The South Fork Stanislaus River is a major tributary of the Stanislaus River in Tuolumne County, California. The river flows for 48.5 miles (78.1 km)[2] through rugged alpine and foothill areas of the Sierra Nevada.

South Fork Stanislaus River
Map of the Stanislaus River watershed, showing the South Fork
Location
Country	United States
State	California
Physical characteristics
Source	Sierra Nevada
• location	Stanislaus National Forest
• coordinates	38°13′29″N 119°49′05″W[1]
• elevation	8,642 ft (2,634 m)
Mouth	Stanislaus River
• location	New Melones Lake
• coordinates	38°04′26″N 120°25′24″W[1]
• elevation	1,050 ft (320 m)
Length	48.5 mi (78.1 km)[2]
Discharge
• location	near Long Barn[3]
• average	85.1 cu ft/s (2.41 m3/s)[4]
• minimum	0 cu ft/s (0 m3/s)
• maximum	12,900 cu ft/s (370 m3/s)

The river begins in Hay Meadow in the Emigrant Wilderness of the Stanislaus National Forest. It flows generally southwest, past Pinecrest, Cold Springs and Long Barn, then descends west through a canyon to the New Melones Lake reservoir where it meets the Stanislaus River.[5]

There are two dams on the South Fork: Strawberry Dam, which forms Pinecrest Lake, and Lyons Dam, impounding Lyons Reservoir, which provides municipal water supply to the Twain Harte area. Strawberry Dam is part of the Spring-Gap Stanislaus Hydroelectric Project, which uses water from the South Fork and Middle Forks of the Stanislaus River to generate power.[6]

See also

• List of rivers of California

References