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The McCloud River is a longU.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline data. The National Map , accessed March 10, 2011 river that flows east of and parallel to the upper Sacramento River, in Siskiyou County and Shasta County in northern California in the United States. Protected under California's Wild and Scenic Rivers Act (1972), it drains a scenic mountainous area of the Cascade Range, including part of Mount Shasta. It is a tributary of the Pit River, which in turn flows into the Sacramento River. The three rivers join in Shasta Lake, formed by Shasta Dam north of Redding.
Below the falls the river flows generally south-southwest through the Lake McCloud reservoir and through a deep canyon in the Shasta-Trinity National Forest. It joins Shasta Lake, formed by the Shasta Dam, approximately north of Redding, with the lower of the river forming the middle arm of the lake. The McCloud arm joins the Pit River arm just east of the Pit River Bridge on Interstate 5, north of the city of Shasta Lake.
Major tributaries to the Upper McCloud River include Mud and Tate Creeks (plus Big Springs). Squaw Valley, Hawkins, Claiborne, and Chatterdown Creeks are the major tributaries to the McCloud River below McCloud Reservoir.
As a consequence of damming, the average flow in the lower McCloud River declined greatly, from an annual mean of between 1946 and 1965 to an annual mean of between 1967 and 2013. The greatest impact on river flow is during the summer months when the dam release is only . However, there is little impact on winter peak flows, which mostly originate in the watershed area below the dam.
The last several miles of the McCloud comprise two private fishing clubs — the McCloud River Club () and the Bollibokka Club (), founded in 1902 and 1904, respectively. The land encompassing the lower of Bollibokka Club was purchased in 2007 by the Westlands Water District, which continues to operate the historic Bollibokka Club. Westlands purchased the property to avoid risk of development of the property, to increase its entitlement to water releases from Shasta reservoir through ownership of in the watershed, and to quell opposition to plans for increases in the height of Shasta Dam, a project in which it is the largest stakeholder. The upper of the club's river holdings were purchased in 2006 by Silicon Valley real estate magnate John Arrillaga. Anglers are not allowed to set foot above the high water mark on either property. The Nature Conservancy has a site on the Lower McCloud, an outright gift from the neighboring McCloud River Club, that allows ten rods per day and unlimited hikers or birders.
There are two campgrounds on the Lower McCloud River — Ash Camp and Ah Di Nah Campground. Ash Camp is a small unimproved camp area about downstream of the McCloud Reservoir dam with 4 sites and a vault toilet. It sits at the junction of Hawkins Creek and the Lower McCloud.
While Ah Di Nah Campground is located only further downstream from Ash Camp, it is about of dirt road driving to get there. It is a Shasta-Trinity National Forest campground and a fee is charged for nightly camping. Ah Di Nah is popular with backpackers and anglers for its proximity to the Pacific Crest Trail and the Nature Conservancy area on the McCloud River. Bathrooms and water are available.
The Upper McCloud and its tributaries above Middle Falls are home to the McCloud River redband ( Oncorhynchus mykiss stonei), a native subspecies of rainbow trout. These redband trout were proposed for endangered species status, as their genetics have been introgressed by hybridization with hatchery stocked rainbow trout. The Falls of the McCloud River form a natural barrier to rainbow trout migration historically. An amplified fragment length polymorphism study show Sheepheaven Creek (the type specimen) genetics to be sufficiently different to warrant subspecific status. Conservation efforts have included transplanting the relative pure Sheepheaven Creek strain into Swamp and Trout Creeks.
The river system is closely tied to the Winnemem Wintu Tribe's culture as the tribe once lived in the greater Siskiyou Region and depended greatly on the river as a source of food and a setting for cultural ceremonies. In 1945, the completion of the Shasta Dam on the Sacramento River harmed the river's salmon population. It also led to the flooding of 95% of Winnemem Wintu territory, this included about 250 cultural sites, such as burial sites, and whole villages. The Central Valley Project Land Acquisition Act of 1941 had issued portions of over 4,000 acres of land in order to recompense tribal territories that were flooded and damaged. However, the U.S. Federal Government failed to deliver compensation and instead created a cemetery for the 183 Winnemem Wintu bodies that were displaced from their burial sites along the McCloud.
Threats
The McCloud ecosystem faces threats to the various cultural sites along the river and the general river ecosystem health. In November 2020, the Trump Administration under the direction of then U.S. Secretary of the Interior, David Bernhardt, approved plans to increase the nearby Shasta Dam by 18.5 feet. The consequences would include the flooding of 5,000 acres of the local habitat which would harm the wild trout fishery as well as introduce permanent and seasonal flooding of roughly 39 sacred Winnemem Wintu Tribe sites that are located along the McCloud River.
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