Big Lagoon (California)
Encyclopedia
Big Lagoon is the southernmost and largest of three similar lagoon
s along the Humboldt County, California
coast between Trinidad
to the south and Orick
at the mouth of Redwood Creek
to the north. The lagoons are shallow bays between rocky headlands where coastal wave action has formed a sand
y bar separating each lagoon from the Pacific Ocean
. The lagoons are resting areas for migratory waterfowl
using the Pacific Flyway
between Lake Earl
on the Smith River
estuarine
wetland
s 40 miles (70 kilometers) to the north and Humboldt Bay
on the Mad River
estuarine wetlands 30 miles (50 kilometers) to the south.
including Humboldt Bay to the south and Lake Earl to the north. An alluvial plain
is surrounded by steep uplands. Hills adjacent to Big Lagoon have been identified as the Franciscan Assemblage
along the eastern shore and Pleistocene
dune sandstone
to the south. Studies around Humboldt Bay indicate tectonic activity along the Cascadia subduction zone
has caused local sea level changes at intervals of several centuries. The plain may support fresh water wetlands or Sitka Spruce
forests following uplift events and salt marsh
or inundated shellfish
beds following subsidence events. At the present lagoon level, the sand bar normally separates the lagoon from the ocean during summer months. Winter precipitation
may raise the water level in the lagoon a few meters above sea level. Hydrostatic pressure and storm surf may then breach the sand bar allowing the lagoon to drain into the sea and then receive tidal inflow until wave action reforms the bar.
graze the wetlands south of the lagoon and may sometimes be seen where U.S. Route 101
crosses the lagoon. Hammond Lumber Company Plant Three included 20th century company housing and a sawmill
log pond built where Maple Creek enters the south end of Big Lagoon. The coastal portion of Big Lagoon was used as an aerial rocket range by the United States Navy
during World War II
. Canoe access to Big Lagoon is available from a park on the south shore near the community of Big Lagoon
and Big Lagoon Rancheria
.
Lagoon
A lagoon is a body of shallow sea water or brackish water separated from the sea by some form of barrier. The EU's habitat directive defines lagoons as "expanses of shallow coastal salt water, of varying salinity or water volume, wholly or partially separated from the sea by sand banks or shingle,...
s along the Humboldt County, California
Humboldt County, California
Humboldt County is a county in the U.S. state of California, located on the far North Coast 200 miles north of San Francisco. According to 2010 Census Data, the county’s population was 134,623...
coast between Trinidad
Trinidad, California
Trinidad is a seaside city in Humboldt County, located on the Pacific Ocean north of the Arcata-Eureka Airport and north of the college town of Arcata...
to the south and Orick
Orick, California
Orick is a census-designated place situated on the banks of the Redwood Creek in Humboldt County, California. It is located north of Eureka, at an elevation of 26 feet . The ZIP Code is 95555...
at the mouth of Redwood Creek
Redwood Creek (Humboldt County)
Redwood Creek is a river in Humboldt County, California. The river's headwaters are in the Coast Range at about and it flows roughly northwest until it empties into the Pacific Ocean near the small town of Orick, the only development in the -watershed....
to the north. The lagoons are shallow bays between rocky headlands where coastal wave action has formed a sand
Sand
Sand is a naturally occurring granular material composed of finely divided rock and mineral particles.The composition of sand is highly variable, depending on the local rock sources and conditions, but the most common constituent of sand in inland continental settings and non-tropical coastal...
y bar separating each lagoon from the Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
. The lagoons are resting areas for migratory waterfowl
Waterfowl
Waterfowl are certain wildfowl of the order Anseriformes, especially members of the family Anatidae, which includes ducks, geese, and swans....
using the Pacific Flyway
Pacific Flyway
The Pacific Flyway is a major north-south route of travel for migratory birds in America, extending from Alaska to Patagonia. Every year, migratory birds travel some or all of this distance both in spring and in fall, following food sources, heading to breeding grounds, or travelling to...
between Lake Earl
Lake Earl (California)
Lake Earl is a navigable body of water in Del Norte County, California, in the United States, partly within Tolowa Dunes State Park and partly within Lake Earl Wildlife Area...
on the Smith River
Smith River (California)
The Smith River is a river on the Pacific coast of northern California in the United States, approximately long. It drains a rugged area of the Pacific Coast Ranges west of the Siskiyou Mountains just south of the Oregon border and north of the watershed of the Klamath River. The catchment area is...
estuarine
Estuary
An estuary is a partly enclosed coastal body of water with one or more rivers or streams flowing into it, and with a free connection to the open sea....
wetland
Wetland
A wetland is an area of land whose soil is saturated with water either permanently or seasonally. Wetlands are categorised by their characteristic vegetation, which is adapted to these unique soil conditions....
s 40 miles (70 kilometers) to the north and Humboldt Bay
Humboldt Bay
Humboldt Bay is a natural bay and a multi-basin, bar-built coastal lagoon located on the rugged North Coast of California, United States entirely within Humboldt County. The regional center and county seat of Eureka and the college town of Arcata adjoin the bay, which is the second largest enclosed...
on the Mad River
Mad River (California)
The Mad River is a river in upper Northern California. It flows for in a roughly northwest direction through Trinity County and then Humboldt County, draining a watershed into the Pacific Ocean north of the college town of Arcata near Arcata-Eureka Airport in McKinleyville...
estuarine wetlands 30 miles (50 kilometers) to the south.
Geology
Big Lagoon is similar to other coastal features of northern CaliforniaCalifornia
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
including Humboldt Bay to the south and Lake Earl to the north. An alluvial plain
Alluvial plain
An alluvial plain is a relatively flat landform created by the deposition of sediment over a long period of time by one or more rivers coming from highland regions, from which alluvial soil forms...
is surrounded by steep uplands. Hills adjacent to Big Lagoon have been identified as the Franciscan Assemblage
Franciscan Assemblage
The Franciscan Assemblage is a geological term for an accreted terrane of heterogeneous rocks found on and near the San Francisco Peninsula. It was named by geologist Andrew Lawson who also named the San Andreas Fault which bounds the Franciscan Assemblage....
along the eastern shore and Pleistocene
Pleistocene
The Pleistocene is the epoch from 2,588,000 to 11,700 years BP that spans the world's recent period of repeated glaciations. The name pleistocene is derived from the Greek and ....
dune sandstone
Sandstone
Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized minerals or rock grains.Most sandstone is composed of quartz and/or feldspar because these are the most common minerals in the Earth's crust. Like sand, sandstone may be any colour, but the most common colours are tan, brown, yellow,...
to the south. Studies around Humboldt Bay indicate tectonic activity along the Cascadia subduction zone
Cascadia subduction zone
The Cascadia subduction zone is a subduction zone, a type of convergent plate boundary that stretches from northern Vancouver Island to northern California. It is a very long sloping fault that separates the Juan de Fuca and North America plates.New ocean floor is being created offshore of...
has caused local sea level changes at intervals of several centuries. The plain may support fresh water wetlands or Sitka Spruce
Sitka Spruce
Picea sitchensis, the Sitka Spruce, is a large coniferous evergreen tree growing to 50–70 m tall, exceptionally to 95 m tall, and with a trunk diameter of up to 5 m, exceptionally to 6–7 m diameter...
forests following uplift events and salt marsh
Salt marsh
A salt marsh is an environment in the upper coastal intertidal zone between land and salt water or brackish water, it is dominated by dense stands of halophytic plants such as herbs, grasses, or low shrubs. These plants are terrestrial in origin and are essential to the stability of the salt marsh...
or inundated shellfish
Bivalvia
Bivalvia is a taxonomic class of marine and freshwater molluscs. This class includes clams, oysters, mussels, scallops, and many other families of molluscs that have two hinged shells...
beds following subsidence events. At the present lagoon level, the sand bar normally separates the lagoon from the ocean during summer months. Winter precipitation
Precipitation (meteorology)
In meteorology, precipitation In meteorology, precipitation In meteorology, precipitation (also known as one of the classes of hydrometeors, which are atmospheric water phenomena is any product of the condensation of atmospheric water vapor that falls under gravity. The main forms of precipitation...
may raise the water level in the lagoon a few meters above sea level. Hydrostatic pressure and storm surf may then breach the sand bar allowing the lagoon to drain into the sea and then receive tidal inflow until wave action reforms the bar.
History
Roosevelt elkRoosevelt elk
The Roosevelt elk , also known as Olympic elk, is the largest of the four surviving subspecies of elk in North America...
graze the wetlands south of the lagoon and may sometimes be seen where U.S. Route 101
U.S. Route 101
U.S. Route 101, or U.S. Highway 101, is an important north–south U.S. highway that runs through the states of California, Oregon, and Washington, on the West Coast of the United States...
crosses the lagoon. Hammond Lumber Company Plant Three included 20th century company housing and a sawmill
Sawmill
A sawmill is a facility where logs are cut into boards.-Sawmill process:A sawmill's basic operation is much like those of hundreds of years ago; a log enters on one end and dimensional lumber exits on the other end....
log pond built where Maple Creek enters the south end of Big Lagoon. The coastal portion of Big Lagoon was used as an aerial rocket range by the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Canoe access to Big Lagoon is available from a park on the south shore near the community of Big Lagoon
Big Lagoon, California
Big Lagoon is a census-designated place in Humboldt County, California. It is located north of Trinidad, at an elevation of 56 feet . The population was 93 at the 2010 census.-Education:...
and Big Lagoon Rancheria
Big Lagoon Rancheria
The Big Lagoon Rancheria is a federally recognized tribe of Yurok and Tolowa Indians. They are located in Humboldt County, California, and their tribal headquarters is in Arcata, California.-Government:...
.