Sacramento River

river in Northern and Central California, United States

The Sacramento River is the longest river in California in the United States. It flows through the Sacramento Valley in northern California, and is about 445 miles (716 km) long. The Sacramento has many tributaries, including the Pit, Feather and American Rivers. Cities along the river include Redding and Sacramento.

Sacramento River
Location
CountryUnited States
Physical characteristics
Source 
 - locationKlamath Mountains
MouthSacramento-San Joaquin Delta
Length447 mi (719 km)
Basin size27,580 sq mi (71,400 km2)
Discharge 
 - average23,490 cu ft/s (665 m3/s)

Native people have lived in the region for about 12,000 years. The Sacramento River's tributaries were the focus of the California Gold Rush, which brought many settlers to the area in the 1800s. Today, the river is used as a source of irrigation water and to produce hydroelectricity.

Tributaries change

Related pages change