Bear River

1
Bear River

• Cathy Lee
• CE 296 B
• Spring 1998
• Assignment 4

2
Bear River

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

3
Bear River Introduction

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

4
Bear RiverWatershed Information

• Watershed Overview
• Watershed Ranking
• Hydrology
• Land Uses

5
Bear RiverWatershed Information

• Two Basins
• - Upper Bear River Watershed (369.93 mi2)
• Bear River
• Little Clipper Creek
• Little Wolf Creek
• - Lower Bear River Watershed (105.5. mi2)
• Bear River

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Bear River Watershed Information

• Watershed Ranking
• 1997 California Rivers Assessment
• Functioning - at risk

7
Bear River Watershed Information

• 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)

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Bear RiverWatershed Information
Water Diversion
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Bear River Watershed Information

• Land Use - Upper Bear

10
Bear River Watershed Information

• Land Use - Lower Bear

11
Bear River Beneficial Uses

• Industrial - Power Generation
• Agricultural Water Supply
• Recreation - Contact and Non-Contact
• Municipal Water Supply
• Fish Habitat, Migration, and Spawning
• Wildlife Habitat

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Bear RiverBeneficial Uses

• Power Generation
• Upper Bear River Watershed Only
• 11 Hydroelectric Power Facilities
• 581.71 gigawatt hours / year

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Bear RiverBeneficial Uses
14
Bear RiverBeneficial Uses

• Recreation
• Upper Bear River Watershed
• Swimming
• Fishing
• Shoreline Activities

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Bear RiverBeneficial Uses

• Agricultural Irrigation
• Lower Bear River Watershed
• Both crops and livestock
• 17.66 mgd 27.5 cfs
• (Average)

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Bear RiverPoint Source Pollution

• 2 Major Point Source Discharges
• City of Grass Valley
• Beale Air Force Base

Not Directly into the River
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Bear RiverNon-point Source Pollution

• Sources
• Agriculture
• Fertilizer Use
• Pesticide Application
• Animal Waste
• Sedimentation / Erosion

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Bear RiverNon-point Source Pollution

• Example-
• Storm water carrying trash and debris entering
  the River

19
Bear RiverManagement Strategies

• 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

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Bear RiverManagement 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