Pit River

For the British Columbia river in Canada, see Pitt River.

Pit River
River
The Pit River before it enters the canyons east of Canby, California
Name origin: Achomawi pitfall traps
Country	United States
State	California
Region	Upper Sacramento hydrologic area
Districts	Modoc, Lassen, & Shasta counties
Part of	Sacramento River
Tributaries
- left	Ash Creek
- right	Squaw Creek, McCloud River
Primary source	North Fork Pit River
- location	Goose Lake, Modoc County
- elevation	4,700 ft (1,433 m)
- coordinates	41°39′28″N 120°18′02″W
Secondary source	South Fork Pit River
- location	West Valley Creek, Modoc County
- coordinates	41°28′25″N 120°16′44″W
Source confluence	South Fork Valley, north end
- location	south of Alturas, Modoc County
- elevation	4,350 ft (1,326 m)
- coordinates	41°28′23″N 120°33′28″W
Mouth	Shasta Lake
- location	Near Ydalpom, Shasta County
- elevation	1,066 ft (325 m)
- coordinates	40°45′23″N 122°22′14″W
Length	207 mi (333 km), Northeast-Southwest
Basin	7,064 sq mi (18,296 km2)
Discharge
- average	6,291 cu ft/s (178 m3/s) Avg. downriver of Squaw Creek confluence, max and min at Montgomery Creek gage
- max	73,000 cu ft/s (2,067 m3/s)
- min	30 cu ft/s (1 m3/s)
GNIS code	268869
The endorheic Goose Lake was once the source of the North Fork Pit River (shown as for rare high water levels overflowing to the Pit River).

The Pit River is a major river draining from northeastern California into the state's Central Valley. The Pit, the Klamath and the Columbia are the only three rivers in the U.S. that cross the Cascade Range.

The longest tributary of the Sacramento River, it contributes as much as eighty percent of their combined water volume into Lake Shasta; the junction of their Lake Shasta arms is 4 miles (6.4 km) northeast of Shasta Dam. The main stem of the Pit River is 207 miles (333 km) long, and some water in the system flows 315 miles (507 km) to the Sacramento River measuring from the Pit River's longest source.

The Pit River drains a sparsely-populated volcanic highlands area, passing through the south end of the Cascade Range in a deep canyon northeast of Redding. The river is so named because of the pits the Achumawi dug to trap game that came to water at the river.

Description

The Pit River rises in several forks in Modoc, Lassen and Shasta counties in the northeastern corner of California. Originating in the Warner Mountains. The 58-mile (93 km) South Fork Pit River - West Valley Creek - Cedar Creek source originates just southeast of Buck Mountain in the Warner Mountains in the extreme southeastern corner of the Modoc National Forest 9 miles (14 km) west of the Nevada border. The South Fork is formed from the confluence of several creeks in Jess Valley 13 miles (21 km) northeast of Madeline and flows west through a narrow canyon, past Likely, then generally through a broad ranching valley where its waters are diverted for irrigation and waterfowl conservation in an extensive system of canals. The 30-mile (48 km) long North Fork - Linnville Creek tributary begins 5 miles (8.0 km) southeast of the town of Davis Creek. It flows generally south-southwest, joining the South Fork from the north near Alturas.

The combined river flows west-southwest in a winding course across Modoc County, past Canby and through the Modoc National Forest in the narrow Stonecoal Valley gorge. It turns south to flow past Lookout and into northern Lassen County, past Bieber to emerge into the ranching region of Big Valley. North of Little Valley it runs east into northeastern Shasta County, passing through the Cascades in a serpentine canyon in the Shasta National Forest. It flows through the Fall River Valley Joining the Fall River. Together they span much of the Valley forming one of the largest systems of fresh water springs in the country while passing through the Town of Fall River Mills and culminating in two spectacular waterfalls. It then flows south to join the Sacramento River as the eastern arm of Shasta Lake reservoir, approximately 15 mi (24 km) north of Redding. The lower 30 mi (50 km) of the river forms the longest of the five arms of Lake Shasta, which is formed by Shasta Dam on the Sacramento downstream from the original confluence.

The river is a popular destination for fly fishing, rafting in its lower reaches, and is used for hydroelectric energy both in the powerhouses below Fall River Mills and at Shasta Dam. It is also used extensively for irrigation and conservation purposes.

Dams

The Pit River is impounded by several dams:

• Pit 1 Dam
• Pit 3 Dam
• Pit 4 Dam
• Pit 5 Dam
• Pit 6 Dam
• Pit 7 Dam
• Shasta Dam

History

The Pit River is located in historical Achomawi territory, who lived in the area expanding from Big Bend to Goose Lake. The military Pitt River Expeditions against local Indian Tribes occurred during the 1850s.