West Fork Carson River
Near Hope Valley
Map of the Carson River watershed
Location
CountryUnited States
StateCalifornia
Physical characteristics
SourceSierra Nevada
  locationAlpine County, California
  coordinates38°38′38″N 119°56′14″W / 38.64389°N 119.93722°W / 38.64389; -119.93722[1]
  elevation8,404 ft (2,562 m)
MouthCarson River
  location
Douglas County, Nevada
  coordinates
38°59′27″N 119°49′29″W / 38.99083°N 119.82472°W / 38.99083; -119.82472[1]
  elevation
4,675 ft (1,425 m)
Length35 mi (56 km)[2]
Discharge 
  locationWoodfords, CA[3]
  average108 cu ft/s (3.1 m3/s)[4]
  minimum5.3 cu ft/s (0.15 m3/s)
  maximum8,100 cu ft/s (230 m3/s)

The West Fork Carson River is a major tributary of the Carson River, about 35 miles (56 km) long,[2] in Alpine County, California, and Douglas County, Nevada, in the United States.

It rises in the Sierra Nevada of California, at Lost Lakes near Carson Pass in the Mokelumne Wilderness of Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest. It flows north into Hope Valley where it is joined by SR 88 (Carson Pass Highway), which closely follows the river as it travels toward Nevada. At the northern end of the valley it turns east, flowing through a gorge, before emerging from the mountains near Woodfords. From there it flows north, into the Carson Valley of Nevada, where it joins with the East Fork Carson River at Genoa to form the Carson River.[5]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "West Fork Carson River". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. 1980-12-12. Retrieved 2016-12-08.
  2. 1 2 "USGS National Atlas Streamer". United States Geological Survey. Retrieved 2016-12-08.
  3. "USGS Gage #10310000 on the West Fork Carson River at Woodfords, CA" (PDF). National Water Information System. U.S. Geological Survey. 1974–1998. Retrieved 2016-12-08.
  4. "USGS Gage #10310000 on the West Fork Carson River at Woodfords, CA" (PDF). National Water Information System. U.S. Geological Survey. 1974–1998. Retrieved 2016-12-08.
  5. USGS Topo Maps for United States (Map). Cartography by United States Geological Survey. ACME Mapper. Retrieved 2016-12-08.


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