New River (Trinity River tributary)

The New River (Chimariko: tcolīdasum,[5] Hupa: yiduqi-nilin,[6] Karuk: akráah kumásaamvaroo[7]) is a 21.4-mile-long (34.4 km)[2] tributary of the Trinity River in northern California. The river was named by miners during the California Gold Rush in the early 1850s. While prospecting west from earlier diggings on the upper Trinity River, they named the river due to it being a "new" place to search for gold.[3]

New River
New River (Trinity River tributary) is located in California
New River (Trinity River tributary)
Location of the New River In California
Location
CountryUnited States
StateCalifornia
Physical characteristics
SourceSalmon Mountains
 • locationShasta-Trinity National Forest
 • coordinates41°01′46″N 123°20′56″W[1]
 • elevation2,014 ft (614 m)
MouthTrinity River
 • location
near Burnt Ranch
 • coordinates
40°50′45″N 123°28′48″W[1]
 • elevation
692 ft (211 m)
Length21.4 mi (34.4 km)[2]
Basin size225 sq mi (580 km2)[3]
Discharge 
 • locationDenny[4]
 • average437 cu ft/s (12.4 m3/s)[4]
 • minimum26.2 cu ft/s (0.74 m3/s)
 • maximum60,000 cu ft/s (1,700 m3/s)
DesignatedJanuary 19, 1981

Geography

The New River originates in the Salmon Mountains at the confluence of Virgin Creek and Slide Creek, in the western part of the Shasta-Trinity National Forest. The river initially runs south, until the confluence with the East Fork New River, where it turns southwest. It then receives Quimby Creek and passes Denny, one of several small communities originally established by Gold Rush miners. It turns south at the confluence with China Creek, then receives Big Creek at Hoboken, from where it flows southwest to join the Trinity River about 2.5 miles (4.0 km) north of Burnt Ranch. The New River drains about 225 square miles (580 km2) of rugged mountains and forests; almost 70 percent of the watershed is in the Trinity Alps Wilderness.[3]

History

New River had a rich history of Native Americans. The Chimariko lived along its lower reaches until they were forced from their homes by White prospectors and absorbed by the Tsnungwe, including the tł'oh-mitah-xwe. On the upper river, they would hunt, as would the Shasta peoples who lived on the other side of the Salmon River divide, namely the New River Shasta and Konomihu.[6]

Recreation

The New River contains rapids ranging from class I to almost class V, with flows ranging from 400 to 1000+ cfs, and is run mainly by advanced kayakers and rafters. The entire main stem of the river was designated a National Wild and Scenic River in 1980.[3] With the exception of a few small settlements along the New River, most of the watershed is remote, isolated backcountry that is seldom visited.[3]

References
  1. "New River". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. 1981-01-19. Retrieved 2017-02-17.
  2. U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline data. The National Map, accessed March 9, 2011
  3. "New River Backcountry" (PDF). U.S. Forest Service. Jun 2012. Retrieved 2017-02-17.
  4. "USGS Gage #11527400 on the New River near Denny, CA". National Water Information System. U.S. Geological Survey. 1959–1969. Retrieved 2017-02-17.
  5. "The Chimariko Indians and Language" (PDF). University of California Publications in American Archaeology and Ethnology. 5 (5): 379. 1910.
  6. Tsnungwe Place Names, by Tsnungwe Tribal Elders, 1994
  7. Bright, William; Susan Gehr. "Karuk Dictionary and Texts". Retrieved 2012-07-06.
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