Rice Fork
Encyclopedia
The Rice Fork is a 22.7 miles (36.5 km) tributary of the Eel River
in Lake County, California
. The Rice Fork begins on the upper northwest side of Goat Mountain, on the Colusa
-Lake County line, at an elevation of over 6000 feet (1,828.8 m). It quickly descends the steep western slope of the mountain, then bends northward, and flows northwesterly down a narrow winding steep walled canyon for about 18 miles (29 km), crossing two forest roads and adding many tributaries, ending its journey at the southern tip of Lake Pillsbury
, at a varied elevation around 1800 feet (548.6 m), depending on the lake level. Before the construction of Scott Dam in the 1920s, which formed Lake Pillsbury, the Rice Fork ran directly into the Eel River. It is one of Lake County's longest streams.
The many tributaries to Rice Fork are Salt Creek, French Creek, Parramore Creek, Bevans Creek, Bear Creek, Packsaddle Creek, Willow Creek, Deer Creek, Rice Creek, and Soda Creek. It also goes by the geological phenomenon of Crabtree Hot Springs
.
. A man by the name of Rice and some neighbors brought horses and mules up to Rice Valley, and used it and adjoining territory for the fine pasture. Rice Valley was their headquarters. Rice was active in that area for only a few years, but Rice Valley, Rice Creek, and the Rice Fork took his name.
At one time, an Indian trail went from the hot springs down the Rice Fork canyon to the mouth of the river where it entered Gravelly Valley, then crossed the river at the upper end of the valley, then went up Squaw Valley Creek to the north of Big Squaw Valley and over the ridge to the Indian village at Bloody Rock. A portion of this trail is now under Lake Pillsbury.
. Its massive west ridge drops down to Lake Pillsbury and divides the Rice Fork from the Eel River watershed, and its southern ridge connects with 6121 feet (1,865.7 m) Goat Mountain about 9 miles (14 km) southeasterly to separate Rice Fork from the South Fork Stony Creek (Sacramento River) waters.
To the west of Snow Mountain-West, the ridges of 4057 feet (1,236.6 m) Pine Mountain, 4688 feet (1,428.9 m) Horse Mountain, and 4191 feet (1,277.4 m) Elk Mountain connect together to form the western boundary of Rice Fork's watershed, while French Ridge joins with 3420 feet (1,042.4 m) Little Horse Mountain and the west ridge of Goat Mountain to define the southern limit, with all the waters flowing into Lake Pillsbury, the Eel River and on to the Pacific Ocean
.
The average slope of Rice Fork is 200 ft/mi, and 2110 ft/mi between 4000 feet (1,219.2 m) and 5000 feet (1,524 m) elevation. The Rice Fork drains 33 percent of the total drainage area of Lake Pillsbury, and may contribute a like percentage of the amount of inflow. The Rice Fork arm contains 7 percent of the surface area and 6 percent of the total volume of the reservoir. Most of the sediment
in Lake Pillsbury is deposited in the upper reaches of the Eel River and Rice Fork arms.
for the federally protected Northern Spotted Owl
, and a winter range for Black-tailed Deer
, the RNA was established by the U.S. Forest Service
in 1987 to represent the Knobcone Pine
Forest for the North Coast Ranges. Within the RNA, dense stands of Knobcone Pine and mixed conifer forest, dominated by Douglas-fir
, also provides a dispersal habitat for a Forest Service-listed sensitive species, the Northern Goshawk.
The underlying rocks of the RNA are all greywacke
sandstone
s and shale
s. The greywacke has a muddy, brownish-gray sandstone appearance, ranging from rather soft and crumbly in weathered outcrops to solid rocks and boulders in the stream bed of the Rice Fork.
Some recreationists use Crabtree Hot Springs which is adjacent to the northwestern boundary of the RNA. The Rice Fork is also lightly used for recreation, but entry into the RNA is minimal. There is an unknown increase in risk of wildfire due to human use at the hot springs.
French Creek begins at about 3800 feet (1,158.2 m) above sea level near the top of French Ridge, and flows north down a steep canyon for about 3.9 miles (6.3 km), adding its tributary, entering Rice Fork on the left at around 2200 feet (670.6 m), about 10.9 miles (17.5 km) upstream from the lake, and about a mile downstream from Crabtree Hot Springs. Rock Creek (tributary to French Creek) begins at about 3600 feet (1,097.3 m) on Elk Mountain and flows northeasterly for about 3.6 miles (5.8 km) down a steep canyon, entering French Creek on the left about 0.4 mile (0.643736 km) upstream from its confluence with Rice Fork.
Soda Creek begins at about 3800 feet (1,158.2 m) on Elk Mountain and flows east down a steep canyon, entering Rice Fork on the left a short distance upstream from Parramore Creek, as indicated on the USFS 2008 map.
Parramore Creek begins at about 3800 feet (1,158.2 m) on Elk Mountain and flows east for about 4.6 miles (7.4 km) down a steep canyon, crossing a forest road at Three Crossings, entering Rice Fork on the left about 8.1 miles (13 km) upstream from the lake.
Bear Creek flows from a spring at about 6500 feet (1,981.2 m) on the southwest side of Snow Mountain-West. It drops rapidly down a steep canyon and flows southwesterly for about 9.1 miles (14.6 km), adding its tributary, passing underneath a concrete
bridge and crossing a forest road, entering Rice Fork on the right about 7.2 miles (11.6 km) upstream from the lake. Blue Slides Creek (tributary to Bear Creek) begins at about 4400 feet (1,341.1 m), on the west slope of Goat Mountain's northwest ridge, and flows west for about 4.2 miles (6.8 km) down a steep canyon, finally paralleling the south side of Forest Road M-10 (county road 301-C), as it enters Bear Creek on the left just after the bridge.
Bevans Creek begins at about 3200 feet (975.4 m) above sea level on Horse Mountain and flows northeasterly for about 3.5 miles (5.6 km) down a steep canyon, entering Rice Fork on the left about 5.5 miles (8.9 km) upstream from the lake.
Rice Creek begins at about 6100 feet (1,859.3 m) on the west ridge of Snow Mountain-West. It swiftly descends the steep west slope of the mountain, flowing southwesterly for about 8.1 miles (13 km) down a steep canyon, crossing a forest road and passing through Rice Valley, entering Rice Fork on the right about 4.3 miles (6.9 km) upstream from the lake.
Deer Creek begins at about 5400 feet (1,645.9 m) on the west ridge of Snow Mountain-West, and flows west for about 6.5 miles (10.5 km) down a steep canyon, crossing a forest road, entering Rice Fork on the right about 1.6 miles (2.6 km) upstream from the lake.
Willow Creek begins at about 3400 feet (1,036.3 m) on Horse Mountain and flows northeasterly for about 5 miles (8 km) down a steep canyon, entering Rice Fork on the left about 1.2 miles (1.9 km) upstream from the lake.
Packsaddle Creek begins at about 3600 feet (1,097.3 m) on Pine Mountain and flows northeasterly for about 3.1 miles (5 km) down a steep canyon, entering Rice Fork on the left near Swallow Rock, at the southern tip of the lake.
Eel River (California)
The Eel River is a major river system of the northern Pacific coast of the U.S. state of California. Approximately 200 miles long, it drains a rugged area in the California Coast Ranges between the Sacramento Valley and the ocean. For most of its course, the river flows northwest, parallel to the...
in Lake County, California
Lake County, California
Lake County is a county located in the north central portion of the U.S. state of California, north of the San Francisco Bay Area. It takes its name from Clear Lake, the dominant geographic feature in the county and the largest natural lake wholly within California...
. The Rice Fork begins on the upper northwest side of Goat Mountain, on the Colusa
Colusa County, California
Colusa County is a county located in the Central Valley of the U.S. state of California, northwest of state capital Sacramento. As of the 2010 census, its population was 21,419. The county seat is Colusa.-History:...
-Lake County line, at an elevation of over 6000 feet (1,828.8 m). It quickly descends the steep western slope of the mountain, then bends northward, and flows northwesterly down a narrow winding steep walled canyon for about 18 miles (29 km), crossing two forest roads and adding many tributaries, ending its journey at the southern tip of Lake Pillsbury
Lake Pillsbury
Lake Pillsbury is an artificial lake in the Mendocino National Forest of Lake County, California, created from the waters impounded from the Eel River by Scott Dam. Elevation is with of shoreline and covering . Activities in the Lake Pillsbury Recreation Area include powerboating, fishing,...
, at a varied elevation around 1800 feet (548.6 m), depending on the lake level. Before the construction of Scott Dam in the 1920s, which formed Lake Pillsbury, the Rice Fork ran directly into the Eel River. It is one of Lake County's longest streams.
The many tributaries to Rice Fork are Salt Creek, French Creek, Parramore Creek, Bevans Creek, Bear Creek, Packsaddle Creek, Willow Creek, Deer Creek, Rice Creek, and Soda Creek. It also goes by the geological phenomenon of Crabtree Hot Springs
Crabtree Hot Springs, California
Crabtree Hot Springs is an unincorporated community and geological phenomenon in Lake County, California about north of Upper Lake. It lies at an elevation of 2,257 feet...
.
History
In the 1860s, there was a very dry year in the Sacramento ValleySacramento Valley
The Sacramento Valley is the portion of the California Central Valley that lies to the north of the San Joaquin-Sacramento Delta in the U.S. state of California. It encompasses all or parts of ten counties.-Geography:...
. A man by the name of Rice and some neighbors brought horses and mules up to Rice Valley, and used it and adjoining territory for the fine pasture. Rice Valley was their headquarters. Rice was active in that area for only a few years, but Rice Valley, Rice Creek, and the Rice Fork took his name.
At one time, an Indian trail went from the hot springs down the Rice Fork canyon to the mouth of the river where it entered Gravelly Valley, then crossed the river at the upper end of the valley, then went up Squaw Valley Creek to the north of Big Squaw Valley and over the ridge to the Indian village at Bloody Rock. A portion of this trail is now under Lake Pillsbury.
Watershed
Snow Mountain-West at 7038 feet (2,145.2 m) dominates the landscape on the east side of the Rice Fork watershedDrainage basin
A drainage basin is an extent or an area of land where surface water from rain and melting snow or ice converges to a single point, usually the exit of the basin, where the waters join another waterbody, such as a river, lake, reservoir, estuary, wetland, sea, or ocean...
. Its massive west ridge drops down to Lake Pillsbury and divides the Rice Fork from the Eel River watershed, and its southern ridge connects with 6121 feet (1,865.7 m) Goat Mountain about 9 miles (14 km) southeasterly to separate Rice Fork from the South Fork Stony Creek (Sacramento River) waters.
To the west of Snow Mountain-West, the ridges of 4057 feet (1,236.6 m) Pine Mountain, 4688 feet (1,428.9 m) Horse Mountain, and 4191 feet (1,277.4 m) Elk Mountain connect together to form the western boundary of Rice Fork's watershed, while French Ridge joins with 3420 feet (1,042.4 m) Little Horse Mountain and the west ridge of Goat Mountain to define the southern limit, with all the waters flowing into Lake Pillsbury, the Eel River and on to the Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
.
The average slope of Rice Fork is 200 ft/mi, and 2110 ft/mi between 4000 feet (1,219.2 m) and 5000 feet (1,524 m) elevation. The Rice Fork drains 33 percent of the total drainage area of Lake Pillsbury, and may contribute a like percentage of the amount of inflow. The Rice Fork arm contains 7 percent of the surface area and 6 percent of the total volume of the reservoir. Most of the sediment
Sediment
Sediment is naturally occurring material that is broken down by processes of weathering and erosion, and is subsequently transported by the action of fluids such as wind, water, or ice, and/or by the force of gravity acting on the particle itself....
in Lake Pillsbury is deposited in the upper reaches of the Eel River and Rice Fork arms.
Hale Ridge Research Natural Area (RNA)
Rice Fork defines the southern boundary of the 975 acres (394.6 ha) Hale Ridge Research Natural Area (RNA), and parallels the east side of Forest Road 17N04 (Twin Valley Road), as it flows along the western boundary of the RNA for about one mile. A designated critical habitatCritical habitat
Critical habitat is a habitat area essential to the conservation of a listed species, though the area need not actually be occupied by the species at the time it is designated. This is a specific term and designation within the U.S...
for the federally protected Northern Spotted Owl
Northern Spotted Owl
The Northern Spotted Owl, Strix occidentalis caurina, is one of three Spotted Owl subspecies. A Western North American bird in the family Strigidae, genus Strix, it is a medium-sized dark brown owl sixteen to nineteen inches in length and one to one and one sixth pounds. Females are larger than males...
, and a winter range for Black-tailed Deer
Black-tailed Deer
Two forms of black-tailed deer or blacktail deer occupying coastal temperate rainforest on North America's Pacific coast are subspecies of the mule deer. They have sometimes been treated as a species, but virtually all recent authorities maintain they are subspecies...
, the RNA was established by the U.S. Forest Service
United States Forest Service
The United States Forest Service is an agency of the United States Department of Agriculture that administers the nation's 155 national forests and 20 national grasslands, which encompass...
in 1987 to represent the Knobcone Pine
Knobcone Pine
The Knobcone Pine, Pinus attenuata, is a tree that grows in mild climates on poor soils. It ranges from the mountains of southern Oregon to Baja California with the greatest concentration in northern California and the Oregon-California border....
Forest for the North Coast Ranges. Within the RNA, dense stands of Knobcone Pine and mixed conifer forest, dominated by Douglas-fir
Douglas-fir
Douglas-fir is one of the English common names for evergreen coniferous trees of the genus Pseudotsuga in the family Pinaceae. Other common names include Douglas tree, and Oregon pine. There are five species, two in western North America, one in Mexico, and two in eastern Asia...
, also provides a dispersal habitat for a Forest Service-listed sensitive species, the Northern Goshawk.
The underlying rocks of the RNA are all greywacke
Greywacke
Greywacke or Graywacke is a variety of sandstone generally characterized by its hardness, dark color, and poorly sorted angular grains of quartz, feldspar, and small rock fragments or lithic fragments set in a compact, clay-fine matrix. It is a texturally immature sedimentary rock generally found...
sandstone
Sandstone
Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized minerals or rock grains.Most sandstone is composed of quartz and/or feldspar because these are the most common minerals in the Earth's crust. Like sand, sandstone may be any colour, but the most common colours are tan, brown, yellow,...
s and shale
Shale
Shale is a fine-grained, clastic sedimentary rock composed of mud that is a mix of flakes of clay minerals and tiny fragments of other minerals, especially quartz and calcite. The ratio of clay to other minerals is variable. Shale is characterized by breaks along thin laminae or parallel layering...
s. The greywacke has a muddy, brownish-gray sandstone appearance, ranging from rather soft and crumbly in weathered outcrops to solid rocks and boulders in the stream bed of the Rice Fork.
Some recreationists use Crabtree Hot Springs which is adjacent to the northwestern boundary of the RNA. The Rice Fork is also lightly used for recreation, but entry into the RNA is minimal. There is an unknown increase in risk of wildfire due to human use at the hot springs.
Tributaries
Salt Creek is one of the larger tributaries, and flows from Fir Root Spring. Beginning at about 4400 feet (1,341.1 m) above sea level, on the west slope of Goat Mountain's northwest ridge, it travels southwesterly down a steep canyon for about 3.4 miles (5.5 km), going over a 25 feet (7.6 m) falls and crossing a forest road, entering Rice Fork on the right at around 2300 feet (701 m), about 11.9 miles (19.2 km) upstream from the lake, and around a quarter mile upstream from Crabtree Hot Springs.French Creek begins at about 3800 feet (1,158.2 m) above sea level near the top of French Ridge, and flows north down a steep canyon for about 3.9 miles (6.3 km), adding its tributary, entering Rice Fork on the left at around 2200 feet (670.6 m), about 10.9 miles (17.5 km) upstream from the lake, and about a mile downstream from Crabtree Hot Springs. Rock Creek (tributary to French Creek) begins at about 3600 feet (1,097.3 m) on Elk Mountain and flows northeasterly for about 3.6 miles (5.8 km) down a steep canyon, entering French Creek on the left about 0.4 mile (0.643736 km) upstream from its confluence with Rice Fork.
Soda Creek begins at about 3800 feet (1,158.2 m) on Elk Mountain and flows east down a steep canyon, entering Rice Fork on the left a short distance upstream from Parramore Creek, as indicated on the USFS 2008 map.
Parramore Creek begins at about 3800 feet (1,158.2 m) on Elk Mountain and flows east for about 4.6 miles (7.4 km) down a steep canyon, crossing a forest road at Three Crossings, entering Rice Fork on the left about 8.1 miles (13 km) upstream from the lake.
Bear Creek flows from a spring at about 6500 feet (1,981.2 m) on the southwest side of Snow Mountain-West. It drops rapidly down a steep canyon and flows southwesterly for about 9.1 miles (14.6 km), adding its tributary, passing underneath a concrete
Concrete
Concrete is a composite construction material, composed of cement and other cementitious materials such as fly ash and slag cement, aggregate , water and chemical admixtures.The word concrete comes from the Latin word...
bridge and crossing a forest road, entering Rice Fork on the right about 7.2 miles (11.6 km) upstream from the lake. Blue Slides Creek (tributary to Bear Creek) begins at about 4400 feet (1,341.1 m), on the west slope of Goat Mountain's northwest ridge, and flows west for about 4.2 miles (6.8 km) down a steep canyon, finally paralleling the south side of Forest Road M-10 (county road 301-C), as it enters Bear Creek on the left just after the bridge.
Bevans Creek begins at about 3200 feet (975.4 m) above sea level on Horse Mountain and flows northeasterly for about 3.5 miles (5.6 km) down a steep canyon, entering Rice Fork on the left about 5.5 miles (8.9 km) upstream from the lake.
Rice Creek begins at about 6100 feet (1,859.3 m) on the west ridge of Snow Mountain-West. It swiftly descends the steep west slope of the mountain, flowing southwesterly for about 8.1 miles (13 km) down a steep canyon, crossing a forest road and passing through Rice Valley, entering Rice Fork on the right about 4.3 miles (6.9 km) upstream from the lake.
Deer Creek begins at about 5400 feet (1,645.9 m) on the west ridge of Snow Mountain-West, and flows west for about 6.5 miles (10.5 km) down a steep canyon, crossing a forest road, entering Rice Fork on the right about 1.6 miles (2.6 km) upstream from the lake.
Willow Creek begins at about 3400 feet (1,036.3 m) on Horse Mountain and flows northeasterly for about 5 miles (8 km) down a steep canyon, entering Rice Fork on the left about 1.2 miles (1.9 km) upstream from the lake.
Packsaddle Creek begins at about 3600 feet (1,097.3 m) on Pine Mountain and flows northeasterly for about 3.1 miles (5 km) down a steep canyon, entering Rice Fork on the left near Swallow Rock, at the southern tip of the lake.
River crossings, campgrounds and trailheads
River and creek crossings
- Forest Road 17N04 (Twin Valley Road) crosses both Rice Fork and Salt Creek at their confluence.
- Forest Road M-10 (county road 301-C) crosses Rice Fork a short distance downstream from its confluence with Bear Creek.
- Forest Road M-10 (county road 301-C) bridges Bear Creek at its confluence with Blue Slides Creek.
- Forest Road M-3 (18N04) crosses Rice Creek about 2 miles north of its junction with Forest Road M-10 (county road 301-C).
- Forest Road M-3 (18N04) crosses Deer Creek about 5 miles north of its junction with Forest Road M-10 (county road 301-C).
- Forest Road 17N16 (Long Ridge Road) crosses Bear Creek at its junction with Forest Road M-10 (county road 301-C).
Campgrounds and trailheads
- Bear Creek Campground (USFS) – Free & open all year, maximum stay 14 days, 16 picnic tables & grilles + 2 toilets, elevation 2000 feet (609.6 m). Set beside Bear Creek near its confluence with Blue Slides Creek, on Forest Road M-10 (county road 301-C) about 9 miles (14 km) northeast from its junction with Elk Mountain Road. This is the only public campground in the Rice Fork Eel River watershed.
- Summit Springs Trailhead is located at about 5200 feet (1,585 m) on the south ridge of Snow Mountain-West. A hiking trail follows the ridge line to the top of 7038 feet (2,145.2 m) Snow Mountain West Peak and 7056 feet (2,150.7 m) East Peak. Forest Road M-10 (county road 301-C) crosses the south ridge at about 4300 feet (1,310.6 m). A secondary forest road continues up the ridge to the trailhead.