Scott River
Encyclopedia
The Scott River is a 60 miles (96.6 km) river
in Siskiyou County, California
, United States
. It is a tributary of the Klamath River
, one of the largest rivers in California
.
Historically, fur trappers called the river the Beaver River, before the Hudson's Bay Company
nearly extirpated beaver
from the area in the early 19th century. Scott Valley
was first entered by Stephen Meek
, Thomas McKay, George Adolphus Duzel and 16 other Hudson's Bay trappers in 1836. In 1850 alone, Meek reportedly trapped 1,800 beaver in Scott Valley, which was then known as Beaver Valley. Meek, who had hunted all over the West, declared the Beaver Valley one of the best places he had ever seen to trap beaver and hunt game, and returned to retire there at the Josiah Doll ranch from 1871 until his death in 1889 at the age of 90. The 1850 discovery of gold during the California Gold Rush
by pioneer John W. Scott at Scott Bar
, downriver from Scott Valley, brought many prospectors into the area; Scott's discovery led to the naming of the valley and the river in his honor.
The Scott River's watershed
covers 650 square miles (1,683.5 km²). About two-thirds of the land is privately owned and about one-third is publicly owned. About 45 percent of the land is used for forestry
, grazing
for 40 percent, 13 percent for cropland
and the remaining 2 percent of land is used for various purposes.
Dredges that operated in the Scott Valley between 1934-1950 did some of the most visible damage done during the mining era. Large Yuba dredges, which also used mercury
to process sand and gravel, excavated material 50–60 feet below the river channel and flood plains and created piles of tailings
more than 25 feet (7.6 m) high downstream of the town of Callahan
.
River
A river is a natural watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, a lake, a sea, or another river. In a few cases, a river simply flows into the ground or dries up completely before reaching another body of water. Small rivers may also be called by several other names, including...
in Siskiyou County, California
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...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It is a tributary of 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...
, one of the largest rivers in California
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...
.
Historically, fur trappers called the river the Beaver River, before the Hudson's Bay Company
Hudson's Bay Company
The Hudson's Bay Company , abbreviated HBC, or "The Bay" is the oldest commercial corporation in North America and one of the oldest in the world. A fur trading business for much of its existence, today Hudson's Bay Company owns and operates retail stores throughout Canada...
nearly extirpated beaver
Beaver
The beaver is a primarily nocturnal, large, semi-aquatic rodent. Castor includes two extant species, North American Beaver and Eurasian Beaver . Beavers are known for building dams, canals, and lodges . They are the second-largest rodent in the world...
from the area in the early 19th century. Scott Valley
Scott Valley
Scott Valley is a large, scenic rural area of western Siskiyou County, California, known for its vistas of the Marble Mountains, cattle and dairy ranches, and its historic background as a gold mining area, dating back to the days of the California Gold Rush...
was first entered by Stephen Meek
Stephen Meek
Stephen Hall Meek was a fur trapper and guide in the American west, most notably a guide on a large wagon train known as St. Joseph's Company...
, Thomas McKay, George Adolphus Duzel and 16 other Hudson's Bay trappers in 1836. In 1850 alone, Meek reportedly trapped 1,800 beaver in Scott Valley, which was then known as Beaver Valley. Meek, who had hunted all over the West, declared the Beaver Valley one of the best places he had ever seen to trap beaver and hunt game, and returned to retire there at the Josiah Doll ranch from 1871 until his death in 1889 at the age of 90. The 1850 discovery of gold during the California Gold Rush
California Gold Rush
The California Gold Rush began on January 24, 1848, when gold was found by James W. Marshall at Sutter's Mill in Coloma, California. The first to hear confirmed information of the gold rush were the people in Oregon, the Sandwich Islands , and Latin America, who were the first to start flocking to...
by pioneer John W. Scott at Scott Bar
Scott Bar, California
Scott Bar is an unincorporated community in Siskiyou County, California, United States. Scott Bar is located on the Scott River west of Yreka. Scott Bar has a post office with ZIP code 96085. According to the 2000 census, ZIP Code 96085 had a population of 68. The post office opened as Scott River...
, downriver from Scott Valley, brought many prospectors into the area; Scott's discovery led to the naming of the valley and the river in his honor.
The Scott River's watershed
Drainage 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...
covers 650 square miles (1,683.5 km²). About two-thirds of the land is privately owned and about one-third is publicly owned. About 45 percent of the land is used for forestry
Forestry
Forestry is the interdisciplinary profession embracing the science, art, and craft of creating, managing, using, and conserving forests and associated resources in a sustainable manner to meet desired goals, needs, and values for human benefit. Forestry is practiced in plantations and natural stands...
, grazing
Grazing
Grazing generally describes a type of feeding, in which a herbivore feeds on plants , and also on other multicellular autotrophs...
for 40 percent, 13 percent for cropland
Farm
A farm is an area of land, or, for aquaculture, lake, river or sea, including various structures, devoted primarily to the practice of producing and managing food , fibres and, increasingly, fuel. It is the basic production facility in food production. Farms may be owned and operated by a single...
and the remaining 2 percent of land is used for various purposes.
Dredges that operated in the Scott Valley between 1934-1950 did some of the most visible damage done during the mining era. Large Yuba dredges, which also used mercury
Mercury (element)
Mercury is a chemical element with the symbol Hg and atomic number 80. It is also known as quicksilver or hydrargyrum...
to process sand and gravel, excavated material 50–60 feet below the river channel and flood plains and created piles of tailings
Tailings
Tailings, also called mine dumps, slimes, tails, leach residue, or slickens, are the materials left over after the process of separating the valuable fraction from the uneconomic fraction of an ore...
more than 25 feet (7.6 m) high downstream of the town of Callahan
Callahan, California
Callahan is an unincorporated community in Siskiyou County, California, United States. Callahan is located on California State Route 3 south-southeast of Etna. Callahan has a post office with ZIP code 96014. The post office opened as Callahan's Ranch in 1858 and changed its name to Callahan in...
.