Yuba River - River Modifications

River Modifications

Like the majority of California rivers, the Yuba is dammed at many points along its length and irrigation agriculture in the Sacramento Valley takes a heavy draw of water from the river. The first significant man-made changes to the watershed came with gold mining practices in the 19th century, specifically hydraulic mining. Basically consisting of washing down entire hillsides with high-pressure hoses in search of gold pockets, hydraulic mining was profitable, but caused massive physical and environmental damage. Millions of tons of sediment were carried down the Yuba and other Central Valley rivers, eventually ending up in places ranging from the original riverbed to San Francisco Bay, creating enormous difficulties for water-borne transportation.

In the more recent past, the Yuba's periodic rages have been subdued by the construction of many dams. The largest of these are the New Bullards Bar Dam, which lies on the North Fork directly above the confluence with the Middle Fork; and the Englebright Dam, situated on the main stem as it winds its way south through the Sierra Nevada foothills. Both are large concrete arch structures standing hundreds of feet high. Other dams include Jackson Meadows Reservoir on the Middle Fork; Scotts Flat and Wildwood on Deer Creek; and Mildred and Virginia Ranch on Dry Creek, a lower tributary of the Yuba.