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85-477: The headwaters of Cottonwood Creek originates as North, Middle, and South Forks and numerous smaller tributaries along the north-western rim of the Sacramento Valley. The North Fork rises near the 6,122-foot (1,866 m) Shasta Bally , a peak in the southern Klamath Mountains . It flows southwest, through a small reservoir, Rainbow Lake. Below Rainbow Lake it flows south, receiving Jerusalem Creek from

170-521: A Rancho Buena Ventura Mexican land grant for 26,632 acres (10,778 ha) that is now covered by Redding and Cottonwood, California . At the time, it was the northernmost nonnative settlement in California. During the Gold Rush, 49ers found gold to the north on Rock, Middle and Salt creeks, near Shasta, California , and to the south along Oregon and Olney creeks but the area that is now Redding

255-416: A major spawning ground for several species of trout and salmon; yet recently, in the last 50 years, some of the fish stocks have fallen drastically, particularly salmon stocks. The ecoregion's rivers and streams are home to nine species of native salmonids . The depletions occur mainly due to construction of dams and clearcutting of forests on the rugged slopes of the area contribute to large amounts of silt in

340-558: A mile south of North Yolla Bolly Mountain . Further south, the Cottonwood Creek watershed borders that of Thomes Creek , another major tributary of the Sacramento River. The annual precipitation in the Cottonwood Creek watershed is 36 inches (910 mm), with a range from 60 inches (1,500 mm) in the mountains to 25 inches (640 mm) in the lowlands. The vast majority occurs between December and April, with

425-414: A point north of the junction of Cottonwood Creek and the Sacramento River, is considered the first non-Native American settler in the area. (The City of Redding was named for Fort Redding, which in turn received its name from Reading, the original owner of the land.) In March 1848, Reading discovered gold on his land grant, shortly after James Marshall 's famous gold strike at Sutter's Mill , which started

510-735: A redesign contest. The 21st century has also seen a number of devastating wildfires near and in Redding. In 1999, the Jones Fire destroyed over 100 structures, followed by the Bear Fire in 2004. In late July 2018, the Carr Fire in Shasta County seriously impacted the Redding area with the destruction of at least 1,100 buildings, with several thousand more threatened, 38,000 people instructed to evacuate and 8 deaths. Most recently,

595-622: A rugged and lightly populated mountain range in northwestern California and southwestern Oregon in the western United States . As a mountain system within both the greater Pacific Coast Ranges and the California Coast Ranges , the Klamath Mountains have a varied geology, with substantial areas of serpentinite and marble , and a climate characterized by moderately cold winters with very heavy snowfall and warm, very dry summers with limited rainfall, especially in

680-478: A terrane of rock of a single age. During the accretion, subduction of the plate metamorphosed the overlying rock and produced magma which intruded the overlying rock as plutons . Serpentinite , produced by the metamorphism of basaltic oceanic rocks , and intrusive rocks of gabbroic to granodiorite composition are common rocks within the Klamath terranes. Subsequent lava flows from active volcanoes in

765-820: A tributary of the Trinity River , part of the Klamath River Basin. On the west, it borders the watersheds of the South Fork Trinity River and its tributary Hayfork Creek . To the southwest, a very short portion of the divide borders the watershed of the Middle Fork Eel River , which drains to the Pacific via the Eel River . The Cottonwood, Trinity and Eel watersheds meet at the triple point at Skylight Ridge, about

850-407: Is 119 °F (48 °C) on July 6, 2024. Redding has an average possible sunshine of 88%, the second-highest percentage (after Yuma, Arizona ) of any US city. Summer overnight lows are unusually warm by Sacramento Valley standards and average warmer than coastal towns' daytime highs. The warmest night annually averages 79 °F (26 °C). Since the station opened in 1986, the hottest night

935-539: Is Barry Tippin. Redding is a general law city operating under the council-manager form of government. Amtrak provides service to Redding station , operating its Coast Starlight daily in both directions between Seattle, Washington , and Los Angeles, California via Portland, Oregon ; Sacramento, California ; Oakland, California ; San Jose, California ; Santa Barbara, California and all Intermediate station stops. Amtrak Thruway also provides twice daily service to Stockton or Sacramento for connections to

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1020-403: Is allowed, though there are no staff or facilities available. The Cottonwood and several of its perennial tributaries provide 130 miles (210 km) of spawning habitat for spring and fall run Chinook salmon and steelhead (rainbow trout). Due to gold mining in the 19th century, and extensive use of the watershed for logging and ranching since then, the creek has experienced sedimentation , which

1105-621: Is also served by the intercity bus companies Greyhound and Fronteras del Norte. Shasta Regional Transportation Agency has proposed a weekday commuter bus to/from Redding and the Sacramento Valley Station , following a route similar to the twice daily Amtrak Thruway 3 . Air transportation for the Redding area is provided by two airports, one a commercial one and one a general aviation airport. Redding Regional Airport , located south of Redding, has scheduled flights from SkyWest (United Express) and Avelo Airlines. There

1190-441: Is detrimental to these anadromous fish populations. The spring Chinook salmon run has suffered more, with only one or two fish returning each year between 2011 and 2014. By contrast, the returning fall Chinook numbered 1,940 in 2014. The steelhead population was not monitored, but is federally listed as threatened along with the spring Chinook run. State and federal agencies have collaborated on watershed restoration work, including

1275-597: Is in the 1st Senate District , represented by Republican Brian Dahle , and the 1st Assembly District , represented by Republican Megan Dahle . In the United States House of Representatives , Redding is in California's 1st congressional district , represented by Republican Doug LaMalfa . The city council is composed of Mayor Tenessa Audette, Vice Mayor Jack Munns, Julie Winter, Mark Mezzano and Michael Dacquisto. The city manager

1360-554: Is located in the northern portion of the Yolla Bolly-Middle Eel Wilderness . Typical species of the Trinity Alps region include Douglas fir , ponderosa pine, red fir, white fir, black oak , canyon live oak , Pacific madrone , bigleaf maple , California Buckeye , incense cedar , and Jeffrey pine . California's northernmost stand of gray pine ( Pinus sabiniana ) is found here along

1445-538: Is one of 14 Arts and Culture Districts recognized by the State of California Arts Council. The district includes Downtown Redding; the adjacent Turtle Bay Complex; and City of Redding Parks across the Sacramento River from Downtown and Turtle Bay. According to the city's 2016 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in Redding are: In the California State Legislature , Redding

1530-634: Is part of the Pacific Mountain System (Pacific Coast Ranges) physiographic division. Klamath Mountains is the name given to one of California's eleven geomorphic provinces . These are the ten highest points in the Klamath Mountains: A large portion of the Klamath Mountains is managed by the United States Forest Service . Several national forests lie in the Klamath Mountains region, including

1615-501: Is relatively short, only about 25 miles (40 km) long, and flows almost due east for its entire course, through a wide valley in the foothills. In the first few miles it receives Antelope and Dry Creeks from the north then Little Dry Creek from the south. Below Little Dry Creek the Anderson Cottonwood Canal crosses the creek via an inverted siphon . The South Fork joins at the halfway point between Janesville and

1700-768: The San Joaquins , which serve the San Francisco Bay Area , San Joaquin Valley and the Los Angeles area via bus connections. Redding's municipal bus transportation system is called RABA ( Redding Area Bus Authority ). RABA serves routes throughout the City of Redding and also provides transportation to/from Redding's suburbs. Transportation is also available by RABA to Burney , by Sage Stage to Alturas and by Trinity Transit to Weaverville . Redding

1785-482: The California Gold Rush . The gold discovery attracted a wave of prospectors, and later settlers, to the Cottonwood Creek area. The first permanent American settlement on Cottonwood Creek was established in 1849 or possibly earlier, as a trading post for miners headed to the diggings in the northern Sacramento Valley. The original settlement, the oldest in the Shasta County area, was on the south side of

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1870-534: The Cascade Range and the erosion of the Oregon Coast Range to the north partially covered these rocks with basalt and sediments. As a consequence of the geology, the mountains harbor rich biodiversity, with several distinct plant communities, including temperate rain forests, moist inland forests, oak forests and savannas, high elevation forests, and alpine grasslands. These communities form

1955-808: The Central Valley , which transitions into the Cascade foothills . The city is surrounded by mountains to the north, east, and west and fertile farm land to the south. Outermost parts of the city are part of the Cascade foothills, whereas southern and central areas are in the Sacramento Valley . The elevation in Redding is 495 feet (151 meters) on average, whereas anywhere to the north, east, or west of downtown ranges between 550 and 800 feet (170 and 240 m). Southern portions range between 400 and 500 feet (120 and 150 m). The Shasta Dam on

2040-541: The Fawn Fire in 2021 also resulted in the evacuation of over 4,000 people and the destruction of 185 buildings. According to the United States Census Bureau , the city has a total area of 61.2 square miles (159 square kilometers). 59.6 square miles (154 km ) of it is land, and 1.5 square miles (3.9 km ) of it (2.50%) is beneath water. Redding is located at the very northwestern end of

2125-498: The Klamath Mountains ecoregion . One of the principal plant communities in the Klamath Mountains is Mediterranean California Lower Montane Black Oak-Conifer Forest . The ecoregion includes several endemic or near-endemic species, such as Port Orford cedar or Lawson's cypress ( Chamaecyparis lawsoniana ), foxtail pine ( Pinus balfouriana spp. balfouriana ), and Brewer's spruce ( Picea breweriana ), forming one of

2210-727: The Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) passes through these mountains as well. This section of the PCT is known locally as "The Big Bend" and is the transition from the California Floristic Province to the Cascades. The Bigfoot Trail is a 400-mile (640 km) trail through the Klamath Mountains from the Yolla Bolly-Middle Eel Wilderness to Crescent City, California . The rocks of the Klamath Mountains originated as island arcs and continental fragments in

2295-604: The Pacific Ocean . The island masses consisted of rifted fragments of pre-existing continents and volcanic island masses created over subduction zones . These island masses contain rocks as old as 500 million years, dating to the early Paleozoic Era. A succession of eight island terranes moved eastward on the ancient Farallon Plate and collided with the North American Plate between 260 and about 130 million years ago. Each accretion left

2380-1136: The Russian Wilderness . They called this diverse area the Miracle Mile. In 2013 Richard Moore identified an 18th species, western juniper , in the Sugar Creek canyon. This is now considered the richest assemblage of conifers per unit area in any temperate region on Earth. Conifer species in the Klamath Mountains include coast Douglas-fir ( Pseudotsuga menziesii ssp. menziesii ), Port Orford cedar , ponderosa pine ( Pinus ponderosa ), sugar pine ( Pinus lambertiana ), mountain hemlock ( Tsuga mertensiana ), white fir ( Abies concolor var. lowiana ), red fir ( A. magnifica var. shastensis ), Brewer spruce , coast redwood ( Sequoia sempervirens ), western red cedar ( Thuja Plicata ), Pacific yew ( Taxus brevifolia ), Western White Pine , Lodgepole Pine , Whitebark Pine , Incense Cedar , Foothill Pine , Foxtail Pine , western Juniper and Jeffrey Pine . The Westernmost stand of Quaking Aspen trees

2465-623: The Sacramento River provides a considerable level of flood protection for Redding. The dam is capable of controlling flows up to 79,000 cubic feet (7,300 cubic meters) per second. The flow rate exceeded this threshold in both 1970 and 1974. Soils in and around town are composed mostly of clay or gravelly loam texture, with red or brown mineral horizons. They are slightly or moderately acidic in their natural state. There are several rare and endangered species in Redding and its immediate vicinity. The Redding Redevelopment Plan EIR notes

2550-544: The Shasta-Trinity National Forest , Siskiyou National Forest , Klamath National Forest , Six Rivers National Forest , and Mendocino National Forest . The Klamath Mountains contain 11 wilderness areas in both Oregon and California: There are extensive hiking trail systems, recreation areas, and campgrounds both primitive and developed in the Klamaths. A 211-mile (340 km) stretch of

2635-563: The State Water Project , for which the dams would provide between 185,000 acre⋅ft (0.228 km) and 205,000 acre⋅ft (0.253 km). Because Cottonwood Creek is the largest undammed tributary of the Sacramento River, significant amounts of water drain to the Pacific Ocean during winter high flows, and occasionally threaten flood damage in communities along the Sacramento River. Several dams have been proposed for

Cottonwood Creek (Sacramento River tributary) - Misplaced Pages Continue

2720-833: The United States Forest Service . The northernmost and largest sub-range of the Klamath Mountains are the Siskiyou Mountains . Physiographically , the Klamath Mountains include the Siskiyou Mountains , the Marble Mountains , the Scott Mountains , the Trinity Mountains , the Trinity Alps , the Salmon Mountains , and the northern Yolla-Bolly Mountains. They are a section of the larger Pacific Border province , which in turn

2805-730: The Yolla Bolly–Middle Eel Wilderness , and flows east through the foothills of the Coast Ranges to its confluence with its main tributary, the Cold Fork , from the left. Turning northeast, it is joined by Dry Creek, also from the left, before flowing into the Cottonwood about 2 miles (3.2 km) west of Cottonwood , and 10 miles (16 km) downstream from the confluence of the North and Middle Forks. The main stem

2890-440: The spotted owl , plus an extensive variety of additional species both plant and animal. Grizzly bears , gray wolves , and mule deer once inhabited the area, but were extirpated by European settlers. A project to reintroduce Roosevelt elk began in 1985 in the western Marble Mountains, near Elk Creek. Over the next 10 years the number and placement of reintroduced animals was expanded, and now elk can be seen roaming throughout

2975-834: The 40th Parallel North. The somewhat strange juxtaposition of its northern position within the United States and non-desert climate, with the extreme summer heat, has long been noted by visitors and residents. The exceptional temperatures found in the city are often cited in national news sources. Winter (October–April) provides the most precipitation of any season in Redding—the weather tends to be either rainy or foggy and at times, snow occurs. While summers are mostly hot and dry, thunderstorms are not uncommon. The average daily maximum temperature in July stays near 100 °F (37.8 °C). The highest official recorded temperature in Redding

3060-570: The Brewer's spruce and the Port Orford cedar, making the Klamath Mountains one of the richest coniferous forest regions of the world in terms of concentrated species diversity. The region also has several edaphic plant communities, adapted to specific soil types, notably serpentine outcrops. In 1969, Drs. John O. Sawyer and Dale Thornburgh discovered 17 species of conifers in 1 square mile (2.6 km ) around Little Duck Lake and Sugar Creek in

3145-490: The California State listed endangered species, slender Orcutt grass ( Orcuttia tenuis ), occurs in eastern Redding near the municipal airport, where vernal pools are known to exist. This endemic grass is a Federal Candidate for listing and is endangered throughout its range, confined to several populations, and seriously threatened by agriculture , overgrazing , and residential development. Vernal pools provide

3230-611: The Cottonwood Creek and its tributaries, including: Although such proposals have been introduced to the legislature numerous times – in the 1960s, 1980s and most recently the late 1990s – the projects were rejected because of stiff local opposition and concerns that the dams would block spawning runs of salmon and steelhead. However, in the 1965 Upper Sacramento River Basin Investigation, the California Department of Water Resources noted that dams could also improve

3315-475: The Cottonwood Creek is highly prone to flash flooding . The average annual discharge is about 860 cubic feet per second (24 m/s); the average summer flow is only 50 to 100 cubic feet per second (1.4 to 2.8 m/s), while winter flows routinely reach thousands of cubic feet per second. Cottonwood Creek monthly discharges at Cottonwood (cfs) The area was once inhabited by the Wintu people , who lived in

3400-512: The Klamath Mountains include the Klamath River , Trinity River , Smith River , Salmon River , Rogue River , Scott River , upper Sacramento River , Chetco River , Mad River , Van Duzen River , Applegate River , Illinois River , Elk River , South Umpqua River , South Fork Coquille River , Shasta Lake , Trinity Lake , Ruth Lake , Castle Lake , Applegate Lake , and Whiskeytown Lake . The many mountains, streams and rivers form

3485-691: The Marble Mountain Wilderness, Trinity Alps Wilderness, in the northern Siskiyou Mountains, along the South Fork of the Salmon River, and in small numbers near Trinity Lake and Reading Creek. Some of the most remote areas are the location of supposed Bigfoot/ Sasquatch sightings from time to time, and the legendary creature plays a part in the folk tales of the Native American populations. Major rivers and lakes in

Cottonwood Creek (Sacramento River tributary) - Misplaced Pages Continue

3570-499: The Sacramento River, roughly doubling the flow. At the town of Cottonwood, the creek is crossed by Interstate 5 and the Southern Pacific Railroad . Shortly downstream it is joined by Patterson Creek, its last tributary before it flows into the Sacramento River, about 25 miles (40 km) downstream of Redding and 16 miles (26 km) upstream of Red Bluff . The Cottonwood drains a roughly fan-shaped area in

3655-430: The Sacramento River. In 1872, the first train station in Shasta County was constructed in Cottonwood as the Southern Pacific Railroad was extended north towards Oregon. The area soon became the major shipping point for the lumber and livestock exports from Shasta County. Since the 1940s, the federal and state governments have considered the damming of Cottonwood Creek for flood control and water supply, specifically for

3740-609: The South Fork of the Salmon River. The vast forested wildlands, coupled with a low rate of human settlement in the rugged remote terrain, provides excellent habitat for a number of species. Mammal species include mountain lions , black bears , bobcats , lynx , raccoons , martens , fishers , beavers , grey fox , red fox , northern flying squirrel , and plentiful black-tailed deer . Bird species include golden eagles , bald eagles , pileated woodpecker , Flicker woodpecker,band-tailed pigeon, several hawks including goshawks , Red-tailed hawks several large owl species including

3825-535: The Wintu had as many as 239 villages in the Shasta County area. Although Europeans had been to California as early as 1542, when Juan Cabrillo sailed to what is now San Diego Bay , indigenous natives long remained the only inhabitants of the Northern California region. The first European settlement in the area was established in 1844 by Pierson B. Reading , an early California pioneer who received

3910-576: The Wintu signed the Treaty of Cottonwood Creek, in which they ceded most of their original territory to the United States Government in exchange for reservation lands along the Sacramento River. The state of California opposed the treaty, as it would have restricted the expansion of American settlement into those areas. As a result, the treaty and others like it were never ratified, and native peoples were gradually driven off their lands by

3995-430: The age of 18 living in them, 16,001 (44.3%) were married couples living together, 4,806 (13.3%) had a female householder with no husband present, 1,984 (5.5%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 2,570 (7.1%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships , and 204 (0.6%) same-sex married couples or partnerships . 10,344 households (28.6%) were made up of individuals, and 4,622 (12.8%) had someone living alone who

4080-458: The area. Interstate 5 was built during the sixties and seventies, which added to development and tourism in the region. Growth in Redding during the 1960s and 1970s was further spurred by the annexation of an area east of the Sacramento River that included the unincorporated community of Enterprise ; the residents voted to support the annexation primarily to acquire less expensive electricity via Redding's municipal utility, which receives power from

4165-422: The border of Shasta and Tehama counties. The North and Middle Forks join near Janesville to form the main stem of Cottonwood Creek; below this confluence the main stem continues to define the border between the two counties. The South Fork is the biggest of the three, draining much of the southern half of the watershed. It rises on the south flank of 7,864-foot (2,397 m) North Yolla Bolly Mountain , in

4250-409: The county seat from Shasta. In the early twentieth century the town's economic growth was spurred by the significant copper and iron mineral extraction industry nearby. The mining industry eventually declined, causing the economy and population to falter by 1920. It recovered in the thirties as the economy boomed due to the construction of Shasta Dam to the northwest. The building of the dam, which

4335-423: The creek, but eventually development spread to the north, where the town of Cottonwood sits today. Smaller settlements in the Cottonwood Creek area, such as Janesville and Igo, also began as mining boom towns. In 1852, the first post office was established in the Cottonwood area. In 1856, Tehama County was created from the southern part of Shasta County, with the county line drawn along Cottonwood Creek. In 1851,

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4420-459: The creek. The watershed is very lightly populated. The largest town is Cottonwood, with a population of 2,960 as of 2000. However, in recent years the area has become proximate to growth of the Redding suburbs. On the north, the Cottonwood Creek watershed is bordered by those of Clear Creek and much smaller Anderson Creek, both east-flowing tributaries of the Sacramento River, and Reading Creek,

4505-586: The dam. During the 1970s, the lumber industry suffered from decline. In the early 1990s Lumber mills in the area closed down due to the preservation of the living habitat of the Spotted Owl. This heavily impacted the Redding area. The economy picked up, due to a retail and housing boom in the late 1980s that continued until the mid-1990s. Also in the 1970s, the Market Street Redevelopment Project, established in 1968, began

4590-466: The development of the Midtown Mall. The mall was established to prevent further property deterioration and to restore and maintain the economic health of the downtown area's commercial and retail activity. The mall suffered multiple difficulties. The passage of Proposition 13 in 1978 reduced the mall's property valuation and consequently, the city had to continuously loan money to keep the bonds for

4675-552: The economic and cultural capital of the Shasta Cascade region of Northern California . Redding lies along the Sacramento River , 162 miles (261 km) north of Sacramento , and 120 miles (190 km) south of California's northern border with Oregon . Its population is 95,542 as of 2022, up from 93,611 at the 2020 census . During the Gold Rush , the area that now comprises Redding was called Poverty Flats. In 1868

4760-615: The first land agent for the Central Pacific Railroad , a former Sacramento politician named Benjamin Bernard Redding , bought property in Poverty Flats on behalf of the railroad so that it could build a northern terminus there. In the process of building the terminus, the railroad also built a town in the same area, which they named Redding in honor of Benjamin Redding. In 1874, there was a dispute over

4845-459: The foothills consisting mostly of chaparral , blue oak woodland and annual grasses, and the mountains comprising mixed-conifer forests, especially Douglas fir and gray pine . The upper creek and its forks are steep, fast flowing mountain streams with rocky beds. The upper section of the watershed includes significant stands of timber that support a modest logging industry, as well as large tracts of federal National Forest land. The lower part of

4930-463: The form of another Market Street Redevelopment Project with significant changes to Midtown in 1990 to include a mix of residential and commercial land around the original project. Following redevelopment of Midtown, property values within the Market Street Redevelopment Project area improved; further redevelopment continued. A plan for the downtown area adopted in January 2001 led to the renovation of

5015-412: The historic Cascade Theatre , the removal of the Midtown Mall roof creating an open air pedestrian street, the installation of a visitor way-finding system, the completion of a Health Sciences and University Center with partnership with Shasta College , and the renovation of various buildings along California Street with the help of a private developer. In 2017, the city adopted a new flag after holding

5100-424: The increasing number of miners and settlers in the region. Although Cottonwood Creek was never the location of major gold strikes, the area was prospected and some hydraulic mining schemes did operate in the basin for a limited period. Hydraulic mining ceased along the creek, and in Northern California as a whole, after large amounts of mine waste and tailings caused damage to water quality and impeded navigation in

5185-513: The largest collections of different conifers in the world. The flowering plant Kalmiopsis leachiana , also endemic to the Klamaths, is limited to the Siskiyou sub-range in Oregon. A large concentration of diverse coniferous species of trees exists in these mountains. Thirty conifer species (or more, depending on where one delineates the region) inhabit the area, including two endemic species,

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5270-405: The latter to flow over the southern Sacramento valley during the summer months, producing intense heat in Redding. The direction of this winds switches from the north and east in the summer, as hot, high-pressure air flows from land to sea, making the area very dry. Tornadoes are extremely rare; flooding occurs only around the area near the Sacramento River. The coldest temperature recorded in Redding

5355-405: The lowlands of the Cottonwood Creek valley during the winter months, traveling into the mountains in summer to forage. The bands who frequented the Cottonwood area were known as the Nomlaki . The Native Americans lived a hunter-gatherer lifestyle and established few permanent settlements. Before contact with Europeans, the Nomlaki population is estimated to have been greater than 2,000. The creek

5440-450: The mall's parking structure from going into default; the bonds completely repaid in 2003 and Midtown began to pay off its more than $ 1.5 million debt to the City of Redding. By the 1980s, the properties around the mall and along the old State Highway 99 / 273 corridor continued to suffer urban blight, including deteriorating and dilapidated utilities and structures and inappropriate mixed land uses; this required further public intervention in

5525-421: The most in any calendar day on record. It rarely gets sleet or freezing rain. Frost occurs commonly in December through February, less often in March or November. In spring, rain is common. The city is located near the foothills of the Cascade and Klamath mountain ranges and it therefore gets much more rain than most places in the Sacramento Valley; temperature differentials between land and sea cause moist air from

5610-401: The name by local legislators and it was changed for a time to Reading, in order to honor Pierson B. Reading , who arrived in the area in 1843, owned the Buenaventura land grant on which Redding sits, and had died only a few years before, in 1868. The name was officially changed back to Redding by 1880. The area is inhabited by a tribe of Native Americans called the Wintu . At their height,

5695-434: The northwestern corner of the Sacramento Valley . The watershed is bounded on the north by the Klamath Mountains, and on the west by the Yolla Bolly Mountains, both part of the larger Coast Ranges. The Klamath mountains rise to elevations of about 4,000 to 5,000 feet (1,200 to 1,500 m), while many higher peaks of the Yolla Bollys exceed 7,000 feet (2,100 m). The watershed is divided into two main vegetation zones, with

5780-493: The population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 39,662 people (44.1%) lived in rental housing units. Redding is the economic hub of the Shasta Cascade region of Northern California . The Redding Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) was recognized as the 29th Most Dynamic MSA in the United States in 2019 by the Walton Family Foundation. Redding was recognized for having a diversified economy with several large employers in different sectors. The Redding Cultural District

5865-476: The preferred habitat for this plant, which the California Native Plant Society considers a rare and endangered species. These same vernal pools also support federally protected species such as the federally threatened vernal pool fairy shrimp (Branchinecta lynchi) . Redding has a hot-summer Mediterranean climate ( Köppen : Csa), with very hot, dry summers and cool, wet winters. Redding is known for very high summer temperatures, despite being located just north of

5950-412: The quality of the remaining spawning habitat by releasing high flows of cold water in the dry season. The releases would also improve the water quality in the main stem of the Sacramento River and in the Sacramento–San Joaquin River Delta , a critical water source for millions of Californians. There is one small dam (Musselbeck Dam) on the North Fork, which forms the reservoir called Rainbow Lake. The dam

6035-474: The removal of man-made barriers to fish migration, decommissioning of old logging roads and installation of culverts to reduce erosion. In September 2014, the Hammer Dam on the South Fork of Cottonwood Creek was removed, opening up 5 miles (8.0 km) of habitat for spring-run Chinook and steelhead. As of 2009, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has allocated $ 10 million for watershed restoration projects. Klamath Mountains The Klamath Mountains are

6120-433: The result that the "creek" is often a large river during the winter and spring, while dwindling to a relative trickle in the summer and fall. Because of the relatively low elevation of the watershed, the vast majority of the flow comes from rain, although in some years significant snowpack can accumulate in the mountains and raise flows during a late spring melt. Because of the rugged topography and seasonality of precipitation,

6205-539: The right, and turns east, emerging from the mountains near the town of Ono , where it turns southeast to flow through the Klamath foothills. The larger Middle Fork originates at about 4,000 feet (1,200 m) on McFarland Ridge in the Shasta–Trinity National Forest and flows east to Platina , where it turns briefly north before heading east again, cutting a deep canyon before its confluence with Beegum Creek, its major tributary. Below Beegum Creek it forms

6290-402: The south. As a consequence of the geology and soil types, the mountains harbor several endemic or near-endemic trees, forming one of the largest collections of conifers in the world. The mountains are also home to a diverse array of fish and animal species, including black bears, large cats, owls, eagles, and several species of Pacific salmon. Millions of acres in the mountains are managed by

6375-442: The stream beds, which in turn interfere with spawning salmon, as they lay their eggs in exposed gravel beds. The notable fish species are king , kokanee , and silver salmon , brown , brook , and rainbow trout (including steelhead), cutthroat trout , and crappie , bluegill , catfish , and largemouth and smallmouth bass . Redding, California Redding is the county seat of Shasta County, California , and

6460-414: The watershed is hilly and has large areas of rangeland. The Cottonwood Creek forms a wide, flat alluvial valley used mainly for agriculture and some gravel mining. Before the area was settled and cultivated, it was mainly wetlands and frequently inundated by flooding, both from Cottonwood Creek itself and from back waters of the Sacramento River. Some riparian zone habitat remains along the lower part of

6545-446: Was 16 °F (−9 °C) on January 17, 2012, and December 9, 2009. The average coldest daytime high of the year is 41 °F (5 °C) and the lowest on record is 29 °F (−2 °C) in 1990, which remains the latest year to record an ice day. The 2010 United States Census reported that Redding had a population of 89,861. The population density was 1,468.9 inhabitants per square mile (567.1/km ). The racial makeup of Redding

6630-419: Was 38.5 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.4 males. There were 38,679 housing units at an average density of 632.3 units per square mile (244.1 units/km ), of which 19,968 (55.3%) were owner-occupied, and 16,162 (44.7%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.3%; the rental vacancy rate was 6.9%. 48,179 people (53.6% of

6715-423: Was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.43. There were 22,791 families (63.1% of all households); the average family size was 2.94. The population was spread out, with 20,518 people (22.8%) under the age of 18, 9,436 people (10.5%) aged 18 to 24, 21,725 people (24.2%) aged 25 to 44, 23,424 people (26.1%) aged 45 to 64, and 14,758 people (16.4%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age

6800-563: Was 77,117 (85.8%) White , 1,092 (1.2%) African American , 2,034 (2.3%) Native American , 3,034 (3.4%) Asian , 156 (0.2%) Pacific Islander , 2,307 (2.6%) from other races , and 4,121 (4.6%) from two or more races. There were 7,787 people of Hispanic or Latino origin, of any race (8.7%). The Census reported that 87,841 people (97.8% of the population) lived in households, 1,138 (1.3%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 882 (1.0%) were institutionalized. There were 36,130 households, out of which 11,012 (30.5%) had children under

6885-507: Was 86 °F (30 °C) in June 2004. Redding's warm summer days and nights compared to areas further south are a result of a greater distance to maritime influences than the lower end of the valley. Redding occasionally receives snow, though it has received as much as 23 inches (58 centimeters) of snow in a single storm, occurring on December 4–7, 1909 and December 22–24, 1968, including 16 in (41 cm) on December 23, 1968,

6970-714: Was built in 1920 and provides the water supply for several small communities, including Igo and Ono . The Mouth of Cottonwood Creek Wildlife Area, located at the confluence of Cottonwood Creek and the Sacramento River, has been designated to preserve about 1,100 acres (450 ha) of riparian and wetland habitat. The area is divided into two units of about equal size, the Balls Ferry and Cottonwood Creek Wetlands Units. Major tree species are cottonwood , Oregon ash and willow . The area provides habitat for ring-tailed cat , river otters and beavers , and many bird species, including Swainson's hawks and bald eagles . Hunting

7055-399: Was completed in 1945, caused Redding's population to nearly double, also spurring the growth and development of other towns in the area. Redding continued to grow steadily in the 1950s due to the region's growing lumber industry and tourism brought about by the newly completed dam. The constructions of Whiskeytown and Keswick dams also helped boost the economy by bringing new workers to

7140-593: Was named in 1846 by Captain John C. Frémont ("the Pathfinder") when he was traveling through the area with his soldiers. Frémont described the creek as "wooded on the bottom with oaks, and with cottonwoods along the bed, which is sandy and gravelly. The water was at this time about twenty yards wide, but frequently fifty." In 1844, Pierson B. Reading had received a land grant from then-governor of Alta California , Manuel Micheltorena . Reading, who eventually settled at

7225-531: Was poor placer gold ground and called Poverty Flats. In 1868 the first land agent for the Central Pacific Railroad, a former Sacramento politician named Benjamin B. Redding , bought property in Poverty Flats on behalf of the railroad for a northern terminus, which the tracks reached in 1872. In the process of building the terminus, the railroad also built the town of Redding which was officially incorporated on October 4, 1887. In 1888, Redding won

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