Sierra Valley: 3.2015
Sierra Valley in northeastern California is a large alfalfa production area, bordered on the north by Highway 70, the Feather River Canyon Highways 49 and 89 to the south and west.

The Sierra Valley forms the headwaters of the Feather River which empties into Lake Oroville.

The Federal Water Master has the discretion of switching water out of the Little Truckee River soon after it leaves its headwaters at Webber Lake through the Cold Stream diversion channel to drought-sticken alfalfa farmers in Sierra Valley, diverting fresh drinking water heading to Stampede and Boca reservoirs, already critically low.


Camera icon shows position where these photos were taken looking both south into the valley and looking north above the valley. The location icon at the bottom of the map shows the postition of Sierraville where water is being diverted from the Little Truckee River for alfalfa farms in the Sierra Valley.



Looking north above Sierra Valley from Hwy 70 near Chilcoot in early March. These wetlands would normally host a deep blanket of snow which slowly melts, forming the headwaters of the Feather River which empties into Lake Oroville. Not only is there no snow to watch for in these wetlands, there is none on these northern High Sierra peaks to continue to feed the headwaters through early summer.