Indian Creek (Plumas County, California)

Indian Creek
Indian Creek (Plumas County, California) is located in California
Indian Creek (Plumas County, California)
Location of Indian Creek in California
Location
CountryUnited States
StateCalifornia
Physical characteristics
SourceDiamond Mountains
 • locationPlumas National Forest
 • coordinates40°18′34″N 120°41′36″W / 40.30944°N 120.69333°W / 40.30944; -120.69333[1]
 • elevation7,386 ft (2,251 m)
MouthEast Branch North Fork Feather River
 • location
Paxton
 • coordinates
40°02′17″N 120°58′58″W / 40.03806°N 120.98278°W / 40.03806; -120.98278[1]
 • elevation
2,966 ft (904 m)
Length47 mi (76 km)[1]
Basin size739 sq mi (1,910 km2)[2]
Discharge 
 • locationCrescent Mills[2]
 • average537 cu ft/s (15.2 m3/s)[2]
 • minimum1.49 cu ft/s (0.042 m3/s)
 • maximum40,000 cu ft/s (1,100 m3/s)

Indian Creek is a major stream in the southern Cascade Range and northern Sierra Nevada of Plumas County, California and is part of the Feather River system. The creek is 47 miles (76 km) long,[1] flowing through a series of small towns and farming valleys in a rural, mountainous area.

The creek arises in the Diamond Mountains, in the Plumas National Forest about 7 miles (11 km) south of Susanville. It flows southeast into Antelope Lake, a reservoir impounded by Antelope Valley Dam. Below the dam it flows south to its confluence with Last Chance Creek, then flows west through the Genesee Valley and the town of Genesee. It turns north, passing through Indian Valley, where it receives Lights Creek and Wolf Creek and passes a few miles south of Greenville, then flows southwest past Indian Falls, where it joins Spanish Creek to form the East Branch North Fork Feather River. A short distance west of here, the East Branch joins the North Fork Feather River at Belden, about 35 miles (56 km) upstream of Lake Oroville.[3]

SR 89 follows the lower part of Indian Creek and is known as the "Scenic Byway Link", connecting the Feather River National Scenic Byway (SR 70 west of Quincy) to the Volcanic Legacy National Scenic Byway (toward Lassen Volcanic National Park). The area provides recreational opportunities including fishing, bicycling and viewing fall colors.[4]

  1. ^ a b c d "Indian Creek". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. 1981-01-19. Retrieved 2016-12-07.
  2. ^ a b c "USGS Gage #11401500 on Indian Creek near Crescent Mills, CA". National Water Information System. U.S. Geological Survey. 1993-06-19. Retrieved 2016-12-07.
  3. ^ USGS Topo Maps for United States (Map). Cartography by United States Geological Survey. ACME Mapper. Retrieved 2016-12-07.
  4. ^ "Indian Valley Area". U.S. Forest Service. Retrieved 2016-12-07.