Bucks Lake Wilderness
Encyclopedia
The Bucks Lake Wilderness is a 23958 acres (97 km²) wilderness area located in the Plumas National Forest
section of the Sierra Nevada, in northeastern California
, United States
.
. It protects the northernmost end of the Sierra Crest
, which beyond the canyon of the North Fork Feather River
, is no longer distinct. The California Wilderness Act of 1984
set aside the wilderness. The reservoir for which it is named is considered a "boater's Mecca" and is just outside the wilderness boundary.
The wilderness provides habitat for the black bear
, coyote
, mountain lion, mule deer and black-tailed deer as well as eagle, peregrine falcon
, owls and the willow flycatcher
.
Vegetation includes conifers such as sugar, lodgepole and Jeffrey pine
with almost pure stands of red fir
on the highest elevations. Streams and wet meadows have alder and aspen trees, corn lilies and montane chaparrel.
There are three adjacent units of roadless areas, the largest of which has Bucks Mountain, Bald Eagle Mountain and Bucks Creek.
The 105600 acre.ft-capacity reservoir is created by the 122 ft (37.2 m) high rock-fill dam on Bucks Creek, covers 1852 acres (7.5 km²) and is operated by the Pacific, Gas and Electric Company.
Plumas National Forest
Plumas National Forest is a 1,146,000-acre United States National Forest located in the Sierra Nevada, in northern California.-Geography:...
section of the Sierra Nevada, in northeastern California
California
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...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
Geography
The wilderness lies in Plumas County south of Lake AlmanorLake Almanor
Lake Almanor is a large artificial lake in northwestern Plumas County, northeastern California. The reservoir has a capacity of and a maximum depth of about 90 feet...
. It protects the northernmost end of the Sierra Crest
Sierra Crest
The Sierra Crest is a ~ generally north-to-south ridgeline that demarcates the broad west and narrow east slopes of the Sierra Nevada and that extends as far east as the Sierra's topographic front...
, which beyond the canyon of the North Fork Feather River
Feather River
The Feather River is the principal tributary of the Sacramento River, in the Sacramento Valley of Northern California. The river's main stem is about long. Its length to its most distant headwater tributary is about . Its drainage basin is about...
, is no longer distinct. The California Wilderness Act of 1984
California Wilderness Act of 1984
The California Wilderness Act of 1984 is a federal law , passed by the United States Congress on September 28, 1984, that authorized the addition of over within the state of California to the National Wilderness Preservation System....
set aside the wilderness. The reservoir for which it is named is considered a "boater's Mecca" and is just outside the wilderness boundary.
Natural history
The topography is classic Sierra Nevada with gentle slopes on the western side, glacial cirques, and areas of bare granitic rock. The highest point is Mount Pleasant (7,054 ft). Of the 13 cirques in the wilderness, the one-mile (1.6 km)-wide Silver Lake is the largest, located below Spanish Peak of the Sierra crest. The North Fork Feather River canyon forms the north boundary and the wilderness includes its 6 miles (9.7 km)-long canyon wall.The wilderness provides habitat for the black bear
American black bear
The American black bear is a medium-sized bear native to North America. It is the continent's smallest and most common bear species. Black bears are omnivores, with their diets varying greatly depending on season and location. They typically live in largely forested areas, but do leave forests in...
, coyote
Coyote
The coyote , also known as the American jackal or the prairie wolf, is a species of canine found throughout North and Central America, ranging from Panama in the south, north through Mexico, the United States and Canada...
, mountain lion, mule deer and black-tailed deer as well as eagle, peregrine falcon
Peregrine Falcon
The Peregrine Falcon , also known as the Peregrine, and historically as the Duck Hawk in North America, is a widespread bird of prey in the family Falconidae. A large, crow-sized falcon, it has a blue-gray back, barred white underparts, and a black head and "moustache"...
, owls and the willow flycatcher
Willow Flycatcher
The Willow Flycatcher is a small insect-eating bird of the tyrant flycatcher family.Adults have brown-olive upperparts, darker on the wings and tail, with whitish underparts; they have an indistinct white eye ring, white wing bars and a small bill. The breast is washed with olive-grey. The upper...
.
Vegetation includes conifers such as sugar, lodgepole and Jeffrey pine
Jeffrey Pine
The Jeffrey Pine, Pinus jeffreyi, named in honor of its botanist documenter John Jeffrey, is a North American pine related to Ponderosa Pine.-Distribution and habitat:...
with almost pure stands of red fir
Red Fir
Abies magnifica, the Red Fir or Silvertip fir, is a western North American fir, native to the mountains of southwest Oregon and California in the United States. It is a high altitude tree, typically occurring at altitude, though only rarely reaching tree line...
on the highest elevations. Streams and wet meadows have alder and aspen trees, corn lilies and montane chaparrel.
There are three adjacent units of roadless areas, the largest of which has Bucks Mountain, Bald Eagle Mountain and Bucks Creek.
Bucks Lake
The dam was begun by the Feather River Power Company, which was owned by R.C. Storrie and Robert Muir. The company bought 1000 acres (4 km²), including the Bucks Ranch and began construction in early 1926. Three years and eight million dollars later, the company had financial problems and ended up selling the project to Great Western Power Company who completed the project in 1928.The 105600 acre.ft-capacity reservoir is created by the 122 ft (37.2 m) high rock-fill dam on Bucks Creek, covers 1852 acres (7.5 km²) and is operated by the Pacific, Gas and Electric Company.
See also
- Feather HeadwatersFeather HeadwatersThe Feather Headwaters are 3 watersheds totaling and which drain to Lake Oroville. The is —including the West Branch drainage of about . The is , and the is —including the South Fork drainage of about...
- Ecology of the Sierra Nevada
- Protected areas of the Sierra Nevada