Map of some major California rivers and lakes This is a list of rivers in the U.S. state of California , grouped by region. Major lakes and reservoirs, if applicable, are indicated in italics.
Rivers and streams between the Oregon border and Humboldt Bay that empty into the Pacific Ocean (arranged north to south; tributaries with those entering nearest the sea first). Bold indicates rivers with more detailed lists in following sections.
Smith River
Smith River drainage basin Smith River
Rowdy Creek
Mill Creek
Myrtle Creek
South Fork Smith River
Craigs Creek
Coon Creek
Rock Creek
Gordon Creek
Goose Creek
Hurdygurdy Creek
Jones Creek
Buck Creek
Quartz Creek
Eightmile Creek
Harrington Creek
Prescott Fork Smith River Middle Fork Smith River
Patrick Creek
Little Jones Creek
Monkey Creek
Siskiyou Fork Smith River
Griffin Creek
Knopki Creek North Fork Smith River
Stony Creek
Still Creek
Diamond Creek
Klamath River
Klamath River drainage basin Klamath River
Hunter Creek
Turwar Creek Blue Creek
West Fork Blue Creek
Nikowitz Creek
Crescent City Fork Blue Creek
East Fork Blue Creek Ah Pah Creek
Tectah Creek
Pecwan Creek Mettah Creek
Roach Creek
Tully Creek
Pine Creek
Trinity River jump to tributaries )Hopkins Creek
Copper Creek
Bluff Creek
Fish Creek
East Fork Bluff Creek
Notice Creek
North Fork Bluff Creek
Slate Creek
Red Cap Creek
North Fork Red Cap Creek
Middle Fork Red Cap Creek
Boise Creek Camp Creek
Pearch Creek
Salmon River jump to tributaries )Rogers Creek
Irving Creek
Rock Creek
Swillup Creek
Ukonom Creek
King Creek
Independence Creek
Clear Creek
South Fork Clear Creek
Fivemile Creek
Tenmile Creek
Bear Valley Creek
Red Hill Creek
West Fork Clear Creek
Doe Creek
Oak Flat Creek
Elk Creek
East Fork Elk Creek
Doolittle Creek
Bear Creek
Granite Creek
Toms Valley Creek
Rainy Valley Creek
Indian Creek
Doolittle Creek
East Fork Indian Creek
South Fork Indian Creek
Twin Valley Fork Indian Creek
Mill Creek
Granite Creek
Green Creek China Creek
Thompson Creek
Fort Goff Creek
Portuguese Creek
Seiad Creek
Grider Creek
Walker Creek
Scott River
Mill Creek
Kelsey Creek
Shackleford Creek
Indian Creek
Moffett Creek
Kidder Creek
Etna Creek
Sugar Creek
East Fork Scott River
South Fork Scott River Shasta River
Cottonwood Creek
Bogus Creek
Jenny Creek Butte Creek (joins the Klamath in Oregon)Lost River (joins the Klamath in Oregon)
Rock Creek
Willow Creek
Mowitz Creek
Trinity River
Trinity River Trinity River drainage basin Trinity River
Mill Creek
Tish Tang o Tang Creek
Horse Linto Creek Willow Creek
South Fork Trinity River
Sharber Creek
Quinby Creek
Hawkins Creek
New River
Bell Creek
Big Creek
China Creek
Panther Creek
Quinby Creek
Devils Canyon Creek
East Fork New River
Slide Creek
Virgin Creek Canadian Creek
Big French Creek
Little French Creek
Price Creek
Manzanita Creek
Big Bar Creek
Sailor Bar Creek
North Fork Trinity River
East Fork North Fork Trinity River
Backbone Creek
Whites Creek
China Creek
Rattlesnake Creek
Gas Creek
Grizzly Creek Canyon Creek
Big East Fork Canyon Creek
Little East Fork Canyon Creek
Oregon Gulch Soldier Creek
Dutch Creek
Browns Creek
Reading Creek
Weaver Creek
Little Browns Creek
East Weaver Creek
West Weaver Creek Indian Creek
Grass Valley Creek
Little Grass Valley Creek
Rush Creek
Deadwood Creek
Papoose Creek
Stuart Fork
Hobel Creek
Mule Creek
Stoney Creek
Owens Creek
Deep Creek
Boulder Creek
Deer Creek Swift Creek
East Fork Trinity River
Cedar Creek
Mumbo Creek
Crow Creek
Baker Creek Coffee Creek
Little Boulder Creek
Boulder Creek
Sugar Pine Creek
East Fork Coffee Creek
North Fork Coffee Creek
Union Creek
South Fork Coffee Creek
Scorpion Creek
Eagle Creek
Ramshorn Creek
Bear Creek
Tangle Blue Creek
Scott Mountain Creek
Little Trinity River
Sherer Creek
Picayune Creek
Cedar Creek
Bear Creek
High Camp Creek
Salmon River
Salmon River
Merrill Creek
Somes Creek
Wooley Creek
Steinacher Creek
Bridge Creek
Rock Creek
Hancock Creek
North Fork Wooley Creek
Hell Hole Creek
Big Meadows Creek
South Fork Wooley Creek
Big Elk Fork Butler Creek
Morehouse Creek
Nordheimer Creek
Crapo Creek
North Fork Salmon River
Little North Fork Salmon River
Russian Creek
Right Hand Fork North Fork Salmon River South Fork Salmon River
Knownothing Creek
Methodist Creek
Black Bear Creek
Plummer Creek
St Claire Creek
Crawford Creek
Cecil Creek
East Fork South Fork Salmon River
Rush Creek
Little South Fork Salmon River
Redwood Creek
Redwood Creek (Humboldt County)
Prairie Creek (California)
McArthur Creek
Tom McDonald Creek
Bridge Creek
Copper Creek
Devils Creek
Coyote Creek
Panther Creek
Garrett Creek
Lacks Creek
Minor Creek
Lupton Creek
Noisy Creek
High Prairie Creek
Minon Creek
Lake Prairie Creek
Bradford Creek
Pardee Creek
Twin Lakes Creek
Mad River
Mad River
Lindsay Creek
North Fork Mad River
Canon Creek
Maple Creek
Boulder Creek
Black Creek
Pilot Creek
Humboldt Bay
Primary streams entering Humboldt Bay are listed north to south beginning north of the entrance to the bay and continuing in a clockwise direction. Tributaries entering nearest the bay are listed first.[ 1] [ 2]
For additional detail on Humboldt Bay streams, see Humboldt Bay: Bay tributaries and sloughs .
Eel River watershed map Russian River near Duncan's Mills Rivers and streams between Humboldt Bay and the Golden Gate that empty into the Pacific Ocean (arranged north to south; tributaries with those entering nearest the sea first):
For details of the Sonoma and Marin coasts, see List of watercourses in the San Francisco Bay Area .
San Francisco Bay
Streams that empty into San Francisco Bay or its tributary bays (arranged clockwise, starting at the north side of the Golden Gate ; tributaries are listed from those entering nearest the bays to farthest). The Central Valley watershed feeding into Suisun Bay via the Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta is excluded; see the following section for the Sacramento and San Joaquin river systems.
For additional detail on Bay Area creeks, see List of watercourses in the San Francisco Bay Area .
Suisun Bay
Clockwise
For additional detail on Bay Area creeks, see List of watercourses in the San Francisco Bay Area .
The Sacramento and San Joaquin River systems drain the western slope of the Sierra Nevada and most of the Central Valley, forming the Sacramento–San Joaquin River Delta before emptying into Suisun Bay; together, they are the largest river system in California.
Sacramento River
Map of Sacramento River Sacramento River near the mouth Cache Creek , in the Coast Ranges
Yolo Bypass
Yolo Bypass location
American River
American River drainage basin
Feather River
Feather River drainage basin Headwaters of the Feather River
Yuba River
Yuba River drainage basin
Pit River
Pit River drainage basin
San Joaquin River
San Joaquin River map The San Joaquin River
Mokelumne River
Mokelumne River drainage basin Note: In the Delta the Mokelumne River divides into two short branches, also called the "North Fork" and "South Fork", which recombine before reaching the San Joaquin River.
Calaveras River
Calaveras River
New Hogan Dam , New Hogan Lake North Fork Calaveras River
Murray Creek
Jesus Maria Creek
Esperanza Creek
South Fork Calaveras River
Calaveritas Creek
San Antonio Creek
San Domingo Creek
Cherokee Creek
Stanislaus River
Stanislaus River drainage basin
Tuolumne River
Tuolumne River drainage basin
Merced River
Merced River drainage basin The Merced River in Yosemite Valley
Tulare Basin
Map of the Tulare Lake Basin Usually an endorheic basin, waters in this region all eventually would reach Tulare Lake . This region would overflow into the San Joaquin River during flood years when Tulare Lake overflowed. Streams are listed clockwise around the Tulare Basin, starting at the Kings River:
Kings River jump to tributaries )Sand Creek
Cross Creek
Mill Creek
Elbow Creek
Cottonwood Creek
Lewis Creek
Tule River jump to tributaries )Deer Creek
Pothole Creek
Gordon Creek
Tyler Creek
White River
Coarse Gold Creek
Arrastre Creek
Chalaney Creek Rag Gulch
Five Dog Creek
Willow Springs Creek
Deer Creek
Poso Creek
Little Creek
Rattlesnake Creek
Little Poso Creek
Cedar Creek
Von Hellum Creek
Spear Creek Kern River jump to tributaries )Caliente Creek
Walker Basin Creek
Tehachapi Creek
Indian Creek
Tejon Creek
El Paso Creek
Pastoria Creek
Grapevine Creek
Tecuya Creek
Salt Creek
Pleito Creek
San Emigdio Creek
Los Lobos Creek
Santiago Creek
Bitter Creek
Bitterwater Creek
Sandy Creek
Buena Vista Creek
Salt Creek
Chico Creek
Santos Creek
Media Agua Creek
Bitterwater Creek
Avenal Creek
Baby King Creek
Canoas Creek
Los Gatos Creek
Kings River
Kings River drainage basin Kings River (Divides into the North Fork , South Fork and Clark's Fork distributaries in the San Joaquin Valley, not to be confused with the North and South Forks in the Sierra Nevada headwaters. North Fork connects to the Fresno Slough that drains into the San Joaquin River (during high flows), before turning to the south rejoining with the other distributaries to reform the Kings River and emptying into Tulare Lake .)
Kaweah River
Kaweah River drainage basin Kaweah River in the foothills of the SierraKaweah River (Divides into the St. John's River , Mill Creek, Packwood Creek and other distributaries in the San Joaquin Valley. Some of these distributaries eventually rejoin to form Cross Creek, which continues southwest to the Tulare Lake bed.)
Tule River
Kern River
Location of the Kern River
Central Coast
Rivers that empty into the Pacific Ocean between the Golden Gate and Point Arguello , arranged in order from north to south.
For details of the San Mateo coast, see List of watercourses in the San Francisco Bay Area .
Pajaro River
Salinas River
Salinas River drainage basin
Santa Maria River
Santa Maria River drainage basin Santa Maria River
Nipomo Creek
Orcutt Creek
Cuyama River
Sisquoc River
Tepusquet Creek
La Brea Creek
North Fork La Brea Creek
South Fork La Brea Creek
Manzana Creek
Water Canyon
Abel Canyon
South Fork Sisquoc River
Santa Ynez River
Santa Ynez River drainage basin
South Coast
Rivers that empty into the Pacific Ocean southeast of Point Arguello, arranged from north to south:
Santa Clara River
Santa Clara River drainage basin Santa Clara River
Santa Paula Creek
Boulder Creek
Sespe Creek
Little Sespe Creek
Tar Creek
West Fork Sespe Creek
Alder Creek
Park Creek
Timber Creek
Trout Creek
Piedra Blanca Creek
Rose Valley Creek
Rock Creek
Potrero John Creek
Munson Creek
Cherry Creek
Adobe Creek
Abadi Creek Hopper Canyon Creek
Piru Creek
Santa Felicia Dam, Lake Piru Devil Canyon
Canton Canyon
Agua Blanca Creek
Fish Creek
Pyramid Dam , Pyramid Lake Gorman Creek
Buck Creek
Snowy Creek
Smith Fork
Dry Creek
Lockwood Creek
Mutau Creek
Alamo Creek
Little Mutau Creek
Sheep Creek
Cedar Creek Castaic Creek
Bouquet Canyon
South Fork Santa Clara River
Placerita Creek
Newhall Creek Mint Canyon
Agua Dulce Canyon
Mill Canyon
Acton Canyon
Aliso Canyon
Kentucky Springs Canyon
Ventura River
Los Angeles River
San Gabriel River
Santa Ana River
Santa Margarita River
San Luis Rey River
San Dieguito River
San Diego River
San Diego Bay
Tributaries entering San Diego Bay are arranged from North to South:
Gulf of California
Rivers that empty into the Gulf of California :
Carrizo Plain
The Carrizo Plain is a large enclosed valley near the Central Coast which drains into Soda Lake .
Salton Sea
Rivers that empty into the Salton Sea :
Great Basin
Rivers in the Great Basin , arranged roughly north to south:
Honey Lake drainage basin Susan River
Willow Creek
Petes Creek
Balls Canyon
Snowstorm Creek
Secret Creek
Piute Creek
Willard Creek Skedaddle Creek
Long Valley Creek
Baxter Creek Pyramid Lake drainage basin Carson Sink drainage basin
Mono Lake
Rivers draining into saline and endorheic Mono Lake in eastern California, from north and proceeding counterclockwise:
Owens Lake drainage basin Streams terminating in the Badwater Basin in Death Valley National Park .
Salt Creek
Furnace Creek Wash
Emigrant Wash
Death Valley Wash
Amargosa River
Wingate Wash
Salt Creek (may carry overflow from the Mojave River basin in extremely wet years)Rock Valley Wash
Fortymile Wash Streams terminating in various dry lakes in the Antelope Valley and Fremont Valley (Koehn Lake , Rosamond Lake , Rogers Dry Lake and others), draining from the southeastern Tehachapi Mountains and northern San Gabriel Mountains , listed counterclockwise starting from north:
Cottonwood Creek
Cache Creek
Oak Creek
Cottonwood Creek
Pescado Creek
Los Alamos Creek
Amargosa Creek
Anaverde Creek
Little Rock Creek
South Fork Little Rock Creek Big Rock Creek
Pallett Creek
Sandrock Creek
South Fork Big Rock Creek
Mescal Creek
Le Montaine Creek Mojave River drainage basin
See also
References
^ Klamath Resource Information System (KRIS), KRIS Humboldt Bay , URL retrieved November 11, 2007
^ Humboldt Bay Harbor District, Wetlands, Streams, Riparian Areas, and Watershed Areas , URL retrieved November 12, 2007 Archived November 28, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
External links
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