Introduction

Mill Creek is an eastside tributary to the Sacramento River that flows in a southwesterly direction for approximately 60 miles and drains 134 square miles. The creek originates near a thermal spring area in Lassen Volcanic National Park at an elevation of approximately 8,200 feet. It initially flows through meadows and dense forests and then descends rapidly through a steep rock canyon into the Sacramento Valley. Upon emerging from the canyon, the creek flows 8 miles across the Sacramento Valley floor, entering the Sacramento River about 1 mile north of the town of Tehama, near Los Molinos, at an elevation of approximately 200 feet.

Station Description

Mill Creek near Mouth near Los Molinos is sampled around five miles northeast of Los Molinos and about six miles upstream from the mouth. Water Quality Data has been collected from this site by DWR since 1952 while USGS has been recording flow since 1909.