DESCRIPTION OF THE REDDING QUADRANGLE By J. S. Diller. INTRODUCTION. lava and tuff intermingled with the sedimentary hay, stands first among the farm products, with conveniently distinguish it from the plain of the Sac­ rocks and covering them in many places. The barley next, and small amounts of corn, oats, and ramento Valley proper. The Piedmont Plain is Location and area. The Redding quadrangle whole body of sediments and lavas is penetrated rye. The orchards yield prunes and peaches for for the most part dry, sterile, and usually strewn lies in the northern part of California and is by many dikes and masses of coarse granular plu- shipment, with grapes, pears, almonds, figs, and a with numerous lava fragments, making the roads bounded by meridians 122° and 122° 30'. west tonic rocks, such as granodiorite, gabbro, and ser­ few apples for home consumption. The genera­ across it extremely rough, in strong contrast with longitude and parallels 40° 30' and 41° north pentine. This complex of sedimentary and igneous tion of electricity for light and power is a thriving the sand and gravel plain of the Sacramento Valley. latitude. It measures a little over 34 miles from rocks was uplifted, forming the Klamath Moun­ industry. Fishing deserves mention, and the prop­ This arises from the fact that the Piedmont Plain north to south and nearly 27 miles from east to tains, at the close of the Jurassic, Erosion agation of fish is of great importance. McCloud is generally underlain by volcanic material in the west, and contains about 905 square miles, a lit­ and subsidence during the Cretaceous brought River, on account of its large supply of cool water, form of lava flows or agglomerate tuff, and it is tle less than one-fourth the area of Shasta County. the Klamath Mountains down to sea level, but the temperature rarely rising as high as 60° even evident that in origin the Piedmont Plain is inti­ It comprises the central portion of the county, at the close of the Cretaceous they were again during the summer, has an abundance of salmon mately related to the upbuilding of the Lassen embracing the north end of the Sacramento Val­ uplifted and with various later oscillations and and trout. Of the latter there are two varieties, Peak volcanic ridge. Backbone Ridge, north of ley, and Redding is its chief town. ...._.....-..-..-.._ consequent erosion have been carved to their the rainbow and the Dolly Varden. The former Furnaceville, marks the northern limit of the Outline of the geography and geology of the present form. has been hatched and distributed to many parts Piedmont Plain, where it reaches the canyon of region. The broad mountain belt of the Pacific Climate. Separated from the Pacific by a prom­ of the world. A station for hatching salmon was Pit River, but northwest of Sugarloaf it crosses the coast of the United States, approximately 150 inent mountain range, the Redding quadrangle established at Baird, on the McCloud, in 1872 and canyon and appears on the divide between Pit miles in width, extending through northern Cal­ partakes somewhat of the arid climate of the has been in operation more or less actively ever River and Squaw Creek. In this portion of its ifornia and Oregon, is naturally divided into three interior, which, however, is partly ameliorated since. The output of the station, amounting in course Pit River marks approximately the boun­ mountain ranges, the Coast, Cascade, and Sierra by mountains in the north and east. The cli­ some years to many millions of partially developed dary between the Piedmont Plain and the Klamath Nevada, and two valleys, the Sacramento Valley mate of the quadrangle differs considerably in eggs, is largely distributed to other hatching sta­ Mountains. different parts. The range in temperature and tions of the State for final development. The run of California and the Sound or Willamette Valley KLAMATH MOUNTAINS. of Oregon. rainfall in the Klamath Mountains is probably of salmon in the McCloud in 1903-4 was said to In California the Sacramento Valley separates quite unlike that of the northern part of the be the greatest ever known up to that time. Over The divides. The portion of the Klamath the Coast Range from the Sierras. In northern Sacramento Valley, where the only available 32,000,000 eggs were taken at the McCloud station Mountains which lies within the Redding quad­ Oregon the Willamette Valley separates the Coast observations were made by the Weather Bureau. in 1903 and more the year following. rangle occupies its northern two-thirds and and Cascade ranges, but in the northwestern part The mean annual temperature for twenty-two embraces all the country not included in the of California and the southwestern part of Oregon years previous to 1899 is 62.4°, ranging from TOPOGRAPHY. Sacramento Vajlley proper and the Piedmont an average of 45.2° in January to 81.9° in Plain. The hills and mountains are arranged is an irregular group of mountains, the Klamath RELIEF. Mountains, in which all the ranges meet and form July. The highest temperature recorded was chiefly in four ridges, running approximately an irregular upland 200 miles in length between 114° and the lowest 18°. The average annual Attention has already been called to the fact that north and south and forming the divides between the heads of Sacramento and Willamette valleys. precipitation for the same time is 25.56 inches, the Redding quadrangle embraces parts of three the principal streams. Named from the east, these Each of these great topographic features may be almost the whole falling between October 1 and great topographic provinces, namely, the Sacra­ are the Brock Mountain divide, between the Great regarded as outlining a geologic province. The May 30. June to September inclusive are dry mento Valley, the foothills of the Lassen Peak Bend of Pit River and Squaw Creek; Town Moun­ Redding quadrangle embraces parts of three of months, with only occasional small showers in volcanic ridge (Cascade Range), and part of the tain divide, between Squaw Creek and the McCloud; these provinces the north end of the Sacramento the valleys, though they are more common in the Klamath Mountains. Hirz Mountain divide, between the McCloud and Valley, part of the Cascade Range, and part of mountains. According to observations at Red the Little Sacramento; and the Clear Creek divide, SACRAMENTO VALLEY. the Klamath Mountains and contains records Bluff, the general movement of the air is from lying west of the Little Sacramento. more or less complete of the geologic history of the mountains on the north and east into the The north end of the Sacramento Valley, lying The Brock Mountain divide is most regular in all three provinces. The course of events in the valley. During the summer months, however, between the foothills of the Klamath Mountains the southern part, where the ridge, attaining a development of each province is in strong contrast there is a well-marked northerly movement of on the west and north and those of the Lassen height of 3000 feet, is formed of limestone. In a with that in the others. These events are briefly the air, which is in part due to a strong west­ Peak volcanic ridge from Millville to Bella vista small way the limestone is extremely rough and as follows: erly indraft through the Golden Gate and its on the east, is characterized by a broad plain of jagged, owing to the peculiar fluting which results The Sacramento Valley is a depression between subsequent deflection northward through the val­ gravel and sand, across which the river and its from weathering. Farther north igneous rocks the Sierra' Nevada, Coast Range, and Klamath ley. Killing frost rarely occurs as late in the tributaries have cut valleys rarely as much as 100 become more abundant and in Bagley Mountain Mountains and has long been receiving the mate­ spring as March 30 or as early in the fall as feet in depth and ranging from one-fourth mile to rise to a height of 4437 feet. rial washed down from the mountains. During November 7. 4 miles in width. The floors of these valleys are The Town Mountain divide is the most rugged the Cretaceous period it was still covered by the Vegetation. Although the greater part of the generally flat, being the flood plains of the adja­ mountain ridge of the quadrangle, having a suc­ sea, and also in part during the Tertiary; but since Redding quadrangle is forested, most, of it is cent streams, and are covered with fine alluvial cession of five prominent peaks over 4000 feet high that time it has been above sea level and drained but sparsely covered with small trees and scrub, soil which, when well watered, is excellent for within a distance of 12 miles. The high peaks are by Sacramento River, whose floods have made the and other portions, particularly large tracts of agricultural purposes. The sand and gravel plain all composed of igneous rocks, arranged in sheets deposits which form the present surface of the the gravel plains in the Sacramento Valley and is well illustrated by the Stillwater and Millville dipping eastward and presenting steeper slopes valley. the dry, stony plain of the Piedmont, are tree­ plains, at an altitude of about 500 feet, gradually with a succession of small cliffs to the northwest. The Cascade Range, which is represented in the less but afford fine pasturage for much of the rising to the north. The alluvial valleys are West of .Town and Horse mountains is a lower but Redding quadrangle by the western edge of the year.