California has an extensive and complex water system. Can many people name all the waterways on this common California water map (with the names removed)?
Give it a try. No cheating. (Unlike some map quizzes and the 1957 California Water Plan, this map has no imaginary features, except perhaps when some of the river channels run dry.)
People probably know more near where they live and work, or places they have visited.
Real California water wonks might color in the rivers or reaches they have worked on, swum in, sampled, modeled, or litigated (depending on your proclivities).
If you don’t know much about one part of the state, it might be time for a road, rode, or river trip.
Know-it-alls, we trust you. But if you have Native-American names, local non-official names, or funny or humorous names, please post a link to your answer (say in a Google doc with view access) in the replies.
Jay Lund
Further reading
1957 California Water Plan map
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Yes, I can name a couple of handfuls of these rivers and watersheds but the river I know the best doesn’t even make the map. The Pajaro River, my hometown river, my birthplace watershed, is not on the above map. We had another magical moment this weekend while siting by the river. We say a Pacific Lamprey! The only one that’s been recorded on I naturalist! We’d never seen that fish before and have never seen in at our favorite river spot.