Nation’s natural and cultural heritage and honor our trust responsibilities to Indian Tribes and our commitments to island communities. The mission of the Bureau of Reclamation is to manage, develop, and protect water and related resources in an environmentally and economically sound manner in the interest of the American public. Technical Appendix Sacramento and San Joaquin Basins Climate Impact Assessment Prepared for Reclamation by CH2M HILL under Contract No. R12PD80946 U.S. Department of the Interior Bureau of Reclamation Michael K. Tansey, PhD, Mid-Pacific Region Climate Change Coordinator Arlan Nickel, Mid-Pacific Region Basin Studies Coordinator By CH2M HILL Brian Van Lienden, PE, Water Resources Engineer Armin Munévar, PE, Water Resources Engineer Tapash Das, PhD, Water Resources Engineer U.S. Department of the Interior Bureau of Reclamation October 2014 This page left intentionally blank Table of Contents Table of Contents Page Abbreviations and Acronyms ....................................................................... xvii Preface ......................................................................................................... xxi 1.0 Technical Approach .............................................................................. 1 2.0 Socioeconomic-Climate Future
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STUDY of INCREASING CONVEY CAPACITY of MERCED RIVER at the CONFLUENCE with SAN JOAQUIN RIVER a Project Presented to the Faculty
STUDY OF INCREASING CONVEY CAPACITY OF MERCED RIVER AT THE CONFLUENCE WITH SAN JOAQUIN RIVER A Project Presented to the faculty of the Department of Civil Engineering California State University, Sacramento Submitted in partial satisfaction of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF SCIENCE in Civil Engineering (Water Resources Engineering) by Hani Nour SUMMER 2017 © 2017 Hani Nour ALL RIGHTS RESERVED ii STUDY OF INCREASING CONVEY CAPACITY OF MERCED RIVER AT THE CONFLUENCE WITH SAN JOAQUIN RIVER A Project by Hani Nour Approved by: __________________________________, Committee Chair Dr. Saad Merayyan __________________________________, Second Reader Dr. Cristina Poindexter, P.E. ___________________________ Date iii Student: Hani Nour I certify that this student has met the requirements for format contained in the University format manual, and that this project is suitable for shelving in the Library and credit is to be awarded for the project. _________________________, Department Chair ______________ Dr. Benjamin Fell, P.E. Date Department of Civil Engineering iv Abstract of STUDY OF INCREASING CONVEY CAPACITY OF MERCED RIVER AT THE CONFLUNENCE WITH SAN JOAQUIN RIVER by Hani Nour Flooding in California’s Central Valley is very common and expected to occur every year anywhere throughout the region. The climate and geography of the Central Valley, together, are responsible for over flow streams, rivers, and lakes causing water flooding, particularly at the lower elevation areas. San Joaquin Basin is located between the Sierra Nevada (on the east) and the Coast Ranges (on the west) where flooding is typically characterized by infrequent severe storms during winter season due to heavy rain and snow- melt runoff coming from the foothills, east of Merced County (Jesse Patchett 2012).
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California Water & Sierra Nevada Hydrology
- Adaptive management - California water & Sierra Nevada hydrology - SNRI & UC Merced Roger Bales Sierra Nevada Research Institute UC Merced Forest adaptive management: water 3 objectives: Measure changes in water quality & water budget in representative areas subjected to Framework/SPLATS treatment Estimate the impact of forest treatments on water quality, water budget & aquatic habitat at three levels: watershed, forest, bioregion Provide basis for continuing operational assessment of how Framework treatments will impact streams, water cycle & forest health Sierra Nevada Adaptive Management Program snamp.cnr.berkeley.edu Tasks: Water Quality & Quantity Field measurement program – before/after treatment – controls in parallel w/ treatment – stream temperature, turbidity, dissolved oxygen, electrical conductivity – stream stage/discharge, soil moisture – meteorology, erosion, soil temperature, snowpack, precipitation Modeling & spatial scaling – integrate observations using hydrologic model – estimate model parameters from satellite & ground data – extend impacts across hydrologic & watershed conditions – couple watershed, erosion, stream responses Sierra Nevada Adaptive Management Program snamp.cnr.berkeley.edu Tahoe NF catchments Hydrology focuses on 3 smaller catchments: − treatment − control − higher elevation, future treatment Same strategy in Sierra NF California’s water resources challenges: increasing pressure on mountain resources 1. Changing urban & agricultural water demand 2. Sea level rise 3. Reduction of average annual snowpack
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A Visitor's Guide to the Sierra National Forest
Sierra Traveler A Visitor’s Guide to the Sierra National Forest Photo by Joshua Courter by Joshua Photo Anne Lake, Ansel Adams Wilderness - Sierra National Forest What are you interested in doing in the Sierra? Can we help you find what you want to do in the Sierra? Visit Your National Forest! Destinations ......................................................................................................... 2 Sierra National Forest Supervisors Office Camping Guide .................................................................................................. 3 1600 Tollhouse Rd. Clovis, CA 93611 Helpful Hints ........................................................................................................ 4 (559) 297-0706 Merced River Country ...................................................................................... 5 Yosemite South/Highway 41 .......................................................................... 6 High Sierra Ranger District Bass Lake ............................................................................................................... 7 29688 Auberry Rd. Prather, CA 93651 Mammoth Pool Reservoir ............................................................................... 8 (559) 855-5355 San Joaquin River Gorge Management ..................................................... 9 Bass Lake Ranger District Sierra Vista National Scenic Byway ...................................................... 10-12 57003 Road 225 North Fork, CA 93643 Dinkey Creek/McKinley Grove ....................................................................
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Things to Do and See in Yosemite SUGGESTIONS ACCORDING to the TIME YOU HAVE
Yosemite Peregrine Lodge Encouraging Adventure And Defining Relaxation. Things to do and see in Yosemite SUGGESTIONS ACCORDING TO THE TIME YOU HAVE A man reportedly visited the park and approached John Muir to inquire what he should see as he only had one day to visit the park. John replied, “Sit down and cry lad”. I don’t know what the man ended up seeing or doing, but one thing is for sure no matter how long you have in the park you will be able to see a little bit of one of the most amazing places on earth. And that is worth any time you will spend here. The following are some suggestions on what to see and do given a certain amount of time. ONE HOUR Location: Yosemite Valley 1. Explore the Visitor center exhibits. Learn about Yosemite’s geology, history, and resources 2. Tour the reconstructed Native American Village behind the visitor center. Experience Ahwahnechee life. 3. Walk along the self guided changing Yosemite nature trail. Begin trail outside visitor center. 4. Visit the fascinating Native American cultural museum. See Yosemite’s extensive basket collection. 5. Walk to the base of the lower Yosemite Falls, best time of year is April-July, and October-November. 6. Ride the free shuttle bus around the east Valley with views of Half Dome and the Merced River. 7. Walk an easy trail to the base of Bridalveil Fall. 8. Enjoy Tunnel View on Highway 41. This is an awesome scenic view of the entire Yosemite Valley. TWO HOURS 1.
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Merced River Hiking
PACIFIC SOUTHWEST REGION Restoring, Enhancing and Sustaining Forests in California, Hawaii and the Pacific Islands Sierra National Forest Hiking the South fork of the Merced River Bass Lake Ranger District Originating from some of the highest ranges in Bicycles and horses are not allowed on the trail. As the Sierra, the Merced River begins its journey you meander along the trail, you will discover the from Mt. Hoffman and Tenaya Lake on the north, remains of the old Hite Mine that produced over $3 the Cathedral range on the east and the Mt. Ray- million in gold and a gold mining town that once mond area south of Yosemite. It has two stood on the banks of the river. Please remember branches: the main fork and the south fork. The that historic and prehistoric artifacts are not to be main fork flows through the Sierra National For- disturbed or removed as they are protected by est and Yosemite Valley. The South Fork flows law. Violators will be prosecuted. through Wawona, winding its way through the Sierra National Forest to Hite Cove where it joins DEVIL GULCH the main river at Highway 140. Road (3S02) to the South Fork of the Merced River. This section of the trail is 2.5 miles long and HITE COVE TRAIL fairly easy to hike. Dispersed campsites are at Devil A spectacular early spring wildflower display is Gulch, the river and Devil Gulch Creek both need to along the Hite Cove Trail from February to be forded in order to continue on the trail. Caution April, with over 60 varieties of wildflowers along during high water spring runoff.
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Hydraulic and Geomorphic Assessment of the Merced River and Historic Bridges in Eastern Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park, California
Hydraulic and Geomorphic Assessment of the Merced River and Historic Bridges in Eastern Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park, California Open-File Report 2013–1016 U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Geological Survey Hydraulic and Geomorphic Assessment of the Merced River and Historic Bridges in Eastern Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park, California By J. Toby Minear and Scott A. Wright Open-File Report 2013–1016 U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Geological Survey ii U.S. Department of the Interior KEN SALAZAR, Secretary U.S. Geological Survey Marcia K. McNutt, Director U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Virginia: 2013 Revised and reprinted: 2013 For more information on the USGS—the Federal source for science about the Earth, its natural and living resources, natural hazards, and the environment—visit http://www.usgs.gov or call 1–888–ASK–USGS For an overview of USGS information products, including maps, imagery, and publications, visit http://www.usgs.gov/pubprod To order this and other USGS information products, visit http://store.usgs.gov Suggested citation: Minear, J.Toby, Wright, Scott A., 2013, Hydraulic and Geomorphic Assessment of the Merced River and Historic Bridges in Eastern Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park, California: Sacramento, California, United States Geological Survey, Open-File Report 2013-1016, 74 p. Any use of trade, firm, or product names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government. Although this information product, for the most part, is in the public domain, it also may contain copyrighted materials as noted in the text. Permission to reproduce copyrighted items must be secured from the copyright owner.
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Biological, Habitat and Water Quality Conditions in the Upper Merced River Drainage, Yosemite National Park, California, 1993-1996
uses fence for a changing world i cooperation with the National Park Service Water Resources Division nd Yosemite National Park Biological, Habitat and Water Quality Conditions in the Upper Merced River Drainage, Yosemite National Park, California, 1993-1996 l/ater-Resources Investigations Report 99-4088 .S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR .S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY Biological, Habitat, and Water Quality Conditions in the Upper Merced River Drainage, Yosemite National Park, California, 1993-1996 /tyLarry R. Brown and Terry M. Short U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY Water-Resources Investigations Report 99-4088 In cooperation with the National Park Service Water Resources Division and Yosemite National Park ITJ O CO Sacramento, California 1999 U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR BRUCE BABBITT, Secretary U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY Charles G. Groat, Director The use of firm, trade, and brand names in this report is for identification purposes only and does not constitute endorsement by the U.S. Geological Survey For additional information write to: Copies of this report can be purchased from: District Chief U.S. Geological Survey U.S. Geological Survey Branch of Information Services Water Resources Division Box 25286 Placer Hall Denver, CO 80225-0286 6000 J Street Sacramento, California 95819-6129 FOREWORD The mission of the U.S. Geological Survey Improve understanding of the primary (USGS) is to assess the quantity and quality of the natural and human factors that affect earth resources of the Nation and to provide informa water-quality conditions. tion that will assist resource managers and policymak- This information will help support the development ers at Federal, State, and local levels in making sound and evaluation of management, regulatory, and moni decisions.
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Water Quality Control Plan, Sacramento and San Joaquin River Basins
Presented below are water quality standards that are in effect for Clean Water Act purposes. EPA is posting these standards as a convenience to users and has made a reasonable effort to assure their accuracy. Additionally, EPA has made a reasonable effort to identify parts of the standards that are not approved, disapproved, or are otherwise not in effect for Clean Water Act purposes. Amendments to the 1994 Water Quality Control Plan for the Sacramento River and San Joaquin River Basins The Third Edition of the Basin Plan was adopted by the Central Valley Water Board on 9 December 1994, approved by the State Water Board on 16 February 1995 and approved by the Office of Administrative Law on 9 May 1995. The Fourth Edition of the Basin Plan was the 1998 reprint of the Third Edition incorporating amendments adopted and approved between 1994 and 1998. The Basin Plan is in a loose-leaf format to facilitate the addition of amendments. The Basin Plan can be kept up-to-date by inserting the pages that have been revised to include subsequent amendments. The date subsequent amendments are adopted by the Central Valley Water Board will appear at the bottom of the page. Otherwise, all pages will be dated 1 September 1998. Basin plan amendments adopted by the Regional Central Valley Water Board must be approved by the State Water Board and the Office of Administrative Law. If the amendment involves adopting or revising a standard which relates to surface waters it must also be approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) [40 CFR Section 131(c)].
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Ethnographic Data and Tribal Engagement at Yosemite National Park
land Article Reframing Native Knowledge, Co-Managing Native Landscapes: Ethnographic Data and Tribal Engagement at Yosemite National Park Rochelle Bloom and Douglas Deur * Department of Anthropology, Portland State University, Portland, OR 97207, USA; [email protected] * Correspondence: [email protected] Received: 25 August 2020; Accepted: 18 September 2020; Published: 22 September 2020 Abstract: Several Native American communities assert traditional ties to Yosemite Valley, and special connections to the exceptional landmarks and natural resources of Yosemite National Park. However, tribal claims relating to this highly visible park with its many competing constituencies—such as tribal assertions of traditional ties to particular landscapes or requests for access to certain plant gathering areas—often require supporting documentation from the written record. Addressing this need, academic researchers, the National Park Service and park-associated tribes collaborated in a multi-year effort to assemble a comprehensive ethnographic database containing most available written accounts of Native American land and resource use in Yosemite National Park. To date, the database includes over 13,000 searchable and georeferenced entries from historical accounts, archived ethnographic notebooks, tribal oral history transcripts and more. The Yosemite National Park Ethnographic Database represents a progressive tool for identifying culturally significant places and resources in Yosemite—a tool already being used by both cultural and natural resource managers within the National Park Service as well as tribal communities considering opportunities for future collaborative management of their traditional homelands within Yosemite National Park. We conclude that the organization of such data, including inherent ambiguities and contradictions, periodically updated with data provided by contemporary Tribal members, offers a rich, multivocal and dynamic representation of cultural traditions linked to specific park lands and resources.
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9 – Recreation and Cultural Resources
9 – Recreation and Cultural Resources 9.1 Introduction This chapter describes how the recreational, archeological, and historical resources within Merced County contribute to both the quality of life and economic well being of its residents. Current conditions regarding active and passive recreation, as well as archeological and historical resources, are addressed. This chapter is divided into the following sections: . Introduction (Section 9.1) . Recreation and Open Space (Section 9.2) . Archeological and Historical Resources (Section 9.3) . Major Findings (Section 9.4) 9.2 Recreation and Open Space Introduction Merced County contains several County, State, and Federal parks and recreation areas. Aside from parks in the county, there are many public open space areas as well. This section highlights these various parks and open space areas and identifies recreational opportunities within them. The information contained in this section was compiled from a variety of sources including the California State Department of Parks and Recreation website, and consultation with the Merced County Department of Public Works and Division of Parks and Recreation. Key Terms Open Space Land. Open space land is any parcel, area, or waterway that is essentially unimproved and devoted to an open space use. Under Section 65560 of the California State Government Code, open space land is broadly defined as land designated for the preservation of natural resources (i.e., lakeshore and watershed lands); managed production of resources (i.e., lands for agriculture, forestry, recharge of groundwater); outdoor recreation (i.e., parks, scenic highway corridors, and areas with outstanding scenic, historic and cultural values); and public health and safety (i.e., flood plains, unstable soil areas).
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