Lost River (California)
Encyclopedia
Lost River begins and ends in a closed basin in northern California
and southwestern Oregon
in the United States
. The river, 60 miles (96.6 km) long, flows in an arc from Clear Lake Reservoir
in Modoc County, California
, through Klamath County, Oregon
to Tule Lake
in Siskiyou County
. About 46 miles (74 km) of Lost River are in Oregon, and 14 miles (22.5 km) are in California.
From its source, the river flows into Langell Valley, where Miller Creek enters from the right. Near Bonanza
, the river turns west and passes through Olene Gap, about 10 miles (16.1 km) east of Klamath Falls
. The river then turns southeast and flows along the base of Stukel Mountain, re-entering California south of Merrill
.
Dams, canals, pumps, and other artificial structures on Lost River, Clear Lake, and Tule Lake are part of the Klamath Project
of the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, which manages the basin's water flow mainly for farming and flood-control. The project provides water to about 210000 acres (84,984.1 ha) of cropland, 62 percent of which are in Oregon and 38 percent in California. Water from the Lost River basin enters the Klamath River
basin, mainly through the Lost River Diversion Channel, about 4 miles (6.4 km) downstream of Olene. The 8 miles (12.9 km) channel can also supply water by reverse flow from the Klamath when irrigation water is needed for farms in drained parts of Tule Lake.
After 1846, the Applegate Trail
crossed the river on a natural bridge of stepping-stones, later covered by a Bureau of Reclamation dam, near Merrill. Earlier in that year, explorer John C. Frémont
had named the stream McCrady River after a boyhood friend, but over time the Lost River name prevailed. A Lost River post office operated briefly, probably in the vicinity of Olene, Oregon
, in 1875–76.
A sluggish stream, Lost River offers fishing opportunities for bass
, up to 7 pounds (3.2 kg), brown bullhead
, crappie
, yellow perch
, and Sacramento perch
. Trout
are uncommon in this river.
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
and southwestern Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The river, 60 miles (96.6 km) long, flows in an arc from Clear Lake Reservoir
Clear Lake Reservoir
Clear Lake Reservoir is a reservoir in northwestern Modoc County, California in the Modoc National Forest about northwest of Alturas. It is formed by Clear Lake Dam on the Lost River and has a capacity of...
in Modoc County, California
Modoc County, California
Modoc County is a county located in the far northeast corner of the U.S. state of California, bounded by the state of Oregon to the north and the state of Nevada to the east. As of the 2010 census, its population was 9,686, up from 9,449 at the 2000 census. The current county seat is Alturas, the...
, through Klamath County, Oregon
Klamath County, Oregon
-National protected areas:* Bear Valley National Wildlife Refuge* Crater Lake National Park * Deschutes National Forest * Fremont National Forest * Klamath Marsh National Wildlife Refuge* Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge...
to Tule Lake
Tule Lake
Tule Lake is an intermittent lake covering an area of , long and across, in northeastern Siskiyou County and northwestern Modoc County in California, along the border with Oregon.-Geography:Tule Lake is fed by the Lost River...
in Siskiyou County
Siskiyou County, California
Siskiyou County is a county located in the far northernmost part of the U.S. state of California, in the Shasta Cascade region on the Oregon border. Yreka is the county seat. Because of its substantial natural beauty, outdoor recreation opportunities, and Gold Rush era history, it is an important...
. About 46 miles (74 km) of Lost River are in Oregon, and 14 miles (22.5 km) are in California.
From its source, the river flows into Langell Valley, where Miller Creek enters from the right. Near Bonanza
Bonanza, Oregon
Bonanza is a city in Klamath County, Oregon, United States near Klamath Falls. The population was 415 at the 2010 census.-History:Bonanza is an agricultural community with large areas of alfalfa, cattle, and dairy farm use. It is home to Bonanza High School, and the Lost River runs near downtown...
, the river turns west and passes through Olene Gap, about 10 miles (16.1 km) east of Klamath Falls
Klamath Falls, Oregon
Klamath Falls is a city in Klamath County, Oregon, United States. Originally called Linkville when George Nurse founded the town in 1867, after the Link River on whose falls this city sat, although no falls currently exist; the name was changed to Klamath Falls in 1892...
. The river then turns southeast and flows along the base of Stukel Mountain, re-entering California south of Merrill
Merrill, Oregon
Merrill is a city in Klamath County, Oregon, United States. The population was 897 at the 2000 census.Merrill is an agricultural area and home to an annual Potato Festival...
.
Dams, canals, pumps, and other artificial structures on Lost River, Clear Lake, and Tule Lake are part of the Klamath Project
Klamath Project
The Klamath Project was developed by the United States Bureau of Reclamation to supply farmers with irrigation water and farmland in the Klamath Basin.The two main sources supply water for the project are Upper Klamath Lake and the Klamath River...
of the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, which manages the basin's water flow mainly for farming and flood-control. The project provides water to about 210000 acres (84,984.1 ha) of cropland, 62 percent of which are in Oregon and 38 percent in California. Water from the Lost River basin enters the Klamath River
Klamath River
The Klamath River is an American river that flows southwest through Oregon and northern California, cutting through the Cascade Range to empty into the Pacific Ocean. The river drains an extensive watershed of almost that stretches from the high desert country of the Great Basin to the temperate...
basin, mainly through the Lost River Diversion Channel, about 4 miles (6.4 km) downstream of Olene. The 8 miles (12.9 km) channel can also supply water by reverse flow from the Klamath when irrigation water is needed for farms in drained parts of Tule Lake.
After 1846, the Applegate Trail
Applegate Trail
The Applegate Trail was a wilderness trail through today's U.S. states of Idaho, Nevada, California, and Oregon, and was originally intended as a less dangerous route to the Oregon Territory.-Background:...
crossed the river on a natural bridge of stepping-stones, later covered by a Bureau of Reclamation dam, near Merrill. Earlier in that year, explorer John C. Frémont
John C. Frémont
John Charles Frémont , was an American military officer, explorer, and the first candidate of the anti-slavery Republican Party for the office of President of the United States. During the 1840s, that era's penny press accorded Frémont the sobriquet The Pathfinder...
had named the stream McCrady River after a boyhood friend, but over time the Lost River name prevailed. A Lost River post office operated briefly, probably in the vicinity of Olene, Oregon
Olene, Oregon
Olene is an unincorporated community in Klamath County, Oregon, United States. It is located 10 miles southeast of Klamath Falls on Oregon Route 140. Olene has a store and at one time it had a school. In 1940 Olene had a population of 62 and was considered a suburb of Klamath Falls...
, in 1875–76.
A sluggish stream, Lost River offers fishing opportunities for bass
Bass (fish)
Bass is a name shared by many different species of popular gamefish. The term encompasses both freshwater and marine species. All belong to the large order Perciformes, or perch-like fishes, and in fact the word bass comes from Middle English bars, meaning "perch."-Types of basses:*The temperate...
, up to 7 pounds (3.2 kg), brown bullhead
Brown bullhead
The brown bullhead, Ameiurus nebulosus, is a fish of the Ictaluridae family that is widely distributed in North America. It is a species of bullhead catfish and is similar to the black bullhead and yellow bullhead...
, crappie
Crappie
Crappie is a genus of freshwater fish in the sunfish family of order Perciformes. The type species is P. annularis, the white crappie...
, yellow perch
Yellow perch
The yellow perch is a species of perch found in the United States and Canada, where it is often referred to by the shortform perch. Yellow perch look similar to the European perch, but are paler and more yellowish, with less red in the fins. They have six to eight dark, vertical bars on their sides...
, and Sacramento perch
Sacramento perch
The Sacramento perch is a sunfish native to the Sacramento–San Joaquin, Pajaro, and Salinas River areas in California but widely introduced throughout the western United States....
. Trout
Trout
Trout is the name for a number of species of freshwater and saltwater fish belonging to the Salmoninae subfamily of the family Salmonidae. Salmon belong to the same family as trout. Most salmon species spend almost all their lives in salt water...
are uncommon in this river.
See also
- Battle of Lost RiverBattle of Lost RiverThe Battle of Lost River in November 1872 was the first battle in the Modoc War in the northwestern United States. The skirmish, which was fought near the Lost River along the California-Oregon border, was the result of an attempt by the U.S. 1st Cavalry Regiment of the United States Army to force...
- List of longest streams of Oregon
- List of rivers of California
- List of rivers of Oregon