Bear River Cathy Lee CE 296 B Spring 1998 Assignment #4

Bear River Introduction Watershed Information Beneficial Uses Point Source Pollution Non-Point Source Pollution Management of Non-Point Source Pollution

Bear River Introduction Approximately 80 miles long. From Tahoe National Forest to Feather River in Yuba County

Watershed Overview Watershed Ranking Hydrology Land Uses Bear River Watershed Information

Two Basins - Upper Bear River Watershed ( mi 2 ) Bear River Little Clipper Creek Little Wolf Creek - Lower Bear River Watershed ( mi 2 ) Bear River

Bear River Watershed Information Watershed Ranking 1997 California Rivers Assessment: Functioning - at risk

Hydrology Average annual flow:400 cfs Dry Weather Flow Rate :11 cfs Wet Weather Flow Rate:1080 cfs Min. Dry Weather:0 cfs (1977) Max. Wet Weather:48,000 cfs (1986) Bear River Watershed Information

Water Diversion

Land Use - Upper Bear Bear River Watershed Information

Land Use - Lower Bear Bear River Watershed Information

Industrial - Power Generation** Agricultural Water Supply** Recreation - Contact and Non-Contact* Municipal Water Supply Fish Habitat, Migration, and Spawning Wildlife Habitat Bear River Beneficial Uses

Power Generation Upper Bear River Watershed Only 11 Hydroelectric Power Facilities gigawatt hours / year Bear River Beneficial Uses

Recreation Upper Bear River Watershed Swimming Fishing Shoreline Activities

Agricultural Irrigation Lower Bear River Watershed Both crops and livestock mgd = 27.5 cfs (Average) Bear River Beneficial Uses

Bear River Point Source Pollution 2 Major Point Source Discharges City of Grass Valley Beale Air Force Base Not Directly into the River

Sources Agriculture –Fertilizer Use –Pesticide Application –Animal Waste –Sedimentation / Erosion Bear River Non-point Source Pollution

Example- Storm water carrying trash and debris entering the River Bear River Non-point Source Pollution

Reduce Agricultural Runoff –Apply fertilizer and pesticides at the proper agronomic rates –Timing of application –Use of filter media, i.e. grass, to absorb extra fertilizers, pesticides, and water between orchard rows Bear River Management Strategies

Public Education –Proper use of fertilizers and pesticide Implement BMPs –Land use : Crop rotation Minimum distance between the River and farm –Livestock manure control –Fertilizer and pesticide sales