Susan River (California)

The Susan River (Northeast Maidu: Pam Sewim, bush creek)^[3] is a northeastern California river of approximately 67 miles (108 km) length^[4] that drains from an arid plateau of volcanic highlands along the Great Basin Divide to intermittent Honey Lake. The river flows from eastern Lassen County from east of Lassen Volcanic National Park generally east past Susanville and emerging into a ranching valley to enter the north end of Honey Lake. Along with Fredonyer Pass, the Susan River is the northern boundary of the Sierra Nevada.^[5]

Susan River
The Susan River drainage is part of the endorheic Honey-Eagle lakes watershed of the Great Basin.
Native name	Pam Sewim (Northeast Maidu)
Location
Country	United States
State	California
Region	Lassen County
Cities	Susanville, Johnstonville, Litchfield
Physical characteristics
Source	Caribou Lake
• location	11 miles west of Norvell in the Lassen National Forest, Sierra Nevada, California
• coordinates	40°30′10″N 121°09′51″W[1]
• elevation	6,571 ft (2,003 m)
Mouth	Honey Lake
• coordinates	40°20′11″N 120°15′27″W[1]
• elevation	3,993 ft (1,217 m)[1]
Length	67 mi (108 km)
Basin size	1,170 sq mi (3,000 km2)[2]
Discharge
• location	Susanville, 20 mi (32 km) from the mouth
• average	88 cu ft/s (2.5 m3/s)
• minimum	0.6 cu ft/s (0.017 m3/s)
• maximum	5,850 cu ft/s (166 m3/s)
Basin features
Tributaries
• left	Piute Creek, Willow Creek

History

Susan River and the town of Susanville were named for Susan Roop, daughter of early settler Isaac Roop, in 1857.^[1][6]

Watershed

Susan River begins at Caribou Lake at elevation 6,571 feet (2,003 m),^[4] which is dammed by Caribou Lake 234 Dam. It flows eastward, curving southeasterly as it enters the Great Basin, where it is joined on the left by Bridge Creek and dammed to form McCoy Flat Reservoir, approximately 11 miles northwest of Susanville. It next receives order from the right (heading downstream) Crazy Harry Gulch, Willard Creek, and Williams Creek before entering Susanville, where it receives Piute Creek from the left. Below Susanville, it receives from the left Gold Run Creek, Lassen Creek and Sand Slough, the latter at Johnstonville. At Johnstonville, the Lake Leavitt Inlet Canal diverts Susan River flows south to Lake Leavitt. After being joined by Willow Creek from the left, the Susan River passes below Litchfield and is extensively modified by a complicated system of canals and levees for irrigation of the surrounding ranching areas. Next, the river reaches the Honey Lake State Wildlife Area and finally Honey Lake itself at elevation 3,993 feet (1,217 m).