Physical Features
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| Geography 417: California for Educators |
Physical Features |
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Knowing where things like rivers, mountains and bays are is a good first step to understanding why California is the way it is. Listed below are the physical features that you are responsible for knowing on map quizzes and tests. Generally, features in bold type, are more likely to appear in class readings and lectures, and therefore more likely to appear on a quiz or test.
| Valleys and Plains | California Rivers | California Water Delivery System |
| Carrizo Plain | American River | Local Projects |
| Death Valley | Consumnes River | Los Angeles Aqueduct (1913) |
| Imperial Valley | Eel River | Mokelumne Aqueduct (1929) |
| L.A. Basin | Feather River | Hetch Hetchy Aqueduct (1934) |
| Mojave Desert | Kern River | Colorado River Aqueduct (1941) |
| Mojave Valley | Klamath River | San Diego Aqueduct (1947 - 1960) |
| Napa Valley | Los Angeles River | Petaluma-Sonoma Aqueducts (1961) |
| Owens Valley | Merced River | State Water Project (SWP) |
| Pajaro Valley | Mokelumne River | Lake Oroville / Dam (1968) |
| Panamint Valley | Owens River | Sacramento - San Joaquin Delta |
| Sacramento Valley | Sacramento River | Peripheral Canal (proposed) |
| Salinas Valley | San Joquin River | California Aqueduct (1972) |
| San Fernando Valley | Smith River | Federal Water Projects |
| San Joaquin Valley | Stanislaus River | All American Canal (1938) |
| Santa Ana Basin | Tuolumne River | Coachella Canal (1947) |
| Santa Clara Valley | Lakes and Bays | Central Valley Project (CVP) |
| Santa Maria Valley | Goose Lake | Shasta Lake / Dam (1945) |
| Shasta Valley | Humboldt Bay | Friant-Kern Canal |
| Sierra Valley | Lake Tahoe | Delta Mendota Canal (1951) |
| Surprise Valley | Mono Lake | Medera Canal (1952) |
| Warner Range | Monterey Bay | Corning Canal (1960) |
| Cape and Points | Owens Lake | Tehema-Colusa Canal (1961) |
| Cape Mendocino | Salton Sea | |
| Pt. Arena | San Diego Bay | |
| Pt. Concepcion | San Francisco Bay | Acknowledgments: |
| Pt. Reyes | San Luis Obispo Bay | Thanks to S. Booth at Sierra College |
| Pt. Sur | San Pablo Bay | for compiling much of this list! |
| Santa Barbara Channel | ||
| Mountains, Mountain Chains and Islands | ||
| Amargosa Range | Little San Bernardino Mountains | Mt Whitney |
| Avawatz Mountains | Mt. Diablo Range | Lassen Peak |
| Bullion Mountains | North Coast Ranges | Modoc Plateau |
| Cascade Range | Panamint Range | Mt San Gorgonio |
| Central Coast Ranges | Peninsular Ranges | Mt. San Antonio |
| Chocolate Mountains | Providence Mountains | Mt. Shasta |
| Diamond Mountains | Tehachapi Mountains | Sutter Buttes |
| Gabilan Range | Santa Susanna Mountains | |
| Inyo Mountains | San Gabriel Mountains | Santa Catalina Island |
| Klamath Mountains | Santa Monica Mountains | Santa Rosa Island |
| La Cumbra Mountains | Sierra Nevada Mountains | Santa Cruz Island |
| Basin and Range | ||
| Mountain Passes | ||
| Cajon Pass | San Gorgonio Pass | Tehachapi Pass |
| Sepulveda Pass | Tejon Pass | |
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If you have questions or comments, please contact me at steve.graves@csun.edu