SOIL SURVEY OF THE EED BLUFF AREA, CALIFORNL\. 7 



and produces a considerable proportion of the agricultural products 

 of the area. 



The low-lying alluvial belt of the Sacramento River is bordered 

 along its outer edge by almost continuous terrace lines from 10 to 

 40 feet in height. These ascents mark the beginning f)f the plains 

 region, which extends back on both sides from the river to the bound- 

 aries of the area. These gently sloping to rolling plains constitute 

 the greater part of the area surveyed. 



This plains region is usually treeless and of a naturally barren ap- 

 pearance, especially during the dry season. It has a good slope and is 

 traversed by many small streams flowing at right angles to the river. 

 Alluvial bottoms occur along many of these lateral tributaries. The 

 principal streams of the west side are Reed, Reclbank, Coyote, Oat, 

 Elder, Thomas, and Rice Creeks, all finding an outlet to the Sacra- 

 mento within the area. They are all intermittent streams, carry- 

 ing periodically considerable volumes of flood water. Redbank, 

 Thomas, and Elder Creeks are the principal ones of the group. The 

 last two deliver large volumes of water during the rainy season, but 

 soon dwindle once the season ends. From the eastern section several 

 perennial streams reach the river, together with some intermittent 

 streams of a character similar to those on the west side. Principal 

 among the former streams are Antelope, Mill, and Deer Creeks, which 

 deliver a continuous flow very valuable for irrigation purposes. 



The population of the Red Bluft' area is principally agricultural 

 in character. There is a small percentage of the inhabitants de- 

 pendent upon industries not intimately connected with agricultural 

 pursuits, but in the main agriculture is their support. "Wliile a few 

 foreigners and recent arrivals from near-by or Eastern States are 

 found, the majority of the inhabitants are early pioneers and their 

 descendants. They originally came from the Middle Western States 

 and acquired large holdings of land. In many instances the large 

 ranches are held much as they were when grain farming first began. 

 Upon the plains region the population is usually very scattered. 

 Along the alluvial plain of the Sacramento and its small tributaries 

 the population is somewhat denser, but in general development of 

 intensive agriculture is retarded by the large land holdings. 



Tehama County, within which the survey lies almost entirely, 

 has an area of about 3,200 square miles. It was established in 1856 

 from what was previously parts of Butte, Colusa, and Shasta 

 Counties. In 1910 the population of Tehama County was 11,401 ; in 

 1900 it was 10,996. The increase in population has been due almost 

 entirely to increase in settlement in the valley section covered by the 

 survey. 



Red Bluff is the county seat of Tehama County, with a population 

 of 3,530. In 1900 it had 2,750. It is pleasantly situated upon the 

 10970°— 12 2 



