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List of rivers of California facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
California rivers
Map of some major California rivers and lakes

This is a list of rivers in the U.S. state of California, grouped by region. Major lakes and reservoirs, if applicable, are indicated in italics.

North Coast (north of Humboldt Bay)

Rivers and streams between the Oregon border and Humboldt Bay that empty into the Pacific Ocean (arranged north to south; tributaries with those entering nearest the sea first). Bold indicates rivers with more detailed lists in following sections.

Smith River

Smith River map
Smith River drainage basin
  • Smith River
    • Rowdy Creek
    • Mill Creek
    • Myrtle Creek
    • South Fork Smith River
      • Craigs Creek
      • Coon Creek
      • Rock Creek
      • Gordon Creek
      • Goose Creek
      • Hurdygurdy Creek
      • Jones Creek
      • Buck Creek
      • Quartz Creek
      • Eightmile Creek
      • Harrington Creek
      • Prescott Fork Smith River
    • Middle Fork Smith River
      • Patrick Creek
      • Little Jones Creek
      • Monkey Creek
      • Siskiyou Fork Smith River
      • Griffin Creek
      • Knopki Creek
    • North Fork Smith River
      • Stony Creek
      • Still Creek
      • Diamond Creek

Klamath River

Klamath Basin map
Klamath River drainage basin
  • Klamath River
    • Hunter Creek
    • Turwar Creek
    • Blue Creek
      • West Fork Blue Creek
      • Nikowitz Creek
      • Crescent City Fork Blue Creek
      • East Fork Blue Creek
    • Ah Pah Creek
    • Tectah Creek
    • Pecwan Creek
    • Mettah Creek
    • Roach Creek
    • Tully Creek
    • Pine Creek
    • Trinity River (jump to tributaries)
    • Hopkins Creek
    • Copper Creek
      • Indian Creek
    • Bluff Creek
      • Fish Creek
      • East Fork Bluff Creek
      • Notice Creek
      • North Fork Bluff Creek
    • Slate Creek
    • Red Cap Creek
      • North Fork Red Cap Creek
      • Middle Fork Red Cap Creek
    • Boise Creek
    • Camp Creek
    • Pearch Creek
    • Salmon River (jump to tributaries)
    • Rogers Creek
    • Irving Creek
    • Rock Creek
    • Swillup Creek
    • Ukonom Creek
      • McCash Fork
    • King Creek
    • Independence Creek
    • Clear Creek
      • South Fork Clear Creek
      • Fivemile Creek
      • Tenmile Creek
      • Bear Valley Creek
      • Red Hill Creek
      • West Fork Clear Creek
      • Doe Creek
    • Oak Flat Creek
    • Elk Creek
      • East Fork Elk Creek
      • Doolittle Creek
      • Bear Creek
      • Granite Creek
        • Burney Valley Creek
      • Toms Valley Creek
      • Rainy Valley Creek
    • Indian Creek
      • Doolittle Creek
      • East Fork Indian Creek
      • South Fork Indian Creek
        • Twin Valley Fork Indian Creek
      • Mill Creek
      • Granite Creek
      • Green Creek
    • China Creek
    • Thompson Creek
    • Fort Goff Creek
    • Portuguese Creek
    • Seiad Creek
    • Grider Creek
    • Walker Creek
    • Scott River
      • Mill Creek
      • Kelsey Creek
      • Shackleford Creek
      • Indian Creek
      • Moffett Creek
      • Kidder Creek
      • Etna Creek
      • Sugar Creek
      • East Fork Scott River
      • South Fork Scott River
    • Shasta River
      • Yreka Creek
      • Oregon Slough
      • Little Shasta River
      • Willow Creek
      • Parks Creek
      • Whitney Creek
    • Cottonwood Creek
    • Bogus Creek
    • Jenny Creek
    • Butte Creek (joins the Klamath in Oregon)
    • Lost River (joins the Klamath in Oregon)
      • Rock Creek
      • Willow Creek
      • Mowitz Creek

Trinity River

Trinity CA watershed map
Trinity River drainage basin
  • Trinity River
    • Mill Creek
    • Tish Tang o Tang Creek
    • Horse Linto Creek
    • Willow Creek
    • South Fork Trinity River
      • Madden Creek
      • Grouse Creek
        • Mosquito Creek
      • Buckeye Creek
      • Hayfork Creek
        • Corral Creek
        • Salt Creek
        • Big Creek
        • Carr Creek
        • East Fork Hayfork Creek
      • Indian Valley Creek
        • Butter Creek
      • Plummer Creek
      • Rattlesnake Creek
      • Smoky Creek
      • Happy Camp Creek
      • East Fork South Fork Trinity River
        • Prospect Creek
      • Shell Mountain Creek
    • Sharber Creek
    • Quinby Creek
    • Hawkins Creek
    • New River
      • Bell Creek
      • Big Creek
      • China Creek
      • Panther Creek
      • Quinby Creek
      • Devils Canyon Creek
      • East Fork New River
      • Slide Creek
      • Virgin Creek
    • Canadian Creek
    • Big French Creek
    • Little French Creek
    • Price Creek
    • Manzanita Creek
    • Big Bar Creek
    • Sailor Bar Creek
    • North Fork Trinity River
      • East Fork North Fork Trinity River
      • Backbone Creek
      • Whites Creek
      • China Creek
      • Rattlesnake Creek
      • Gas Creek
      • Grizzly Creek
    • Canyon Creek
      • Big East Fork Canyon Creek
      • Little East Fork Canyon Creek
    • Oregon Gulch
    • Soldier Creek
    • Dutch Creek
    • Browns Creek
      • Little Creek
    • Reading Creek
    • Weaver Creek
      • Little Browns Creek
      • East Weaver Creek
      • West Weaver Creek
    • Indian Creek
    • Grass Valley Creek
      • Little Grass Valley Creek
    • Rush Creek
    • Deadwood Creek
    • Papoose Creek
    • Stuart Fork
      • Hobel Creek
      • Mule Creek
      • Stoney Creek
      • Owens Creek
      • Deep Creek
      • Boulder Creek
      • Deer Creek
    • Swift Creek
      • Granite Creek
    • East Fork Trinity River
      • Cedar Creek
      • Mumbo Creek
      • Crow Creek
      • Baker Creek
    • Coffee Creek
      • Little Boulder Creek
      • Boulder Creek
      • Sugar Pine Creek
      • East Fork Coffee Creek
      • North Fork Coffee Creek
      • Union Creek
      • South Fork Coffee Creek
    • Scorpion Creek
    • Eagle Creek
    • Ramshorn Creek
    • Bear Creek
    • Tangle Blue Creek
    • Scott Mountain Creek
    • Little Trinity River
    • Sherer Creek
    • Picayune Creek
    • Cedar Creek
    • Bear Creek
    • High Camp Creek

Salmon River

  • Salmon River
    • Merrill Creek
    • Somes Creek
    • Wooley Creek
      • Steinacher Creek
      • Bridge Creek
      • Rock Creek
      • Hancock Creek
      • North Fork Wooley Creek
        • Cuddihy Fork
      • Hell Hole Creek
      • Big Meadows Creek
      • South Fork Wooley Creek
      • Big Elk Fork
    • Butler Creek
    • Morehouse Creek
    • Nordheimer Creek
    • Crapo Creek
    • North Fork Salmon River
      • Little North Fork Salmon River
      • Russian Creek
      • Right Hand Fork North Fork Salmon River
    • South Fork Salmon River
      • Knownothing Creek
      • Methodist Creek
      • Black Bear Creek
      • Plummer Creek
      • St Claire Creek
      • Crawford Creek
      • Cecil Creek
      • East Fork South Fork Salmon River
        • Taylor Creek
      • Rush Creek
      • Little South Fork Salmon River

Redwood Creek

  • Redwood Creek (Humboldt County)
    • Prairie Creek (California)
      • Lost Man Creek
    • McArthur Creek
    • Tom McDonald Creek
    • Bridge Creek
    • Copper Creek
    • Devils Creek
    • Coyote Creek
    • Panther Creek
    • Garrett Creek
    • Lacks Creek
    • Minor Creek
    • Lupton Creek
    • Noisy Creek
    • High Prairie Creek
    • Minon Creek
    • Lake Prairie Creek
    • Bradford Creek
    • Pardee Creek
    • Twin Lakes Creek

Mad River

  • Mad River
    • Lindsay Creek
    • North Fork Mad River
    • Canon Creek
    • Maple Creek
    • Boulder Creek
    • Black Creek
    • Pilot Creek

Humboldt Bay

Primary streams entering Humboldt Bay are listed north to south beginning north of the entrance to the bay and continuing in a clockwise direction. Tributaries entering nearest the bay are listed first.

For additional detail on Humboldt Bay streams, see Humboldt Bay: Bay tributaries and sloughs.

  • Jacoby Creek
  • Eureka Slough
    • Freshwater Slough
      • Freshwater Creek
  • Elk River (California)
  • Salmon Creek (Northern Humboldt County)

North Coast (south of Humboldt Bay)

Eelrivermap
Eel River watershed map

Rivers and streams between Humboldt Bay and the Golden Gate that empty into the Pacific Ocean (arranged north to south; tributaries with those entering nearest the sea first):

For details of the Sonoma and Marin coasts, see List of watercourses in the San Francisco Bay Area.

San Francisco Bay

Streams that empty into San Francisco Bay or its tributary bays (arranged clockwise, starting at the north side of the Golden Gate; tributaries are listed from those entering nearest the bays to farthest). The Central Valley watershed feeding into Suisun Bay via the Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta is excluded; see the following section for the Sacramento and San Joaquin river systems.

For additional detail on Bay Area creeks, see List of watercourses in the San Francisco Bay Area.

San Pablo Bay (north of Carquinez Strait)

Suisun Bay

Clockwise

San Pablo Bay (south of Carquinez Strait) and San Francisco Bay

For additional detail on Bay Area creeks, see List of watercourses in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Sacramento–San Joaquin River Delta

The Sacramento and San Joaquin River systems drain the western slope of the Sierra Nevada and most of the Central Valley, forming the Sacramento–San Joaquin River Delta before emptying into Suisun Bay; together, they are the largest river system in California.

Sacramento River

Sacramento River basin map
Map of Sacramento River
Sacramento river delta p1080765
Sacramento River near the mouth
CacheCreek
Cache Creek, in the Coast Ranges

Yolo Bypass

Yolo Bypass Schematic Map
Yolo Bypass location

American River

Americanrivermap
American River drainage basin

Feather River

Feathermap-01
Feather River drainage basin
FeatherRiver
Headwaters of the Feather River
Yuba River
Yubamap-01
Yuba River drainage basin

Pit River

Pit River basin map
Pit River drainage basin
  • Pit River
    • McCloud River
      • Nosoni Creek
      • Chatterdown Creek
      • Squaw Valley Creek
      • Claiborne Creek
      • Hawkins Creek
      • Star City Creek
      • Angel Creek
      • Mud Creek
      • Ash Creek
        • Edson Creek
    • Squaw Creek
      • Salt Creek
      • North Fork Squaw Creek
    • Potem Creek
    • Roaring Creek
    • Iron Canyon Creek
    • Kosk Creek
    • Nelson Creek
    • Rock Creek
    • Clark Creek
    • Burney Creek
    • Hat Creek
      • Rising River
      • Lost Creek
    • Fall River
    • Beaver Creek
    • Horse Creek
    • Ash Creek
      • Willow Creek
      • Dutch Flat Creek
    • Taylor Creek
    • Turner Creek
    • Toms Creek
    • Clover Swale Creek
    • Canyon Creek
    • Rattlesnake Creek
    • North Fork Pit River
      • Pine Creek
      • Parker Creek
      • Thoms Creek
      • Joseph Creek
      • Goose Lake (historical)
    • South Fork Pit River
      • Fitzhugh Creek
      • Dry Creek
      • Cedar Creek
      • Mill Creek
      • East Creek

San Joaquin River

San Joaquin River watershed
San Joaquin River map
San Joaquin River USGS
The San Joaquin River

Mokelumne River

Mokerivernew
Mokelumne River drainage basin

Note: In the Delta the Mokelumne River divides into two short branches, also called the "North Fork" and "South Fork", which recombine before reaching the San Joaquin River.

Calaveras River

  • Calaveras River
    • New Hogan Dam, New Hogan Lake
    • North Fork Calaveras River
      • Murray Creek
      • Jesus Maria Creek
      • Esperanza Creek
    • South Fork Calaveras River
      • Calaveritas Creek
      • San Antonio Creek
      • San Domingo Creek
      • Cherokee Creek

Stanislaus River

Stanislausmap1
Stanislaus River drainage basin

Tuolumne River

Tuolumnemap-01
Tuolumne River drainage basin

Merced River

Mercedmap-new-01
Merced River drainage basin
Yosemite nat park valley view
The Merced River in Yosemite Valley

Tulare Basin

Tularebasinmapnew-01
Map of the Tulare Lake Basin

Usually an endorheic basin, waters in this region all eventually would reach Tulare Lake. This region would overflow into the San Joaquin River during flood years when Tulare Lake overflowed. Streams are listed clockwise around the Tulare Basin, starting at the Kings River:

  • Kings River (jump to tributaries)
  • Sand Creek
  • Cross Creek
  • Lewis Creek
  • Tule River (jump to tributaries)
  • Deer Creek
    • Pothole Creek
    • Gordon Creek
    • Tyler Creek
  • White River
    • Coarse Gold Creek
    • Arrastre Creek
    • Chalaney Creek
  • Rag Gulch
    • Five Dog Creek
    • Willow Springs Creek
  • Deer Creek
  • Poso Creek
    • Little Creek
    • Rattlesnake Creek
    • Little Poso Creek
    • Cedar Creek
      • Lumreau Creek
    • Von Hellum Creek
    • Spear Creek
  • Kern River (jump to tributaries)
  • Caliente Creek
    • Walker Basin Creek
      • Rancheria Creek
    • Tehachapi Creek
    • Indian Creek
  • Tejon Creek
  • El Paso Creek
  • Pastoria Creek
  • Grapevine Creek
  • Tecuya Creek
  • Salt Creek
  • Pleito Creek
  • San Emigdio Creek
  • Los Lobos Creek
  • Santiago Creek
  • Bitter Creek
  • Bitterwater Creek
  • Sandy Creek
  • Buena Vista Creek
  • Salt Creek
  • Chico Creek
  • Santos Creek
  • Media Agua Creek
  • Bitterwater Creek
  • Avenal Creek
  • Baby King Creek
  • Canoas Creek
  • Los Gatos Creek
    • Zapato Chino Creek

Kings River

Kings River watershed
Kings River drainage basin
  • Kings River (Divides into the North Fork, South Fork and Clark's Fork distributaries in the San Joaquin Valley, not to be confused with the North and South Forks in the Sierra Nevada headwaters. North Fork connects to the Fresno Slough that drains into the San Joaquin River (during high flows), before turning to the south rejoining with the other distributaries to reform the Kings River and emptying into Tulare Lake.)
    • Fish Creek
    • Hughes Creek
    • Mill Creek
    • Pine Flat Dam, Pine Flat Lake
    • Deer Creek
    • Zebe Creek
    • Russian Charlie Creek
    • Lefever Creek
    • Billy Creek
    • Sycamore Creek
    • Big Creek
    • Sacata Creek
    • Redoak Creek
    • Lower Rancheria Creek
    • Sycamore Springs Creek
    • North Fork Kings River
      • Dinkey Creek
      • Basin Creek
        • Patterson Creek
      • Weir Creek
      • Black Rock Creek
      • Williams Creek
      • Mule Creek
      • Rancheria Creek
      • Teakettle Creek
      • Long Meadow Creek
      • Wishon Dam, Wishon Reservoir
      • Woodchuck Creek
      • Short Hair Creek
      • Sharp Creek
      • Helms Creek
      • Post Corral Creek
        • Burnt Corral Creek
      • Flemming Creek
      • Nichols Canyon
      • Meadow Brook
      • Fall Creek
      • Division Lake
      • Regiment Lake
    • Davis Creek
      • Mill Flat Creek
    • Verplank Creek
    • Fox Canyon Creek
    • Converse Creek
    • Spring Creek
    • Cabin Creek
    • Garlic Meadow Creek
    • Rough Creek
    • Ten Mile Creek
    • Middle Fork Kings River
      • Deer Canyon Creek
      • Brush Canyon Creek
      • Tombstone Creek
      • Wren Creek
      • Silver Creek
      • Crown Creek
        • Rogers Creek
      • Gorge of Despair
      • Crystal Creek
      • Blue Canyon Creek
      • Lost Canyon Creek
      • Rattlesnake Creek
      • Alpine Creek
      • Dog Creek
      • Kennedy Creek
      • Dougherty Creek
      • Horseshoe Creek
      • Goddard Creek
        • Disappearing Creek
      • Windy Canyon Creek
      • Cartridge Creek
      • Rimbaud Creek
      • Palisade Creek
        • Cataract Creek
        • Glacier Creek
      • Dusy Branch
      • Helen Lake
    • South Fork Kings River (This is the actual river that flows through Kings Canyon)
      • Lockwood Creek
      • Redwood Creek
      • Windy Gulch
      • Boulder Creek
      • Grizzly Creek
      • Lightning Creek
      • Deer Cove Creek
      • Lewis Creek
        • Comb Creek
      • Sheep Creek
      • Hotel Creek
      • Roaring River
      • Granite Creek
      • Copper Creek
      • Avalanche Creek
      • Bubbs Creek
        • Sphinx Creek
        • Charlotte Creek
        • Cross Creek
        • North Guard Creek
        • East Creek
      • Glacier Creek
      • Gardiner Creek
      • Woods Creek
        • Woods Creek
      • Arrow Creek
      • Kid Creek

Kaweah River

Kaweah river basin
Kaweah River drainage basin
2006 12 29 - Terminus Dam (2)
Kaweah River in the foothills of the Sierra
  • Kaweah River (Divides into the St. John's River, Mill Creek, Packwood Creek and other distributaries in the San Joaquin Valley. Some of these distributaries eventually rejoin to form Cross Creek, which continues southwest to the Tulare Lake bed.)

Tule River

Kern River

KernRiverMap
Location of the Kern River
  • Kern River
    • Cottonwood Creek
    • Lucas Creek
    • Mill Creek
    • Erskine Creek
    • Isabella Dam, Lake Isabella
    • North Fork Kern River
      • Cannell Creek
      • Salmon Creek
      • Tobias Creek
      • Brush Creek
      • South Creek
      • Dry Meadow Creek
      • Peppermint Creek
      • Durrwood Creek
      • Needlerock Creek
      • Freeman Creek
        • Lloyd Meadows Creek
      • Little Kern River
        • Fish Creek
        • Deep Creek
        • Deep Creek
        • Clicks Creek
        • Sagebrush Gulch
        • Alpine Creek
          • Mountaineer Creek
          • Pecks Canyon Creek
        • Table Meadow Creek
        • Soda Springs Creek
        • Lion Creek
        • Willow Creek
        • Tamrack Creek
        • Rifle Creek
        • Shotgun Creek
          • Pistol Creek
      • Rattlesnake Creek
      • Deadman Canyon Creek
      • Soda Creek
      • Osa Creek
      • Hockett Peak Creek
      • Grouse Canyon Creek
      • Manzanita Canyon Creek
      • Ninemile Creek
        • Cold Meadow Creek
        • Red Rock Creek
        • Long Canyon Creek
          • Long Stringer
          • Lost Trout Creek
      • Hells Hole Creek
      • Angora Creek
      • Hell For Sure Creek
      • Leggett Creek
      • Grasshopper Creek
      • Little Kern Lake Creek
      • Rough Creek
      • Coyote Creek
      • Golden Trout Creek
      • Laurel Creek
      • Rattlesnake Creek
      • Big Arroyo
        • Willow Creek
        • Soda Creek
        • Lost Canyon Creek
      • Funston Creek
      • Chagoopa Creek
      • Rock Creek
        • Siberian Pass Creek
      • Red Spur Creek
      • Whitney Creek
        • Crabtree Creek
      • Wallace Creek
      • Kern-Kaweah River
        • Picket Creek
      • Tyndall Creek
      • Milestone Creek
    • South Fork Kern River
      • Kelso Creek
      • Canebrake Creek
      • Bartolas Creek
      • Palome Creek
      • Long Valley Creek
      • Taylor Creek
      • Manter Creek
      • Tibbets Creek
      • Trout Creek
      • Fish Creek
      • Bitter Creek
      • Lost Creek
      • Crag Creek
      • Honeybee Creek
      • Summit Creek
      • Cow Canyon Creek
      • Snake Creek
      • Soda Creek
      • Monache Creek
      • Schaefer Stringer
      • Strawberry Creek
      • Long Stringer
      • Dry Creek
      • Mulkey Creek
      • Movie Stringer
      • Lewis Stringer
      • Kern Peak Stringer

Central Coast

Rivers that empty into the Pacific Ocean between the Golden Gate and Point Arguello, arranged in order from north to south.

For details of the San Mateo coast, see List of watercourses in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Pajaro River

Salinas River

Salinas River watershed
Salinas River drainage basin

Santa Maria River

Santa maria river map
Santa Maria River drainage basin

Santa Ynez River

Santa ynez river map
Santa Ynez River drainage basin
  • Santa Ynez River
    • Salsipuedes Creek
      • El Jaro Creek
    • Zaca Creek
    • Nojoqui Creek
    • Alisal Creek
    • Alamo Pintado Creek
    • Calabazal Creek
    • Santa Agueda Creek
    • Bradbury Dam, Lake Cachuma
    • Cachuma Creek
    • Santa Cruz Creek
    • Mono Creek
      • Indian Creek
    • Agua Caliente Creek
    • Juncal Creek

South Coast

Rivers that empty into the Pacific Ocean southeast of Point Arguello, arranged from north to south:

Point Arguello to Santa Monica

Santa Clara River

Santa clara river map
Santa Clara River drainage basin
  • Santa Clara River
    • Santa Paula Creek
      • Sisar Creek
    • Boulder Creek
    • Sespe Creek
      • Little Sespe Creek
      • Tar Creek
      • West Fork Sespe Creek
      • Alder Creek
      • Park Creek
      • Timber Creek
      • Trout Creek
      • Piedra Blanca Creek
      • Rose Valley Creek
      • Rock Creek
      • Potrero John Creek
      • Munson Creek
      • Cherry Creek
      • Adobe Creek
      • Abadi Creek
    • Hopper Canyon Creek
    • Piru Creek
      • Santa Felicia Dam, Lake Piru
      • Devil Canyon
      • Canton Canyon
      • Agua Blanca Creek
      • Fish Creek
      • Pyramid Dam, Pyramid Lake
      • Gorman Creek
      • Buck Creek
      • Snowy Creek
      • Smith Fork
      • Dry Creek
      • Lockwood Creek
      • Mutau Creek
        • Alamo Creek
        • Little Mutau Creek
      • Sheep Creek
      • Cedar Creek
    • Castaic Creek
    • Bouquet Canyon
    • South Fork Santa Clara River
      • Placerita Creek
      • Newhall Creek
    • Mint Canyon
    • Agua Dulce Canyon
    • Mill Canyon
    • Acton Canyon
    • Aliso Canyon
    • Kentucky Springs Canyon

Ventura River

  • Ventura River
    • Manuel Canyon
    • Cañada Larga
    • Cañada de Alisos
    • Coyote Creek
      • Lake Casitas
        • Laguna Creek
        • Willow Creek
        • Santa Ana Creek
          • Roble-Casitas Canal
        • Poplin Creek
      • Deep Cat Lake
      • East Fork Coyote Creek
      • West Fork Coyote Creek
    • Matilija Creek
      • Rattlesnake Creek
      • Lime Creek
      • Murietta Creek
      • Middle Fork Matilija Creek
      • Upper North Fork Matilija Creek
    • North Fork Matilija Creek (This and Matilija Creek form the Ventura River's headwaters.)

Santa Monica to San Clemente

Los Angeles River

San Gabriel River

Santa Ana River

San Clemente to Mexican border

Santa Margarita River

  • Santa Margarita River
    • Newton Canyon
    • Pueblitos Canyon
    • Wood Canyon
    • DeLuz Creek
    • Sandia Creek
    • Rainbow Creek
    • Temecula Creek
      • Pechanga Creek
      • Vail Lake Dam, Vail Lake
        • Kolb Creek
          • Arroyo Seco Creek
        • Wilson Creek
      • Long Canyon
      • Cottonwood Creek
      • Tule Creek
      • Chihuahua Creek
      • Rattlesnake Creek
      • Kohler Canyon
    • Murrieta Creek
      • Empire Creek
        • Long Canyon
      • Santa Gertrudis Creek
        • Tucalota Creek
          • Rawson Canyon
        • Long Valley Creek
      • Warm Springs Creek
        • French Valley Creek
      • Kalmia Creek
      • Miller Canyon Creek
      • Cole Canyon Creek
      • Vail Canyon Creek
        • Slaughterhouse Canyon
      • Bundy Canyon

San Luis Rey River

San Dieguito River

  • San Dieguito River
    • Santa Maria Creek (San Diego)
    • Santa Ysabel Creek
      • Temescal Creek (San Diego)

San Diego River

  • San Diego River
    • Oak Canyon Creek
    • Spring Canyon Creek
    • Forester Creek
    • Los Coches Creek
    • San Vicente Creek
    • Wildcat Canyon Creek
    • Chocolate Creek
    • Conejos Creek
    • Sand Creek
    • Isham Creek
    • Boulder Creek
    • Cedar Creek
    • Ritchie Creek
    • Dye Canyon Creek
    • Iron Springs Canyon Creek
    • Temescal Creek
    • Sentenac Creek
    • Coleman Creek

San Diego Bay

Tributaries entering San Diego Bay are arranged from North to South:

Gulf of California

Rivers that empty into the Gulf of California:

Carrizo Plain

The Carrizo Plain is a large enclosed valley near the Central Coast which drains into Soda Lake.

  • Wallace Creek

Salton Sea

Rivers that empty into the Salton Sea:

  • Salt Creek
    • Dos Palmas Creek
    • Red Canyon Wash
  • Box Canyon Wash
  • Whitewater River
    • North Fork Whitewater River
    • Middle Fork Whitewater River
    • South Fork Whitewater River
    • San Gorgonio River
      • Portrero Creek
      • Smith Creek
        • Montgomery Creek
      • Hathaway Creek
      • Twin Pines Creek
        • Brown Creek
      • One Horse Creek
      • Snow Creek
        • West Fork Snow Creek
          • East Branch Snow Creek
        • East Fork Snow Creek
        • Falls Creek
    • Garnet Wash
      • Super Creek
    • Mission Creek
      • North Fork Mission Creek
      • South Form Mission Creek
      • West Fork Mission Creek
    • Morongo Wash
      • Dry Morongo Wash
        • Dry Morongo Creek
      • Big Morongo Wash
      • Little Morongo Wash
    • Chino Canyon Wash
    • Palm Canyon Wash
    • Cathedral Canyon Wash
    • Deep Canyon Stormwater Channel
      • Dead Indian Creek
        • Grape Vine Creek
        • Ebbens Creek
        • Carrizo Creek
        • Cat Creek
        • Ramon Creek
      • Deep Canyon Creek
        • Sheep Creek
        • Coyote Creek
    • Thousand Palm Canyon Wash
  • Barton Canyon Wash
    • Alano Canyon Wash
    • Sheep Canyon Wash
  • Travertine Palms Wash
  • Garner Wash
  • Wonderstone Wash
  • Gravel Wash
  • Big Wash
  • Grave Wash
  • Coral Wash
  • Palm Wash
  • Anza Ditch
  • Arroyo Salada
  • Tule Wash
  • San Felipe Creek
  • New River
    • Coyote Wash
      • Palm Canyon Wash
      • South Fork Coyote Wash
      • Myer Creek
    • Pinto Wash
  • Alamo River

Great Basin

Rivers in the Great Basin, arranged roughly north to south:

Tule Lake

Honey Lake

Honey Lake Basin-01
Honey Lake drainage basin
  • Susan River
    • Willow Creek
      • Petes Creek
      • Balls Canyon
        • Snowstorm Creek
        • Secret Creek
    • Piute Creek
    • Willard Creek
  • Skedaddle Creek
  • Long Valley Creek
    • Dry Valley Creek
  • Baxter Creek

Pyramid Lake (in Nevada)

Truckeerivermap
Pyramid Lake drainage basin

Carson Sink (in Nevada)

Carsonrivermap
Carson Sink drainage basin

Walker Lake (in Nevada)

  • Walker River (in Nevada)
    • East Walker River
      • Buckeye Creek
        • Swauger Creek
      • Robinson Creek
      • Green Creek
    • West Walker River
      • Mill Creek
        • Lost Cannon Creek
      • Deep Creek
      • Little Walker River
        • Hot Creek
        • Molybdenite Creek
      • Silver Creek
      • Wolf Creek
      • Leavitt Creek
      • West Fork West Walker River

Mono Lake

Rivers draining into saline and endorheic Mono Lake in eastern California, from north and proceeding counterclockwise:

  • Cottonwood Creek
  • Rancheria Gulch
  • Wilson Creek
  • Mill Creek
    • Deer Creek
    • South Fork Mill Creek
      • Lake Canyon Creek
  • Dechambeau Creek
  • Lee Vining Creek
    • Beartrack Creek
    • Gibbs Canyon Creek
    • Warren Fork
    • Mine Creek
      • Glacier Canyon Creek
    • Saddlebag Creek
  • Rush Creek
    • Walker Creek
    • Parker Creek
    • Alger Creek
    • Reversed Creek
      • Fern Creek
      • Yost Creek
    • Crest Creek
  • Dry Creek

Owens Lake

Owensmap-01
Owens Lake drainage basin

Death Valley

Streams terminating in the Badwater Basin in Death Valley National Park.

  • Salt Creek
    • Furnace Creek Wash
    • Emigrant Wash
    • Death Valley Wash
  • Amargosa River
    • Wingate Wash
    • Salt Creek (may carry overflow from the Mojave River basin in extremely wet years)
    • Rock Valley Wash
    • Fortymile Wash

Antelope Valley-Fremont Valley watersheds

Streams terminating in various dry lakes in the Antelope Valley and Fremont Valley (Koehn Lake, Rosamond Lake, Rogers Dry Lake and others), draining from the southeastern Tehachapi Mountains and northern San Gabriel Mountains, listed counterclockwise starting from north:

  • Cottonwood Creek
  • Cache Creek
    • Sand Creek
  • Oak Creek
  • Cottonwood Creek
  • Pescado Creek
  • Los Alamos Creek
  • Amargosa Creek
    • Pine Creek
  • Anaverde Creek
  • Little Rock Creek
    • South Fork Little Rock Creek
  • Big Rock Creek
    • Pallett Creek
    • Sandrock Creek
    • South Fork Big Rock Creek
  • Mescal Creek
  • Le Montaine Creek

Soda Lake (Mojave River drainage)

Mojaverivermap
Mojave River drainage basin

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Anexo:Ríos de California para niños

kids search engine
List of rivers of California Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.