# South Yuba River

The 65.0-mile-long (104.6 km) South Yuba River is a left-entering tributary of the Yuba River originating in the northern Sierra Nevada at Lake Angela in Nevada County about three quarters of a mile north of Donner Pass, about three miles east of the town of Soda Springs. After passing through Lake Van Norden with Upper Castle Creek (longer than the Lake Angela stem) entering from the right, it gathers numerous snow-fed tributaries running west through a marshy, lake-filled valley, criss-crossing Interstate 80. The river briefly enters Placer County, then flows into Lake Spaulding, then plunges westward into a steep-sided valley. Canyon Creek enters from the right, then Poorman Creek also from the right near the town of Washington. The river continues west into the foothills, crossing under State Route 49. Its mouth is on the east shore of upper Englebright Lake, formed by a dam across the Yuba River.
The California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment has issued a safe eating advisory for any fish caught in South Yuba River due to elevated levels of mercury and PCBs.

## Recreation

The river begins within the Tahoe National Forest. Parks along or near the South Yuba River include:
* Malakoff Diggins State Historic Park
* South Yuba River State Park

## Course

South Yuba River course This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it. :
| description | coordinates |
| source, Lake Angela dam | 39°19′20″N 120°19′37″W﻿ / ﻿39.3221273°N 120.3268679°W﻿ / 39.3221273; -120.3268679 |
| road, I-80 WB | |
| dam, Lake Van Norden | |
| road, I-80 EB | |
| confluence, Lower Castle Creek | |
| road, I-80 WB | |
| road, Hampshire Rocks | |
| road, I-80 EB | |
| confluence, Rattlesnake Creek | |
| road, I-80 WB | |
| dam, Lake Spaulding | |
| confluence, Jordan Creek | |
| confluence, Rucker Creek | 39°20′40″N 120°40′46″W﻿ / ﻿39.344374°N 120.679491°W﻿ / 39.344374; -120.679491 |
| confluence, Clear Creek | 39°21′12″N 120°41′58″W﻿ / ﻿39.353467°N 120.699527°W﻿ / 39.353467; -120.699527 |
| confluence, Diamond Creek | 39°21′19″N 120°44′26″W﻿ / ﻿39.355159°N 120.740441°W﻿ / 39.355159; -120.740441 |
| confluence, Canyon Creek | 39°21′39″N 120°45′01″W﻿ / ﻿39.360867°N 120.750156°W﻿ / 39.360867; -120.750156 |
| confluence, Scotchman Creek | 39°21′24″N 120°46′59″W﻿ / ﻿39.356644°N 120.783104°W﻿ / 39.356644; -120.783104 |
| road, Washington | 39°21′38″N 120°47′41″W﻿ / ﻿39.360493°N 120.794766°W﻿ / 39.360493; -120.794766 |
| confluence, Poorman Creek | 39°21′10″N 120°48′37″W﻿ / ﻿39.352834°N 120.810291°W﻿ / 39.352834; -120.810291 |
| confluence, McKilligan Creek | 39°21′08″N 120°49′07″W﻿ / ﻿39.352193°N 120.818654°W﻿ / 39.352193; -120.818654 |
| border, Tahoe National Forest | 39°20′15″N 120°54′31″W﻿ / ﻿39.337451°N 120.908704°W﻿ / 39.337451; -120.908704 |
| confluence, Humbug Creek | 39°20′17″N 120°55′55″W﻿ / ﻿39.338115°N 120.931932°W﻿ / 39.338115; -120.931932 |
| border, Malakoff Diggins State Historic Park | 39°20′15″N 120°54′33″W﻿ / ﻿39.337384°N 120.90909°W﻿ / 39.337384; -120.90909 |
| road, N Bloomfield (Edwards Crossing) | 39°19′49″N 120°59′03″W﻿ / ﻿39.3301664°N 120.984215°W﻿ / 39.3301664; -120.984215 |
| border, Malakoff Diggins SHP border, South Yuba River SP | 39°19′48″N 120°59′07″W﻿ / ﻿39.330015°N 120.985351°W﻿ / 39.330015; -120.985351 |
| confluence, Spring Creek | 39°19′56″N 120°59′22″W﻿ / ﻿39.332148°N 120.989408°W﻿ / 39.332148; -120.989408 |
| road, Purdon (Purdon Crossing) | 39°19′40″N 121°02′47″W﻿ / ﻿39.327791°N 121.046505°W﻿ / 39.327791; -121.046505 |
| confluence, Rock Creek | 39°18′42″N 121°02′58″W﻿ / ﻿39.311770°N 121.049323°W﻿ / 39.311770; -121.049323 |
| former diversion, Excelsior Ditch | 39°18′40″N 121°03′42″W﻿ / ﻿39.311070°N 121.061631°W﻿ / 39.311070; -121.061631 |
| road, CA 49 (bridge image) | |
| confluence, Rush Creek | 39°17′32″N 121°06′17″W﻿ / ﻿39.292248°N 121.104803°W﻿ / 39.292248; -121.104803 |
| confluence, Owl Creek | |
| confluence, French Corral Creek | |
| road, Pleasant Valley | 39°17′34″N 121°11′37″W﻿ / ﻿39.29286°N 121.193576°W﻿ / 39.29286; -121.193576 |
| border, South Yuba River SP road, Bridgeport Covered Bridge | 39°17′34″N 121°11′42″W﻿ / ﻿39.292739°N 121.194906°W﻿ / 39.292739; -121.194906 |
| mouth, Englebright Lake | |