Taylor Creek is a tributary of the Truckee River located in Washoe County, Nevada. Measuring the size of a creek can involve looking at different metrics like length, discharge volume, watershed area, and more. In this article, we will explore the various ways to characterize the size of Taylor Creek.
Length of Taylor Creek
One way to measure the size of a creek is by looking at its length from source to mouth. According to the U.S. Geological Survey, Taylor Creek starts high in the Carson Range mountains southwest of Reno and flows northeast for around 18 miles before joining the Truckee River. So in terms of length alone, Taylor Creek is a relatively sizable waterway.
Here are some key facts about the length of Taylor Creek:
- Total length: Approximately 18 miles
- General direction: Southwest to northeast
- Major tributaries: Upper Truckee River, Spring Creek, Angel Creek
- Confluence: Joins Truckee River in southwest Reno
Comparing it to other creeks in the area, Taylor Creek is much longer than many, but shorter than some of the Truckee’s larger tributaries like the Little Truckee River which is over 40 miles long.
Path of Taylor Creek
Looking more closely at its path, Taylor Creek originates at around 9,000 feet elevation on the slopes of Siberia and Slide Mountain. It flows down through wilderness areas and into the Taylor Creek drainage before passing by attractions like Kiva Beach and Baldwin Beach.
As the creek nears Lake Tahoe, it widens and slows, forming wetland areas. Exiting the lake, Taylor Creek passes by areas like Pope Beach and the Taylor Creek Visitor Center. The lower portion of the creek runs through meadows and forested areas before joining the Truckee in southwest Reno near Highway 395.
Watershed Area
In addition to length, another way to characterize the size of a creek is by looking at its watershed – the area of land that drains into the creek. The Taylor Creek watershed encompasses approximately 59 square miles according to the Tahoe Resource Conservation District.
This makes the Taylor Creek watershed one of the larger sub-basins of the greater Truckee River watershed. It contains diverse landscapes ranging from high mountain peaks to low elevation wetlands. Here are some key facts about the Taylor Creek watershed area:
- Total area: Approximately 59 square miles
- Elevation range: 6,200 to 10,800 feet
- Major land cover types: Forest, shrub/grassland, wetland, urban
- Includes area of southwest Lake Tahoe
This sizable watershed contributes significant water in the form of snowpack runoff, rainfall, urban runoff, and groundwater discharge to Taylor Creek’s flow.
Major Watershed Features
Some major features and areas within the Taylor Creek watershed include:
- Upper watershed mountains: Mt. Tallac, Cathedral Peak, Ralston Peak
- Hell Hole Reservoir – regulates downstream flows
- Grass Lake – important wetland habitat
- Taylor Creek Wetland Complex
- Several Lake Tahoe beaches
- Urban areas of South Lake Tahoe
Discharge Volume
Discharge volume is another important metric used to characterize creek size. This measures the quantity of water flowing in the creek, typically reported as cubic feet per second (cfs). USGS maintains a stream gage on Taylor Creek near South Lake Tahoe to monitor flows.
Taylor Creek’s discharge can vary dramatically throughout the year. Here are some key discharge volume statistics:
- Average annual flow: 37 cfs
- Peak recorded flow: 1,500 cfs (5/31/1929)
- Late summer low flow: 10-15 cfs
- Spring snowmelt peak: 150-350 cfs
Compared to a huge river like the Mississippi which averages over 600,000 cfs, Taylor Creek’s discharge is modest, but substantial for a creek and similar to other Tahoe tributaries.
Factors Influencing Discharge
Some of the major factors that influence Taylor Creek’s discharge volume include:
- Snowpack amount and snowmelt
- Rainfall
- Season – highest in spring, lower in late summer/fall
- Dam regulation from Upper Truckee and Hell Hole Reservoirs
- Urban runoff
- Groundwater flows
Understanding these factors helps explain the variation in creek flows over seasonal and annual cycles.
Width and Depth
The width and depth of a creek also speak to its size. Taylor Creek is generally an everage of 15-30 feet wide in its upper reaches but widens to 70-120 feet as it approaches Lake Tahoe. Depth varies from a few inches in riffles to over 5 feet in deeper pools.
Some key average width/depth measurements include:
- Width upper creek: 15-30 feet
- Width lower creek: 70-120 feet
- Depth upper creek: 6 inches to 3 feet
- Depth lower creek: 1-5+ feet
However, specific dimensions can change a lot depending on location, creek bed features, water flow, and other factors. In general though, the lower portion of Taylor Creek near the lake is larger in both width and depth compared to upstream sections.
Controlling Factors
Some of the main factors that influence the width and depth of Taylor Creek include:
- Water discharge volume
- Creek bed geology and features
- Erosion and sediment deposition
- Stream gradient
- Rocks, logs, and debris
- Lake Tahoe water levels
Higher flows will cause greater width and depth, while rocks, logs, and other obstructions can constrict the creek. The size and shape of the creek bed itself also plays a major role.
Stream Order
Another way hydrologists characterize creek size is using a stream order classification system. This system assigns a numeric order to segments of a stream network based on the number of tributaries upstream.
Headwater streams with no tributaries are assigned order 1. When two order 1 streams join, the downstream segment becomes order 2, and so on. Based on this hierarchy, Taylor Creek is classified as a 4th order stream near its mouth at the Truckee River.
Here is how the stream order breaks down along Taylor Creek’s course:
- Headwaters: 1st order
- Upper tributaries: 2nd order
- Hell Hole Creek confluence: 3rd order
- Lower Taylor Creek: 4th order
As a 4th order stream, Taylor Creek is considered a medium-sized system. Larger rivers like the Truckee itself can reach up to 8th or 9th order.
Advantages of Stream Order
Some benefits of using stream order include:
- Provides a hierarchical classification system
- Accounts for cumulative contribution of tributaries
- Can be related to stream size and watershed area
- Useful for mapping and analysis
However, stream order alone doesn’t fully characterize a creek and other metrics still provide valuable information.
Ecological Value
In addition to physical size, it is also useful to consider the ecological value when characterizing a creek. Taylor Creek provides important habitat for a diversity of plant and animal species.
Some of the key ecological aspects of Taylor Creek include:
- Riparian habitat along banks
- Wetland ecosystem near Lake Tahoe
- Fish habitat – Lahontan cutthroat trout and other species
- Waterfowl habitat
- Recreational opportunities
Protecting and restoring ecological habitats along Taylor Creek has become a major focus in recent years to improve the creek’s environmental value.
Restoration Efforts
Some restoration initiatives in the Taylor Creek watershed include:
- Stabilizing eroded banks
- Reconnecting floodplains
- Removing fish migration barriers
- Controlling invasive species
- Improving stormwater management
Though compromises from past development exist, the creek still provides an important ecological resource to the region.
Recreational Usage
As a major tributary of Lake Tahoe, Taylor Creek also provides extensive recreational opportunities that speak to its regional significance.
Some of the recreational activities supported by Taylor Creek include:
- Fishing
- Hiking along the banks
- Kayaking and canoeing
- Swimming at beaches along the creek
- Wildlife viewing
The Taylor Creek Visitor Center provides educational exhibits and access to hiking trails along the creek. The area sees heavy recreational use, highlighting the creek’s scenic and economic value.
Recreation Impacts
Major recreational impacts along Taylor Creek include:
- Trail erosion from hiking/biking
- Fishing pressure on trout populations
- Litter and pollution from beach use
- Crowding at visitor facilities during peak periods
Managing these recreational impacts through education, restrictions, and monitoring helps balance ecological protection and public enjoyment along the creek.
Flood Hazards
The size of Taylor Creek also influences its potential flood hazard. Although not as frequent or severe as some areas, flooding can occur along Taylor Creek particularly during spring snowmelt.
Some major flood facts include:
- 10-, 50-, and 100-year floodplains mapped along creek
- Flood risk increased by urbanization
- Flood controls in place – levees, channelization
- Some houses and properties at risk
Floodplain management and weather monitoring provide early warning. But damage to property and infrastructure remains a risk requiring preparedness.
Flood History
Notable recent flood events on Taylor Creek include:
- 2017 spring runoff – Flooding of bike path, minor property damage
- 2005 New Year’s flood – Damaged levees, debris cleanup
- 1997 winter flooding – Caused erosion, undercut banks
Climate change impacts may increase future flood severity on Taylor Creek. But ongoing risk analysis and mitigation help reduce potential damage.
Comparison to Nearby Creeks
To provide more context, it is useful to compare and contrast Taylor Creek to other major creeks in the Tahoe region. The table below shows how Taylor Creek’s size metrics stack up relative to the Upper Truckee River and Trout Creek.
| Metric | Taylor Creek | Upper Truckee River | Trout Creek |
|---|---|---|---|
| Length (miles) | 18 | 24 | 5 |
| Watershed area (sq. miles) | 59 | 81 | 6 |
| Discharge (cfs) | 37 avg. | 45 avg. | 4 avg. |
| Stream order | 4th order | 5th order | 3rd order |
This shows that while Taylor Creek is smaller than the major Upper Truckee River watershed, it is substantially larger than a creek like Trout Creek. Looking across metrics gives a more complete picture of Taylor Creek’s size relative to other waterways.
Key Takeaways
Some key comparison takeaways include:
- Taylor Creek is medium-sized – larger than small creeks, smaller than major watersheds
- Length, watershed area, discharge all broadly similar to other mid-sized Tahoe creeks
- Larger than urban creeks, smaller than long Sierra river tributaries
- Size supports ecological diversity and recreational usage
Conclusion
In conclusion, Taylor Creek is considered a medium-sized stream in the Lake Tahoe basin, with an average discharge of 37 cfs, length of 18 miles, and 59 square mile watershed. While smaller than the Upper Truckee River, it is substantially larger than minor tributaries in the region.
Taylor Creek’s size allows it to support important ecological functions such as riparian habitat, wetlands, and fish populations. It also provides recreational opportunities for residents and visitors. Management of water flows, water quality, flood control, and recreation on Taylor Creek balance usage of the creek with protecting its environmental resources.
When exploring “how big is Taylor Creek?”, it is useful to look at multiple metrics of length, discharge, watershed area, width/depth, stream order, ecology, recreation, and flood impacts. Analyzing these different size factors in context allows a more complete understanding of Taylor Creek’s significance in the Truckee River watershed and Lake Tahoe region.