Bear River (Feather River tributary)

Bear River
Arroyo de los Osos[1]
Bear River in the Sierra foothills
Map of the Bear River watershed
Location
CountryUnited States
StateCalifornia
Physical characteristics
Source 
 • locationSierra Nevada
 • coordinates39°18′29″N 120°39′23″W / 39.30806°N 120.65639°W / 39.30806; -120.65639[1]
 • elevation4,800 ft (1,500 m)[2]
MouthFeather River
 • location
Sacramento Valley, United States
 • coordinates
38°56′23″N 121°34′51″W / 38.93972°N 121.58083°W / 38.93972; -121.58083[1]
 • elevation
23 ft (7.0 m)[1]
Length73 mi (117 km)
Basin size295 sq mi (760 km2)
Discharge 
 • locationWheatland, CA
 • average402 cu ft/s (11.4 m3/s)
 • minimum0 cu ft/s (0 m3/s)
 • maximum48,000 cu ft/s (1,400 m3/s)

The Bear River is a tributary of the Feather River in the Sierra Nevada, winding through four California counties: Yuba, Sutter, Placer, and Nevada. About 73 miles (117 km) long, the river flows generally southwest through the Sierra then west through the Central Valley, draining a narrow, rugged watershed of 295 square miles (760 km2).

The California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment has issued a safe advisory for any fish caught in Bear River due to elevated levels of mercury.[3]

  1. ^ a b c d "Bear River". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. Retrieved February 25, 2011.
  2. ^ Elevation derived from Google Earth using GNIS coordinates
  3. ^ Admin, OEHHA (September 25, 2018). "Bear River". OEHHA. Retrieved November 6, 2018.