American River

American River
The American River at Folsom
Map of the American River watershed. It includes the North, Middle, and South forks of the river as well as Rubicon River, a tributary of the Middle Fork.
Location
Country	United States
State	California
Region	Sacramento Valley
City	Sacramento
Physical characteristics
Source	North Fork American River
• location	Mountain Meadow Lake, Placer County, CA
• coordinates	39°13′04″N 120°16′28″W / 39.21778°N 120.27444°W / 39.21778; -120.27444[1]
• elevation	7,923 ft (2,415 m)[2]
2nd source	South Fork American River
• location	Nebelhorn, El Dorado County
• coordinates	38°48′38″N 120°01′52″W / 38.81056°N 120.03111°W / 38.81056; -120.03111[3]
• elevation	7,401 ft (2,256 m)[4]
Source confluence	Folsom Lake
• location	Near Folsom, California
• coordinates	38°29′28″N 121°09′24″W / 38.49111°N 121.15667°W / 38.49111; -121.15667[5]
• elevation	253 ft (77 m)
Mouth	Sacramento River
• location	Sacramento, CA
• coordinates	38°35′51″N 121°30′29″W / 38.59750°N 121.50806°W / 38.59750; -121.50806[5]
• elevation	10 ft (3.0 m)[5]
Length	119 mi (192 km), Northeast-southwestMain stem 31 miles (50 km); North Fork 88 miles (142 km)[6]
Basin size	2,150 sq mi (5,600 km2)[7]
Discharge
• location	Fair Oaks[8]
• average	3,685 cu ft/s (104.3 m3/s)[8]
• minimum	215 cu ft/s (6.1 m3/s)[8]
• maximum	314,000 cu ft/s (8,900 m3/s)[8]
Basin features
River system	Sacramento River watershed
Tributaries
• left	South Fork American River
• right	North Fork American River
National Wild and Scenic River
Type	Wild, Recreational
Designated	November 10, 1978

The American River is a 30-mile-long (50 km) river in California that runs from the Sierra Nevada mountain range to its confluence with the Sacramento River in downtown Sacramento. Via the Sacramento River, it is part of the San Francisco Bay watershed. This river is fed by the melting snowpack of the Sierra Nevada and its many headwaters and tributaries, including its North, Middle, and South Forks.

The American River is known for the discovery of gold at Sutter's Mill in Coloma in 1848 that started the California Gold Rush and contributed to the initial large-scale settlement of California by White American migrants. Today, the river still has high quality water, and it is the main source of drinking water for Sacramento.^[9] This river is dammed extensively for irrigation, flood control, and hydroelectric power. The American River watershed supports Mediterranean, temperate, and montane ecosystems, and it is the home of a diverse array of fish and wildlife.