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108-669: Straddling the Central Valley and Sierra Nevada regions of California, Greater Sacramento is anchored by the state capital of Sacramento, the political center of California. Greater Sacramento also contains sites of natural beauty including Lake Tahoe , the largest alpine lake in North America and numerous ski and nature resorts. It is also located in one of the world's most important agricultural areas. The region's eastern counties are located in Gold Country , site of

216-677: A deepwater port connected to the San Francisco Bay by a channel through the Sacramento River Delta . Coniferous and oak-dominated woodland are prevalent in the Sierra Nevada and the Lake Tahoe area. Sacramento and the valley area have a Mediterranean climate ( Köppen Csa ), characterized by damp to wet, cool winters and hot, dry summers. The wet season is generally October through April. Summer heat

324-641: A boom town luring in migrants making their way from San Francisco to the gold fields of the Sierras. Although it did not become the financial and cultural center of Northern California, titles that were given to San Francisco, Sacramento became the largest transportation hub of not only Northern California, but also the West Coast following the completion of the First Transcontinental Railroad. Sacramento today continues to be one of

432-656: A drought. In 2014–2015, farm-related losses in California totaled $ 5 billion and 20,000 farmers also lost their jobs. Agriculture is the primary industry in most of the Central Valley. A notable exception is the Sacramento area, which hosts a large and stable workforce of government employees. Despite state hiring cutbacks and the closure of several military bases, Sacramento's economy has continued to expand and diversify and now more closely resembles that of

540-471: A female householder with no husband present, and 27.0% were non-families. 20.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.63 and the average family size was 3.04. In the county, the population was spread out, with 26.1% under the age of 18, 6.8% from 18 to 24, 27.8% from 25 to 44, 26.9% from 45 to 64, and 12.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age

648-494: A greater difference in the land in a shorter amount of time. According to a survey paper written in 1988 about a storm that occurred in 1982 in the Central Valley region, rainstorms that can cause that type of landslide to happen about every 5 years. Landslides to higher degrees, such as the ones that happened due to the 1982 storm, only occur every 20 to 100+ years. This intense storm in the San Francisco Bay area caused

756-539: A health threat and suggested a collaborative research effort to assess health risks associated with naturally occurring asbestos. In 2003, after construction of the Oak Ridge High School (El Dorado Hills) soccer field, the federal Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry found that some student athletes, coaches and school workers had received substantial exposures. The inside of the school needed to be cleaned of dust. The population ranking of

864-762: A history of being held by Republican candidates, reflects the metropolitan area's competitiveness with pluralities between the two major parties. The only major professional sports team based in the Greater Sacramento area are the Sacramento Kings , who play at Golden 1 Center in Downtown Sacramento. The Athletics , who are relocating from Oakland to Las Vegas , will temporarily play at Sutter Health Park from 2025 to 2027 (with an option for 2028) until their new stadium in Las Vegas

972-537: A landslide for Lyndon Johnson , and in 1976 narrowly for Jimmy Carter . The county is noted as a center of political concern with the United Nations non-binding sustainable development plan Agenda 21 , which was on the County Board of Supervisors meeting Agenda on May 15, 2012. Concerns included the threat of U.S. Forest Service road closures and traffic roundabouts. On February 19, 2013, 14 members of

1080-921: A large expanse of interconnected canals , stream beds , sloughs , marshes and peat islands. The delta empties into the San Francisco Bay , and ultimately into the Pacific. The waters of the Tulare Basin essentially never reach the ocean (with the exception of Kings River waters diverted northward for irrigation), though they are connected by man-made canals to the San Joaquin. The valley encompasses all or parts of 18 California counties: Butte , Colusa , Glenn , Fresno , Kern , Kings , Madera , Merced , Placer , San Joaquin , Sacramento , Shasta , Stanislaus , Sutter , Tehama , Tulare , Yolo and Yuba . Older names include "the Great Valley",

1188-419: A lot of damage as a result of moving debris and landslides. They caused damage to the land and put people living in these areas that are susceptible to these disasters in great harm. The aftermath of this storm involved millions of dollars in retributions to restore the land and surrounding areas. It also led people to make greater efforts into planning around the danger of these landslides, as in how to manipulate

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1296-497: A name still often seen in scientific references (notably Great Valley Sequence ), as well as "Golden Empire", a booster name that is still referred to by some organizations (notably Golden Empire Transit , Golden Empire Council ). Ideas about what constitutes the “Central Valley” can vary from person-to-person. While almost all authoritative sources and external observers consider the Sacramento Valley to be part of

1404-507: A popular destination for hiking, backpacking, and fishing. The vast majority of the population lives in a narrow strip along U.S. Route 50 , with the majority living between El Dorado Hills and Pollock Pines. The remainder resides in the South Lake Tahoe area, and in various dispersed rural communities. The 2010 United States Census reported that El Dorado County had a population of 181,058. The racial makeup of El Dorado County

1512-991: A series of pumps that divert water into the California Aqueduct , which runs south along the length of the San Joaquin Valley. In parallel, pumps divert water into the Delta–Mendota Canal . The flow of the Sacramento River is further supplemented by a tunnel from the Trinity River (a tributary of the Klamath River , northwest of the Sacramento Valley) near Redding . Cities of the San Francisco Bay Area , also needing water, built aqueducts from

1620-661: A significant portion (approximately 43%) of the county's land area, primarily on the western slope. The Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit , formerly part of the Eldorado and two other National Forests, manages much of the land east of the crest. The Pacific Crest Trail runs through the eastern part of the county, along or roughly paralleling the Sierra crest. The county is home to the Desolation Wilderness ,

1728-454: A supporter of the State of Jefferson movement, that advocates for Northern California counties and Southern Oregon counties to form a new state. El Dorado County's seat, Placerville, is located 45 miles from Sacramento , the state's capital. The leadership of the movement acknowledges that it is unlikely that the California legislature would approve their separation from the state, as required by

1836-622: A third of California. It consists of three main drainage systems: the Sacramento Valley in the north, which receives over 20 inches (510 mm) of rain annually; the drier San Joaquin Valley in the south, and the Tulare Basin and its semi-arid desert climate at the southernmost end. The Sacramento and San Joaquin river systems drain their respective valleys and meet to form the Sacramento–San Joaquin River Delta ,

1944-755: A wider range of destinations, residents must travel down to San Francisco International Airport , the largest airport in Northern California and 10th largest in the United States. Greater Sacramento is served by extensive bus systems that link the region to the Reno and Bay Area metropolitan areas. The Sacramento Regional Transit District operates bus lines in Sacramento County and Yolobus serves Yolo County while providing connections to downtown Sacramento and northern Solano County in

2052-470: Is Fresno followed by the state capital Sacramento . The following metropolitan and micropolitan statistical areas are listed from largest to smallest: After English and Spanish , Punjabi is the third most commonly spoken language in the Central Valley. The valley has the largest Sikh population in the nation . The flatness of the valley floor contrasts with the rugged hills or gentle mountains that are typical of most of California's terrain. The valley

2160-625: Is a soccer team that plays in the USL Championship at Papa Murphy's Park , which is located on the grounds of Cal Expo . A new stadium in downtown Sacramento is planned to be completed ahead of the club's move to Major League Soccer (MLS). The Sacramento River Cats are a triple-A baseball team affiliated with the San Francisco Giants . The team plays in West Sacramento at Sutter Health Park , which

2268-615: Is completed. Prior to 2009, the Sacramento Monarchs of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) were also based at the Sleep Train Arena (then known as ARCO Arena), and were one of the most successful WNBA teams until the team folded. Greater Sacramento is the only metropolitan area in California to have ever hosted a Winter Olympic Games when Squaw Valley hosted the 1960 Winter Olympics , becoming

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2376-650: Is composed of seven counties, two metropolitan statistical areas and one micropolitan area . The following counties are located in the Greater Sacramento area: El Dorado, Placer, Sacramento, and Yolo counties compose the Sacramento–Roseville-Folsom, California, Metropolitan Statistical Area. Sutter and Yuba counties compose the Yuba City Metropolitan Statistical Area, known as the Yuba–Sutter area . Nevada County composes

2484-497: Is due in part to first, higher costs of living in the Bay Area which have caused commuters to move as far as Yolo and Sacramento counties and more recently, growth and rising living costs in the core of Sacramento, building up more areas in the surrounding counties for commuters. Local and state governments are trying to prevent destruction of forests and open land and curbing the spread before Sacramento faces an urban sprawl crisis as

2592-442: Is ideal for agriculture. The Central Valley is one of the United States' most productive growing regions. This is made possible by engineering the watercourses to prevent flooding during the spring snowmelt and drying up in the summer and autumn. Many dams, including Shasta Dam , Oroville Dam , Folsom Dam , New Melones Dam , Don Pedro Dam , Hetch Hetchy Dam , Friant Dam , Pine Flat Dam and Isabella Dam , were constructed on

2700-448: Is life-threatening or even fatal. Due to the agricultural industry's significant presence in the Valley, pesticide drift and leaching have become concerns. Residents risk contamination when living in proximity to application sites. Air pollution is a growing problem that affects all of the citizens in the Central Valley. Some reasons of poor air pollution in the Central Valley are due to agriculture and its geographical features. Since

2808-453: Is located just across the Sacramento River from downtown Sacramento. Central Valley (California) The Central Valley is a broad, elongated, flat valley that dominates the interior of California . It is 40–60 mi (60–100 km) wide and runs approximately 450 mi (720 km) from north-northwest to south-southeast, inland from and parallel to the Pacific coast of

2916-403: Is now San Francisco Bay . Over the millennia, the valley filled with the sediments of these same ranges, as well as the rising Sierra Nevada to the east; that filling eventually created an extraordinary flatness just barely above sea level. Before California's flood control and aqueduct system was built, annual snow melt turned much of the valley into an inland sea. The one notable exception to

3024-633: Is often moderated by a sea breeze known as the "delta breeze" which comes through the Sacramento–San Joaquin River Delta from the San Francisco Bay . January is the coolest month for the entire region with an average maximum of 41.0 °F (5.0 °C) and an average minimum of 15.1 °F (-9.4 °C) in Lake Tahoe. The eastern portion of Greater Sacramento experiences a more varied climate with 90 °F (32.2 °C) temperatures in August to below freezing temperatures in winter. In higher elevations, freezing temperatures have been recorded every month. In

3132-526: Is only one principal route that serves its respective area and there are smaller state routes as well. Freeways and highways in the Greater Sacramento areas include: Sacramento is the largest rail hub west of the Mississippi River and was the first terminus of the First transcontinental railroad before it extended to Oakland . The Sacramento Valley Station is the largest train station in

3240-491: Is part of the larger Pacific Border province, which in turn is part of the Pacific Mountain System . The Central Valley was formerly a diverse expanse of grassland, containing areas of prairie , desert grassland (at the southern end), oak savanna , riparian forest , marsh , several types of seasonal vernal pools , and large lakes such as now-dry Tulare Lake (once the largest freshwater lake west of

3348-513: Is provided. Greyhound , Megabus , Flixbus , and Amtrak provide long-distance bus lines to Greater Sacramento. Greater Sacramento's higher education system consists of the northernmost University of California campus, University of California, Davis , and the California State University, Sacramento ("Sac State"), as well as several community colleges in the region. Private : In addition to being home of

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3456-399: Is released every Thursday, showing which parts of the U.S. are in a drought. It started in 2000, and since then the longest duration of a drought in California lasted a total of 376 weeks. It started on December 11, 2011, and ended on March 5, 2019. The most intense period captured on the drought monitor was on the week of July 29, 2014. It showed that 58.41% of California's land was affected by

3564-607: Is thought to have originated below sea level as an offshore area depressed by subduction of the Farallon Plate into a trench farther offshore. The valley has no earthquake faults of its own but is surrounded by faults to the east and west. The valley was enclosed by the uplift of the Coast Ranges , with its original outlet into Monterey Bay . Faulting moved the Coast Ranges, and a new outlet developed near what

3672-445: Is very hot and dry during the summer and cool and damp in winter when frequent ground fog known regionally as " tule fog " can obscure vision. Summer daytime temperatures frequently surpass 100 °F (38 °C), and common heat waves might bring temperatures exceeding 115 °F (46 °C). Mid-autumn to mid-spring is the rainy season —although during the late summer, southeasterly winds can bring tropical thunderstorms, mainly in

3780-543: The Bay Area and Nevada border, Greater Sacramento is a key transportation hub into Northern California. While the region doesn't have an extensive public transportation system as the San Francisco Bay Area, Greater Sacramento has had an earlier history of public mass transit and is served by a vast freeway system as well as some light rail. Sacramento is served by numerous highways. Five highways merge in

3888-798: The Boreal Mountain Resort , but is more rural than the former two counties and is an important gold mining area. The Donner Memorial State Park is located in the county, where the ill-fated Donner Party was trapped in winter storms in 1846–47 while attempting to make it to California on a poorly organized trip. Douglas County, Nevada was recently briefly added to the Sacramento Combined Statistical Area. As Greater Sacramento continues to grow beyond its inner region, Western Nevada continues to be influenced by Sacramento and California and their cultures. However, Douglas County has since been removed again from

3996-498: The California Gold Rush . Since the late 20th century, it has been one of the fastest growing urban regions in the United States as Sacramento continues to emerge as a distinct metropolitan area. In the 1990s, the metro area experienced a growth of just over 20%, with subsequent growth remaining above 10% per decade. In the 2020 Census, the metropolitan region had a population of 2,680,831. The Greater Sacramento area

4104-552: The Capital City Corridor , serving the immediate downtown Sacramento area. The major freeways of the Greater Sacramento area are Interstate 80 , US Route 50 , Interstate 5 , and State Route 99 , which serve the northern Tahoe area, southern Tahoe area, and valley areas, respectively, as well as forming the Capital City Corridor along with Interstate 80 Business . Outside downtown Sacramento, there

4212-638: The County of El Dorado , is a county located in the U.S. state of California . As of the 2020 census , the population was 191,185. The county seat is Placerville . The county is part of the Sacramento - Roseville - Arden-Arcade , CA Metropolitan Statistical Area . It is located entirely in the Sierra Nevada , from the historic Gold Country in the western foothills to the High Sierra in

4320-480: The Golden Gate . Many of the islands lie below sea level because of intensive agriculture, and face a high risk of flooding, which would allow salt water to rush back into the delta, especially when too little fresh water is flowing in from the Valley. The Sacramento River carries far more water than the San Joaquin, with an estimated 22 million acre-feet (27 km ) of virgin annual runoff, as compared to

4428-556: The Greater Los Angeles Area has. Sacramento is the largest city in the metropolitan area, home to approximately 500,000 people, making it the sixth-largest city in California and the 35th largest in the United States . It has been the state capital of California since 1851 and has played an important role in the history of California. When gold was discovered in nearby Sutter's Mill in Coloma , Sacramento became

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4536-607: The Heavenly Mountain Resort , which are popular in winter months and nature camps and resorts in summer months. Placer County has been an important mining area not only for gold, but also other minerals and granite. It is also the site of Squaw Valley , which hosted the 1960 Winter Olympics , which has been up to date, the only Winter Olympic Games to be held in California and the US West Coast and

4644-575: The Mokelumne River and Tuolumne River that run east to west across the middle part of the Central Valley. Most valley lowlands are prone to flooding, especially in the old Tulare Lake , Buena Vista Lake , and Kern Lake rivers. The Kings , Kaweah , Tule and Kern rivers originally flowed into these seasonal lakes, which would expand each spring to flood large parts of the southern San Joaquin Valley. Farms, towns, and infrastructure in these lakebeds are protected with levee systems, while

4752-833: The State Assembly , the county is split between the 5th Assembly District , represented by Republican Joe Patterson and the 6th Assembly District , represented by Democrat Kevin McCarty . In the State Senate , it is in the 1st Senate District , represented by Republican Brian Dahle . The following table includes the number of incidents reported and the rate per 1,000 persons for each type of offense. General aviation airports include Placerville Airport , Georgetown Airport , Cameron Park airport and Lake Tahoe Airport . Portions of El Dorado County are known to contain natural asbestos formations near

4860-522: The Tehachapi Mountains . Riverside trees include willows, western sycamore ( Platanus racemosa ), box elder ( Acer negundo ), Fremont cottonwood ( Populus fremontii ), and the endemic valley oak ( Quercus lobata ). Another endemic species is brittlescale ( Atriplex depressa ) which grows in saline and alkali soils. The Central Valley was once home to large populations of pronghorn antelope ( Antilocapra americana ), elk including

4968-634: The United States Constitution . They promote an unproven theory that the county "is technically not a legitimate piece of California and is instead 'other property' of Congress". El Dorado County is split between two Congressional districts, with the western third of the County in the 5th Congressional District , represented by Tom McClintock , and the eastern two-thirds in the 3rd Congressional District , represented by Kevin Kiley . In

5076-763: The University of California, Davis , campus, the northernmost UC campus and only UC campus in the Greater Sacramento region. El Dorado and Placer Counties form the remainder of the inner core of Greater Sacramento and are composed of the Sierra Nevada foothills and mountains. The western areas of the counties are composed of commuter suburbs, with Roseville in Placer County being Sacramento's most populous edge city . The Sierra foothills mostly contain residential acreage properties and small farms. The easternmost areas border Lake Tahoe and are home to numerous ski resorts and towns such as South Lake Tahoe , site of

5184-482: The census of 2000, there were 156,299 people, 58,939 households, and 43,025 families residing in the county. The population density was 91 inhabitants per square mile (35/km ). There were 71,278 housing units at an average density of 42 per square mile (16/km ). The racial makeup of the county was 89.7% White , 0.5% Black or African American , 1.0% Native American , 2.1% Asian , 0.1% Pacific Islander , 3.6% from other races , and 3.0% from two or more races. 9.3% of

5292-574: The Bay Area. El Dorado Transit links El Dorado County with downtown Sacramento and the city's western suburbs. Placer County Transit and Roseville Transit link Sacramento with Placer County with the latter providing direct connection from Roseville to Sacramento. The Yuba-Sutter Transit provides bus service in the Yuba–Sutter area and direct connection to downtown Sacramento on weekdays. Gold Country Stage and Tahoe Truckee Area Rapid Transit serve Nevada County and transfer service to Auburn to Sacramento

5400-674: The Central Valley (2007 Data). Early farming was concentrated close to the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, where the water table was high year-round and water transport was readily available. Subsequent irrigation projects brought many more parts of the valley into productive use. The even larger California State Water Project was formed in the 1950s and construction continued over the following decades. El Dorado County, California El Dorado County ( / ˌ ɛ l d ə ˈ r ɑː d oʊ / ; El Dorado , Spanish for "The Golden [one]"), officially

5508-417: The Central Valley consists mostly of farming land, a wide, flat valley, the emissions from the soil that is used for growing produce are released into the air. The soil exudes nitrous oxide , an odorless and colorless gas that can be harmful when exposed to it for a long period of time, and incorporates itself into the ozone layer located at ground level. Production of nitrous oxide in California has shown that

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5616-456: The Central Valley produces 8 percent of the nation's agricultural output by value: US$ 43.5 billion in 2013. California's farms and ranches earned almost $ 50 billion in 2018. The valley's productivity relies on irrigation from surface water and badly depleted underground aquifers . About one-sixth of the US' irrigated land is in the Central Valley. Virtually all non-tropical crops are grown in

5724-523: The Central Valley, which cause 312 landslides to move that year. Slow-moving landslides are impacted even if the intensity of the rainfall is not as severe. Consistent, moderately intense rainfall increases the saturation of water in the ground. This over-saturation is what causes the movement of a slow-moving landslide, rather than the more quick-moving and rigorous landslides that also occur in this region of California. Quick-moving landslides are caused by very intense rain, or sometimes earthquakes, that make

5832-405: The Central Valley, which is the primary source for produce throughout the United States, including tomatoes, grapes, cotton, apricots, and asparagus. Six thousand almond growers produced more than 600 million pounds (270 × 10 ^  kg) in 2000, about 70 percent of the world's supply and nearly 100 percent of domestic production. The US' top four counties in agricultural sales are in

5940-482: The El Dorado County Grand Jury resigned, forcing Supervising Judge Steven Bailey to dissolve it. El Dorado County has a secessionist movement, calling for the county of less than 200,000 residents to become a new state of the union. Wyoming , the least populous current state, has approximately three times the number of residents. Sharon Durst, one of the leaders of the movement, was previously

6048-673: The Greater Sacramento area are Davis , Roseville , Rocklin , Auburn , Colfax and Truckee . The main airport servicing Greater Sacramento is the Sacramento International Airport north of downtown while the Sacramento Mather Airport , Sacramento Executive Airport and Minden–Tahoe Airports provide general aviation. The Reno-Tahoe International Airport in Reno provides more direct access to Lake Tahoe than Sacramento International. For

6156-431: The Mississippi), Buena Vista Lake and Kern Lake . However, much of the Central Valley environment has been altered by human activity, including the introduction of exotic plants , notably grasses. The valley's grasslands, wetlands, and riparian forests constitute the California Central Valley grasslands , a temperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands ecoregion . The foothill oak woodlands and chaparral that fringe

6264-413: The Sacramento CSA, and transferred to the Reno-Carson City-Fernley, NV CSA. The western half of Greater Sacramento is centered on the Central Valley, one of the most vital agricultural areas in the country. The Sierra Nevada and its foothills compose the eastern portion of the region. Yolo County contains a large flood control basin. The Sacramento River and the American River are major rivers that form

6372-467: The Sacramento River, 26 percent into the San Joaquin, and 27 percent into Tulare Lake. In the south part of the San Joaquin Valley, the alluvial fan of the Kings River and another from Coast Ranges streams have created a divide. The dry Tulare basin of the Central Valley receives flow from four major Sierra Nevada rivers, the Kings, Kaweah , Tule , and Kern . This basin, usually endorheic , formerly filled during snowmelt and spilled out into

6480-421: The Sacramento Valley for about 447 miles (719 km). In the San Joaquin Valley, the San Joaquin River flows roughly northwest for 365 miles (587 km), picking up tributaries such as the Merced River , Tuolumne River , Stanislaus River and Mokelumne River . The Central Valley watershed encompasses over a third of California at 60,000 square miles (160,000 km ), with 46 percent draining into

6588-576: The Sacramento Valley, with its high year-round flow and wide waterways, has been compared to the small and seasonal rivers of the San Joaquin basin; this also contributes to different identities between the two regions. Subregions and their counties commonly associated with the valley include: The four main population centers in the Central Valley area are roughly equidistant from the next. From south to north, they are Bakersfield , Fresno , Sacramento and Redding . These four cities act as hubs for regional commerce and transportation. The table displays

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6696-415: The San Francisco Bay Area. Primary sources of population growth are Bay Area migrants seeking lower housing costs, augmented by immigration from Asia, Central America, Mexico, Ukraine, and the rest of the former Soviet Union. The Central Valley is one of the world's most productive agricultural regions. More than 230 crops are grown there. On less than 1 percent of the total farmland in the United States,

6804-485: The San Joaquin River. Called Tulare Lake , it is usually dry because the rivers feeding it have been diverted for agricultural purposes. Central Valley rivers converge in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta , a network of marshy channels, distributaries, and sloughs that wind around islands mainly used for agriculture. There the rivers merge with tidewater, and eventually reach the ocean after passing through Suisun Bay , San Pablo Bay , upper San Francisco Bay , and finally

6912-406: The San Joaquin's approximately 6 million acre-feet (7.4 km ). Intensive agricultural and municipal water consumption decreased the rate of outflow to about 17 million acre-feet (21 km ) for the Sacramento and 3 million acre-feet (3.7 km ) for the San Joaquin. These figures vary widely from year to year. Over 25 million people, living in the valley and other regions of

7020-438: The Sierra Nevada, consists of rolling hills and mountainous terrain. The northeast corner is in the Lake Tahoe Basin (part of the Great Basin ), including a portion of the lake itself. Across the Sierra crest to the west lies the majority of the county, referred to as the "western slope." A portion of Folsom Lake is in the northwest corner of the county. Much of the county is public land. The Eldorado National Forest comprises

7128-442: The Truckee–Grass Valley Micropolitan Area. Greater Sacramento straddles two key regions of California , the Central Valley and the Sierra Nevada mountains and is overlapped by the cultural influences of three areas, the Bay Area , Eastern California and Northern California . An increasing phenomenon taking shape in Greater Sacramento is growth of urban sprawl as Sacramento and its metropolitan area continue to expand. The growth

7236-401: The United States. More than 7,000,000 acres (28,000 km ) of the valley are irrigated via reservoirs and canals. The valley hosts many cities, including the state capital Sacramento , as well as Redding , Chico , Stockton , Modesto , Merced , Fresno , Visalia , Porterville , and Bakersfield . The Central Valley watershed comprises 60,000 square miles (160,000 km ), or over

7344-453: The addition of soil and fertilization can emit about 161,100 metric tons per year. Long term effects that nitrous oxide can have on a human being is loss of blood pressure, fainting, anemia, or lung cancer. The physical geographical attributes can also contribute to the air pollution quality. The Central Valley is surrounded by mountain ranges which can capture the pollution coming from the agricultural farming, preventing it from dispersing from

7452-399: The city limits. The remainder of Sacramento County is suburban in general with most of the working population commuting to Downtown Sacramento and with a smaller proportion commuting all the way to the Bay Area. Yolo County is a mixture of an agricultural area and commuter region , with most of its working population commuting either to the Bay Area or Sacramento for work. It is home to

7560-579: The counties of Central Valley and their respective population during the 2020 US Decennial Census. Total jobs for each county is from the U.S. Census Bureau, OnTheMap Application and LEHD Origin-Destination Employment Statistics (Beginning of Quarter Employment, 2nd Quarter of 2002–2020). As of 2020, some 7.2 million people lived in the Central Valley; it was the fastest-growing region in California. It includes 12 Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSA) and 1 Micropolitan Statistical Area (μSA). Below, they are listed by MSA and μSA population. The largest city

7668-440: The delta. Large blocks of desert scrubland exist in the southern San Joaquin Valley and the Carrizo Plain , just outside the valley, but offering a similar landscape. The wetlands have been the target of rescue operations to restore areas replaced by agriculture. These patches of natural habitat are disconnected, which is particularly damaging for wildlife that is used to migrating along the rivers. Agriculture, grazing land, and

7776-408: The draining of lakes and rivers have radically altered valley habitats. Most of the grassland has been overtaken by new species; most vernal pools have been destroyed, leaving only those on the higher slopes; the marshland has been drained, and the riverbank woodlands have nearly all been affected. The valley gives its name to Valley fever , which is primarily a disease of the lungs that is common in

7884-411: The east. El Dorado County's population has grown as Greater Sacramento has expanded into the region. Where the county line crosses US 50 at Clarksville, the distance to Sacramento is 15 miles (24 km). In the county's high altitude eastern end at Lake Tahoe , environmental awareness and environmental protection initiatives have grown along with the population since the 1960 Winter Olympics , hosted at

7992-518: The endemic tule elk subspecies ( Cervus elaphus nannodes ), mule deer ( Odocoileus hemionus ), California ground squirrels , gophers , mice, hare, rabbits and kangaroo rats , along with their predators including the San Joaquin kit fox (an endangered subspecies surviving on the San Joaquin Valley's hillsides). The valley's wetlands were an important habitat for wintering waterbirds and migrating birds of other kinds. Reptiles and amphibians of

8100-576: The fire rapidly east towards the Lake Tahoe Basin. By August 30, it had reached Echo Summit , less than five miles (8.0 km) from South Lake Tahoe . There are only two municipalities in El Dorado County: Placerville and South Lake Tahoe. The El Dorado County Sheriff provides court protection, county jail administration, and coroner service for all of the county and provides patrol and detective services for

8208-522: The first significant rainfall. The official season is from November 1 to March 31. This phenomenon is named after the valley's tule grass wetlands ( tulares ). Auto collisions caused by the tule fog are the leading cause of weather-related casualties in California. Two river systems drain and define the two parts of the Central Valley. The Sacramento River , along with its tributaries the Feather River and American River , flows southwards through

8316-491: The flat valley floor is Sutter Buttes , the remnants of an extinct volcano just to the northwest of Yuba City . Another significant geologic feature of the Central Valley lies hidden beneath the delta. The Stockton Arch is an upwarping of the crust beneath the valley sediments that extends southwest to northeast across the valley. The Central Valley lies within the California Trough physiographic section, which

8424-548: The former Squaw Valley Ski Resort in neighboring Placer County . What is now known as El Dorado County has been home to the Maidu , Nisenan , Washoe , and Miwok Indigenous American nations for centuries. The region became famous for being the site of the 1848 discovery that sparked the California Gold Rush . As a result, the name "El Dorado" was derived from the Spanish word for, "The Gilded One". The County of El Dorado

8532-771: The land to accommodate the consequences. Out of the past twenty-two years, California has experienced significant drought conditions for thirteen years. From 2000 to 2018 was the second driest period that California has ever experienced. The driest three-year period ever in California was from 2012 to 2014. Three-quarters of the state of California is experiencing extreme drought conditions. There are also multiple types of droughts such as agricultural droughts, meteorological droughts, snow droughts, and hydrological droughts. All of these droughts affect California in different ways. Droughts can damage forests and can cause wildfires. Droughts cause forests to become dry which causes trees to die. Dead trees result in wildfires. The U.S. drought monitor

8640-459: The largest rail hubs in North America, and its rail station is one of the busiest in the United States. In 2002, Time Magazine featured an article recognizing Sacramento as the most diverse and integrated city in America. Government (state and federal) jobs are still the largest sector of employment in the city and the city council does considerable effort to keep state agencies from moving outside

8748-526: The night of August 16, it was 6,500 acres (2,600 ha). On August 17, the fire grew to 30,000 acres (12,000 ha) as it expanded rapidly north and east, crossing the North Fork Cosumnes River and approaching Sly Park Reservoir . By August 20, the fire had burned nearly to U.S. Route 50, forcing a closure of the highway. Over the next few days, the fire crossed Highway 50 in the vicinity of Kyburz . Starting on August 27, winds drove

8856-497: The other areas in California. The Central Valley is also expanding in the number of people that coincide in that area, so it increases the number of cars which can also contribute to the amount of emission that is in the air. The northern Central Valley has a hot Mediterranean climate ( Köppen climate classification Csa ); the more southerly parts in rainshadow zones are dry enough to be Mediterranean steppe or even low-latitude desert ( BWh , as in areas around Bakersfield ). It

8964-408: The population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 14.9% were of German , 13.4% English , 10.3% Irish , 6.6% Italian and 6.6% American ancestry according to Census 2000 . 90.5% spoke English and 6.5% Spanish as their first language. There were 58,939 households, out of which 34.2% had youngsters under the age of 18 living with them, 60.1% were married couples living together, 8.9% had

9072-506: The population were below the poverty line , including 7.6% of those under age 18 and 5.0% of those age 65 or over. El Dorado is a predominantly Republican county in presidential and congressional elections. However, from 1880 until 1952, the county was a Democratic stronghold, with Theodore Roosevelt and Warren Harding being the only two Republicans to carry the county. Since 1952, however, El Dorado has gone Democratic only three times: in 1960 narrowly for John F. Kennedy , in 1964 in

9180-598: The region, near Old Sacramento , and is connected by the Coast Starlight , California Zephyr , San Joaquins , Capitol Corridor and Amtrak Thruway Amtrak routes. The Sacramento Regional Transit District is the local transit agency for Sacramento County and operates three light rail routes, the Blue Line , Green Line , and Gold Line , along 42.9 mi (69 km) of right of way that serve Sacramento and its immediate suburbs. Other train stations in

9288-457: The risk of floods damaging properties increased greatly. The Great Flood of 1862 was the valley's worst flood in recorded history, flooding most of the valley and putting some places as much as 20 feet (6.1 m) under water. In 2003, it was determined that Sacramento had both the least protection against and nearly the highest risk of flooding. Congress then granted a $ 220 million loan for upgrades in Sacramento County. Other counties in

9396-652: The rivers, with many of them being part of the Central Valley Project . These dams impact physical, economic, cultural, and ecological resources: for example, enabling the development of its vast agricultural resources but leading to the loss of the Chinook salmon . Post-World War II demand for urban development, most notably the San Francisco Bay Area and the Los Angeles / Inland Empire / San Diego , required water resources. Moreover, agriculture in

9504-591: The smallest city to ever host an Olympic Games , a title it still holds. Squaw Valley was the second Olympic games hosted in California and the only one not held in Los Angeles , where the 1932 and 1984 Summer Olympics were hosted and was the only Winter Olympics held west of the Mississippi River until the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City . Greater Sacramento is also home to minor or secondary league sports teams. Sacramento Republic FC

9612-469: The smallest city to host an Olympics. The Yuba–Sutter area consists of Yuba and Sutter counties and is a primarily agricultural area, although the southern area is more suburban in character. It is home to Sunsweet Growers , which owns the world's largest dried fruit plant in Yuba City . Nevada County , like El Dorado and Placer Counties, borders Lake Tahoe and contains numerous ski resorts such as

9720-678: The southern Central Valley required far more water than was available locally. The Feather River in the Sacramento Valley was looked to as a water source, leading to the California State Water Project . This transports water to the southern San Joaquin Valley and urban areas south of the Tehachapi Mountains. Runoff from the Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers is intercepted in the delta through

9828-524: The southern half of the San Joaquin Valley but occasionally to the Sacramento Valley . The northern half of the Central Valley receives greater precipitation than the semidesert southern half. Frost occurs at times in the fall months, but snow is extremely rare. Tule fog / ˈ t uː l iː / is a thick ground fog that settles along the valley's length. Tule fog forms during the late fall and winter (California's rainy season ), after

9936-400: The southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico. It is caused by the fungus Coccidioides immitis , which grows in soils in areas of low rainfall, high summer temperatures, and moderate winter temperatures. These fungal spores become airborne when the soil is disturbed by winds, construction, or farming. This illness frequently takes weeks or months to resolve. Occasionally Valley Fever

10044-429: The state . It covers approximately 18,000 sq mi (47,000 km ), about 11% of California's land area. The valley is bounded by the Coast Ranges to the west and the Sierra Nevada to the east. The Central Valley is a region known for its agricultural productivity . It provides a large share of the food produced in California. California provides more than half of the fruits, vegetables, and nuts grown in

10152-528: The state capital of California, Greater Sacramento is considered a politically competitive area with no major political party having a majority over the region. Sacramento and Yolo counties have large Democratic pluralities and have had Democratic majorities since the 2008 presidential election , attributed to the former county being mainly urban and the latter home to the strongly Democratic university town of Davis. El Dorado, Placer, Yuba, and Sutter counties are predominantly Republican while Nevada County, despite

10260-537: The state, rely on the water carried by these rivers. Sierra Nevada runoff provides one of California's largest water resources. The Sacramento River is the second largest river to empty into the Pacific from the contiguous United States , behind only the Columbia River and greater than the Colorado River . Combined with the fertile and expansive area of the Central Valley's floor, the Central Valley

10368-543: The surface. The USGS studied amphiboles in rock and soil in the area in response to an EPA sampling study and subsequent criticism of the EPA study. The study found that many amphibole particles in the area meet the counting rule criteria used by the EPA for chemical and morphological limits, but do not meet morphological requirements for commercial-grade-asbestos. The executive summary pointed out that even particles that do not meet requirements for commercial-grade-asbestos may be

10476-421: The unincorporated areas of the county. Incorporated cities Placerville, population 11,000, and South Lake Tahoe, population 22,000, have municipal police departments. According to the U.S. Census Bureau , the county has a total area of 1,786 square miles (4,630 km ), of which 1,708 square miles (4,420 km ) is land and 78 square miles (200 km ) (4.4%) is water. The county, owing to its location in

10584-502: The valley have been categorized as the California interior chaparral and woodlands ecoregion. The dominant grass of the valley was Nassella pulchra mixed with other species, but today only 1% of the grassland in the valley is intact. Grassland flowers include California poppy ( Eschscholzia californica ), lupins , and purple owl's clover ( Castilleja exserta ), which can still be seen, especially in Antelope Valley in

10692-511: The valley include the endemic San Joaquin coachwhip snake ( Masticophis flagellum ruddocki ), blunt-nosed leopard lizard ( Gambelia sila ), Gilbert's skink ( Eumeces gilberti ) and the western aquatic garter snake ( Thamnophis couchii ). Endemic invertebrates are present. The Central Valley is home to endemic fish species, including the Sacramento pikeminnow , Sacramento perch , Sacramento blackfish , and Sacramento splittail . The Great Valley Grasslands State Park preserves an example of

10800-422: The valley that often face flooding are Yuba , Stanislaus , and San Joaquin . There is a very strong positive correlation between rainfall and slow-moving landslides in Northern California, especially in the Central Valley region. Changes in climate and precipitation levels have shown that consistent average rainfall has increased the number and intensity of landslides within the past 5–6 years. This information

10908-597: The valley's native grass habitat , while oak savanna habitats survive near Visalia . Areas of wetland and riverside woodland are found in the north, especially by the Sacramento River system, including the Nature Conservancy 's Cosumnes River Preserve just south of Sacramento, Gray Lodge Wildlife Area, Butte Sink Wildlife Management Area , and other patches in the delta area. Remaining vernal pools include Pixley National Wildlife Refuge between Tulare, California , and Bakersfield and Jepson Prairie Preserve in

11016-471: The winter, below freezing temperatures are common in Sacramento and lower valley elevations although snowfall is scarce and usually melts on ground contact with significant snowfall occurring roughly every 3–5 years. However, blizzard conditions in winter storms can be common in the higher elevations. As of the 2020 census , there were 2,397,382 people residing within the MSA. The racial makeup

11124-469: The “Central Valley”, many residents consider the Central Valley to consist of only the San Joaquin Valley . This is perhaps due to significant landscape and cultural differences between the two; the San Joaquin Valley is poorer and drier with more fertile soil, while the Sacramento Valley is wealthier and wetter with poorer soils. The major presence of the Sacramento River and its tributaries in

11232-500: Was 156,793 (86.6%) White , 1,409 (0.8%) African American , 2,070 (1.1%) Native American , 6,297 (3.5%) Asian , 294 (0.2%) Pacific Islander , 7,278 (4.0%) from other races , and 6,917 (3.8%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 21,875 persons (12.1%). The largest growth in the county has come in El Dorado Hills where the population grew by 24,092 residents to a total of 42,108 since 2000. As of

11340-417: Was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 99.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.3 males. The 2000 census also states that the median income for a household in the county was $ 51,484, and the median income for a family was $ 60,250. Males had a median income of $ 46,373 versus $ 31,537 for females. The per capita income for the county was $ 25,560. About 5.0% of families and 7.1% of

11448-437: Was 52.5% White, 7.0% Black, 1.1% American Indian, 14.9% Asian, 0.9% Pacific Islander, 10.4% Other and 13.2% Two or More Races. 22.2% identified as Hispanic or Latino. The median income for a household in the MSA in 2000 was $ 48,401, and the median income for a family was $ 57,112. Males had a median income of $ 43,572 versus $ 31,889 for females. The per capita income for the MSA was $ 23,508. Owing to its central location between

11556-970: Was one of California's original 27 counties created effective February 18, 1850 (the number has risen to 58 today). The final segments of the Pony Express mail route ran through El Dorado County until its replacement with the telegraph service in 1861; U.S. Route 50 follows the Pony Express route today. The Placerville Mountain Democrat , California's oldest surviving newspaper, serves El Dorado County. The Caldor Fire started on August 14, 2021, near Little Mountain, south of Pollock Pines in El Dorado County, about two miles (3.2 km) east of Omo Ranch and four miles (6.4 km) south of Grizzly Flats . It initially burned slowly, but exploded in size on August 16 due to high winds. By

11664-456: Was shown in a study that focused on the behavior of these slow-moving landslides and how their nature changed with years of extreme average rainfall versus minimal average rainfall. In 2016, the average annual precipitation levels were lower because of a drought that was coming to an end at that time. The minimal rainfall in that year showed that 119 landslides had been moving. Comparatively, in 2017, there were very extreme levels of precipitation in

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