Merced River

Merced River
The Merced River in Yosemite Valley, with Bridalveil Fall (middle) and El Capitan (left)
Name origin: Spanish El Río de Nuestra Señora de la Merced ("River of our Lady of Mercy") given to the river by Spanish explorer Gabriel Moraga
Country	United States
State	California
Regions	Yosemite National Park, Central Valley (California)
Tributaries
- left	Red Peak Fork, Illouette Creek, Bridalveil Creek, South Fork Merced River
- right	Triple Peak Fork, Lyell Fork, Sunrise Creek, Tenaya Creek, Yosemite Creek, Cascade Creek, North Fork Merced River, Dry Creek
Cities	El Portal, Livingston
Landmarks	Yosemite Valley, New Exchequer Dam
Source	Confluence of Merced Peak and Triple Peak Forks
- location	Yosemite National Park, Madera County
- elevation	8,017 ft (2,444 m)
- coordinates	37°41′47.05″N 119°20′53.54″W / 37.6964028°N 119.3482056°W / 37.6964028; -119.3482056
Mouth	San Joaquin River
- location	Hills Ferry, Merced County
- elevation	56 ft (17 m)
- coordinates	37°20′57″N 120°58′32″W / 37.34917°N 120.97556°W / 37.34917; -120.97556Coordinates: 37°20′57″N 120°58′32″W / 37.34917°N 120.97556°W / 37.34917; -120.97556
Length	145 mi (233 km)
Basin	1,726 sq mi (4,470 km2)
Discharge	for Bagby, near Lake McClure
- average	1,185 cu ft/s (34 m3/s)
- max	92,500 cu ft/s (2,619 m3/s)
- min	19 cu ft/s (1 m3/s)
Map of the Merced River

The Merced River (pronounced mɜːsɛd), in the central part of the U.S. state of California, is a 145-mile (233 km)-longtributary of the San Joaquin River flowing from the Sierra Nevada into the San Joaquin Valley. It is most well known for its swift and steep course through the southern part of Yosemite National Park, and the world-famous Yosemite Valley. The river's character changes dramatically once it reaches the foothills and the lowlands, becoming a slow-moving waterway meandering through irrigated fields.

When tectonic activity first led to the uplift of the Sierra, the river formed as a steep stream eroding into the range's western flank, carrying sediments that would later help form the floor of the Central Valley. A rich riparian zone around the Merced once supported millions of migratory birds along the Pacific Flyway, and the river had one of the southernmost runs of salmon in North America. Indigenous people, including the Miwok and Paiute tribes, lived along the river for thousands of years, thriving on the bountiful flora and fauna supported by the river and its diverse lower course, aided by fertile soils eroded from the mountains.

Military expeditions during the Mexican Era history of California passed through the Merced River region in the early 19th century. The California Gold Rush brought many people into California and some settled leading to the establishment of a railroad along the river, bringing minerals and lumber to towns that had been established on the lower Merced, and later provided tourism to the now-national park area. Conflicts between whites and indigenous peoples prompted wars, resulting in the expulsion of the Ahwahnechee from Yosemite Valley. In the 20th century, the river saw further development that would change its state forever.