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Map of the Sacramento River Watershed

The Sacramento River watershed is one of the largest in the United States, covering an area of more than 27,000 square miles in Northern California. It drains the Sacramento Valley, the Modoc Plateau, parts of the Cascade Range and the northern portion of the Sierra Nevada. It includes a number of smaller tributaries, including the Feather, Yuba, Pit and American rivers.

The main stem of the Sacramento River is more than 400 miles in length, stretching from its headwaters in the mountains above Lake Shasta to the huge Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta.

What is the Sacramento River Watershed Program?

One group has been formed to help coordinate the diverse water interests and deal with the many different threats to the watershed.

What Homeowners Can Do

Pollutants are literally going down the drain...and straight into area's rivers. Many residents of Northern California don't realize that storm drains feed directly streams and rivers.

What Business and Industry Can Do

Businesses like construction firms, restaurants, and garages can feed huge amounts of contaminants into the river system, even without meaning to.

What Farmers and Ranchers Can Do

Agriculture is dependent on the watershed, but farmers and ranchers must also be mindful of the need to protect and preserve the resource.