Shasta River

Shasta River by Val Atkinson

Shasta River by Val Atkinson

The Shasta River Basin is part of the Klamath River Watershed. The Basin encompasses 793 square miles.

The Shasta River runs 40 miles from its origins at the base of the Eddy Mountains and Mount Shasta to its confluence with the Klamath River, just past the town of Yreka.

The Shasta River is primarily spring-fed from Mount Shasta. The nutrient rich spring waters make the Shasta River a highly productive salmon stream.

Historically, over 80,000 Chinook salmon returned annually to the Shasta River making it the second most productive tributary to the Klamath River behind the Trinity.

Currently less than 10% of the historic Chinook salmon numbers return and coho salmon are on the verge of extirpation. Small irrigation dams and tailwater returns from agricultural fields impair water temperature and river flow.

Clean Water Act and federal and state Endangered Species Acts influence management and policy on the river. Fortunately, the Shasta River has high restoration potential.

Related Projects: Shasta River Restoration, Mount Shasta Spring Water Management

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