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171-604: Captain Tom Wilder, an American Merchant Mariner , is taken prisoner after his ship is seized by the Chinese Communists. After two years in prison, he is helped to escape with both bribery and by disguising him as a Soviet army officer. A large Chinese man transports Wilder to Chiku Shan village without divulging why he was broken out of prison. The village leader, Mr. Tso, tells Wilder he has been recruited to transport nearly 200 Chiku Shan residents out of Red China to freedom in

342-506: A boatswain —or head seaman—will supervise the work. As of 2011, a typical deep-sea merchant ship has a captain, three mates, a chief engineer and three assistant engineers, plus six or more unlicensed seamen, such as able seamen, oilers, QMEDs, and cooks or food handlers known as stewards. Other unlicensed positions on a large ship may include electricians and machinery mechanics. The North American shipping industry developed as colonies grew and trade with Europe increased. As early as

513-419: A first , second , and third assistant engineer. On many ships, Assistant Engineers stand periodic watches, overseeing the safe operation of engines and other machinery. However, most modern ships sailing today utilize unmanned machinery space (UMS) automation technology, and Assistant Engineers are dayworkers. At night and during meals and breaks, the engine room is unmanned and machinery alarms are answered by

684-792: A Bachelor of Science degree in the major field of study available to midshipmen: Sacramento River The Sacramento River ( Spanish : Río Sacramento ) is the principal river of Northern California in the United States and is the largest river in California. Rising in the Klamath Mountains , the river flows south for 400 miles (640 km) before reaching the Sacramento–San Joaquin River Delta and San Francisco Bay . The river drains about 26,500 square miles (69,000 km ) in 19 California counties , mostly within

855-560: A chance to return for spawning. According to UC Davis Center for Watershed Sciences these rice fields adjacent to the Sacramento River will serve as potential nurseries for salmon. UC Davis also concluded from past experimental releases of salmon, that the Yolo Bypass floodway could have up to 57,000 acres of a productive breeding habitat with almost no cost to farmers. The Nigiri project has demonstrated off-season agriculture fields such as

1026-441: A combination of the government and private sectors, and engage in commerce or transportation of goods and services in and out of the navigable waters of the United States. The Merchant Marine primarily transports domestic and international cargo and passengers during peacetime, and operate and maintain deep-sea merchant ships , tugboats , towboats, ferries , dredges , excursion vessels, charter boats and other waterborne craft on

1197-416: A familiarity with local conditions is of prime importance. Harbor pilots are generally independent contractors who accompany vessels while they enter or leave port, and may pilot many ships in a single day. Engine officers , or engineers, operate, maintain, and repair engines, boilers, generators, pumps, and other machinery. Merchant marine vessels usually have four engine officers: a chief engineer and

1368-617: A great network of pumps and canals that would take water from the Sacramento River in the north, and transport it to drought-prone central and southern California, especially the San Joaquin Valley. The Sacramento River basin receives "two-thirds to three-quarters of northern California's precipitation though it has only one-third to one-quarter of the land. The San Joaquin River watershed occupies two-thirds to three-quarters of northern California's land, but only collects one-third to one-quarter of

1539-586: A heavy storm. Cathy eventually comes to terms with her attraction to the gruff Captain Wilder. A shortage of firewood, drinking water, and boiler water compels the Chiku Shan to pull into the Graveyard of Ships at Honghai Bay. Captain Wilder orders the wrecks stripped of wood and water siphoned from various depressions and abandoned tanks for both the boiler and for drinking water. A loose heavy timber suddenly plows through

1710-413: A large portion of the habitat currently used by migrating birds. Native bird populations have been declining steadily since the 19th century. Species that were once common but now are endangered or gone include the southwestern willow flycatcher , western yellow-billed cuckoo , least Bell's vireo , and warbling vireo . Another reason for dropping numbers are the introduction of non-native species, such as

1881-564: A large proportion of their population within a few decades of the arrival of Sutter and the following settlers, the start of the gold rush , not to mention the numerous battles fought between the settlers and native bands as well as the forced relocation of some of the tribes to Indian reservations in several places scattered around the Sacramento Valley, mainly in the Coast Ranges. In the early 1850s, several treaties were signed between

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2052-433: A navigational watch, mates direct a bridge team by conning , directing courses through the helmsman and speed through the lee helmsman (or directly in open ocean). When more than one mate is necessary aboard a ship, they typically are designated chief mate or first mate, second mate and third mate . In addition to watch standers, mates directly supervise the ship's crew, and are assigned other tasks. The chief mate

2223-637: A part in the formation of the 300-mile (480 km) Monterey Submarine Canyon when sea levels were lower during the Ice Ages. The Monterey Bay outlet of the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers was blocked off by uplift about 2 million years ago, and runoff from the Sierra began to transform the Central Valley into a gigantic lake, called Lake Clyde . This lake stretched 500 miles (800 km) north to south and

2394-403: A plethora of massive changes to the environment beginning in the 20th century. An early project was undertaken to raise the entire city of Sacramento about 11 feet (3.4 m) above its original elevation. This was followed by much bigger engineering projects to control and store the floodwaters of the Sacramento River; the building of these public works would radically transform the river during

2565-547: A poster for Blood Alley . The film was also promoted during the closing credits. Despite the star power of its lead actors and director, Blood Alley received a lukewarm reception from critics. The New York Times said, " Blood Alley , despite its exotic, oriental setting, is a standard chase melodrama patterned on a familiar blueprint." Today's critics have focused on Blood Alley ' s anti-communist aspect. DVD Talk called it "preposterous but entertaining" and said, "Wayne and Bacall have no chemistry at all". Blood Alley

2736-488: A pumping station (which replaced the Red Bluff Diversion Dam ) removes water for irrigation. Beyond Red Bluff the river reaches the low floodplain of the Sacramento Valley, receiving Mill Creek from the east and Thomes Creek from the west near Los Molinos , then Deer Creek from the east near Vina . Southeast of Corning , the Sacramento forms the boundary of Tehama County to the west and Butte County to

2907-583: A rating on an unlimited tonnage ship along with passing certain training courses. Officers hold senior leadership positions aboard vessels, and must train over several years to meet the minimum standards. At the culmination of training, potential deck officers must pass an extensive examination administered by the U.S. Coast Guard that spans five days. Upon meeting all requirements and passing the final license examination, new deck officers are credentialed as third mates or third assistant engineers . To advance in grade, such as to 2nd Mate or 2nd Engineer, sea time in

3078-533: A sailor on the USS Albert T. Harris (DE-447) . He was paid $ 5000 for the rights for his novel and was hired to write the screenplay. The Communist patrol boat that the villagers trap on their artificial reef was actually a rescue boat on loan to the film company by the U.S. Air Force. "Later, my dad ( John Wayne ) discovered that William Wellman drove Robert Mitchum to quit (though not necessarily to drink). The TV show This Is Your Life had once profiled Wellman. When

3249-430: A single U.S. flagged vessel. Moreover, only five U.S. deepwater LNG ports were operational in 2007, although permits have been issued for four additional ports, according to MARAD. The U.S. pool of qualified mariners declined with the fleet. In 2004, MARAD described the gap between sealift crewing needs and available unlicensed personnel as "reaching critical proportions, and the long term outlook for sufficient personnel

3420-600: A total of over 3,000 cubic feet per second (85 m /s) of water to irrigate some 150,000 acres (610 km ). In 1960, construction began on the State Water Project, whose primary purpose was to deliver water to Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay Area. Oroville Dam – the tallest dam in the U.S. – was built on the Sacramento's largest tributary, the Feather River. A series of channels were enlarged in

3591-475: A turning point in the history of the Sacramento Valley, and California as a whole. In 1841, Sutter and his men built a fortress at the confluence of the Sacramento and American Rivers and the Mexican government granted him almost 50,000 acres (200 km ) of land surrounding the two rivers. Naming it New Helvetia, he created an agricultural empire in the lower Sacramento Valley, attracting several hundred settlers to

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3762-468: A vast tidal estuary and inverted river delta of over 1,000 square miles (2,600 km ) which receives the entire run-off of the Central Valley, a region covering a third of California. The Sacramento is by far the largest contributor of fresh water to the Delta; in an average year, it accounts for more than 80 percent of the fresh water inflow. At Walnut Grove , the manmade Delta Cross Channel connects

3933-427: A year, gradually raising the harbor channel's bottom with stones in order to trap the local Red Chinese patrol boat once it has been lured inside. Sinking sampans loaded with rocks at the channel mouth will cause the patrol boat to run aground while the village escapes. The villagers have also been secretly accumulating arms, ranging from Browning machine guns to Mosin–Nagant rifles and Nagant revolvers . Their plan

4104-424: Is 43 miles (69 km) long and is maintained to a depth of 30 feet (9.1 m). The Sacramento River and its drainage basin once supported extensive riparian habitat and marshes , in both the Sacramento Valley and the Delta, home to a diverse array of flora and fauna. Due to the reclamation of land for agriculture and the regulation of seasonal flooding, the amount of water-based habitat declined greatly during

4275-409: Is also governed by more than 25 (as of February 17, 2017) international conventions to promote safety and prevent pollution. In 2022, the United States merchant fleet had 178 privately owned, oceangoing, self-propelled vessels of 1,000 gross register tons and above. Nearly 800 American-owned ships are flagged in other nations. The federal government maintains fleets of merchant ships managed by

4446-503: Is also of serious concern". Future seagoing jobs for U.S. mariners may be on other than U.S.-flagged ships. American-trained mariners are being sought after by international companies to operate foreign-flagged vessels, according to Julie A. Nelson, deputy maritime administrator of the U.S. Maritime Administration . For example, Shell International and Shipping Company Ltd. began recruiting U.S. seafarers to crew its growing fleet of tankers in 2008. In 2007, Overseas Shipholding Group and

4617-547: Is charged with training officers for the United States Merchant Marine, branches of the military, and the transportation industry. The academy operates on an $ 85 million annual budget funded by the U.S. Department of Transportation and is administered by the U.S. Maritime Administration (MARAD). Joseph Banks Williams entered the academy in 1942 and was the first African-American to graduate in 1944. Admission requirements were further changed in 1974, when

4788-410: Is complicated by having to bring along the large Communist Feng family so they will not be blamed for allowing the mass escape. The villagers include the riverboat's Chief Engineer, a U.S. Navy-trained marine engineer named Tack, who helps steal the steamboat. Tack and Wilder bring the stern wheeler to Chiku Shan village where it is loaded with furnace firewood, boiler water, and all their provisions; it

4959-533: Is in good working order, and oversee the loading and discharging of cargo and passengers. Captains directly communicate with the company or command ( MSC ), and are overall responsible for cargo, various logs, ship's documents, credentials, efforts at controlling pollution and passengers carried. Mates direct a ship's routine operation for the captain during work shifts, which are called watches . Mates stand watch for specified periods, usually in three duty sections, with four hours on watch and eight hours off. When on

5130-573: Is now known as Point San Pablo Yacht Harbor (located on Point San Pablo). Filming occurred at the Sacramento River , Stockton, California , and the northern California coast. The Chinese Communist soldiers who search the village are armed with Model 1891 Mosin–Nagant rifles (probably ex- U.S. Rifle, 7.62 mm, Model of 1916 rifles ) rather than the more appropriate Model 91/30s the Communists would have carried, having been exported to Mao's army during

5301-415: Is now providing water to over half of California's population and supporting the most productive agricultural area in the nation, these changes have left the Sacramento greatly modified from its natural state and have caused the decline of its once-abundant fisheries. The Sacramento River originates in the mountains and plateaus of far northern California as three major waterways that flow into Shasta Lake :

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5472-532: Is re-christened with the village's name. Wilder meets and is attracted to a tough and determined American woman named Cathy Grainger, whose father is a medical missionary in the village. Dr. Grainger was recently executed by the Red Chinese following unsuccessful surgery on a political commissar. To prevent her staying behind, Wilder tells Cathy about her father's death just before the villagers leave Chiku Shan, though she refuses to believe him. Following their plan,

5643-473: Is usually in charge of cargo, stability and the deck crew , the second mate in charge of navigation plans and updates and the third mate as the safety officer. They also monitor and direct deck crew operations, such as directing line handlers during moorings , and anchorings , monitor cargo operations and supervise crew members engaged in maintenance and the vessel's upkeep. Harbor pilots guide ships in and out of confined waterways, such as harbors, where

5814-704: The Berlin Wall Crisis of 1961 , 18 NDRF vessels were activated, remaining in service until 1970. The Vietnam War required the activation of 172 vessels. Since 1976, the Ready Reserve Fleet (RRF) has taken the brunt of the work previously handled by the National Defense Reserve Fleet. The RRF made a major contribution to the success of Operation Desert Shield / Operation Desert Storm from August 1990 through June 1992, when 79 vessels helped meet military sealift requirements by carrying 25% of

5985-482: The Blessed Sacrament ". In the following years, two more Spanish expeditions traversed the lower part of the river, the last one in 1817. The next visitors were Hudson's Bay Company (HBC) fur trappers exploring southwards from the disputed Oregon Country , starting in the 1820s. The first organized expedition, led by Peter Skene Ogden , arrived in the area of Mount Shasta in 1826. By this time, California

6156-834: The British supply chain all along the eastern seaboard of the United States and across the Atlantic Ocean. These actions by the privateers predate both the United States Coast Guard and the United States Navy , which were formed in 1790 and 1797, respectively. The merchant marine was active in subsequent wars, from the Confederate commerce raiders of the American Civil War , to the assaults on Allied commerce in

6327-600: The California Coast Ranges , enclosing the Sacramento Valley and forcing the streams within to flow south instead of west, forming the ancestral Sacramento River. (The Klamath Mountains , which enclose the northwest part of the Sacramento Basin, were formed in the same way but are much older, dating back 7.5 million years.) It is possible that the river once had its outlet in Monterey Bay , and may have played

6498-474: The California Trail and Siskiyou Trail guided hundreds of thousands of people to the gold fields. By the late part of the century mining had ceased to be a major part of the economy, and many immigrants turned to farming and ranching. Many populous communities were established along the Sacramento River, including the state capital of Sacramento . Intensive agriculture and mining contributed to pollution in

6669-651: The Carquinez Strait into San Pablo Bay and San Francisco Bay , joining the Pacific at the Golden Gate . Following the Columbia River , the Sacramento is the largest river by discharge on the Pacific coast of the continental United States. The natural runoff of the river is 22 million acre-feet (27 km ) per year, or about 30,000 cubic feet per second (850 m /s). Before dams were built on its tributaries,

6840-577: The Gulf of California just south of the US-Mexico border near the southeast part of the state, is far larger than the Sacramento in terms of length and drainage area but has a slightly smaller flow. The Sacramento, when combined with the Pit, is also one of the longest rivers in the United States entirely within one state—after Alaska 's Kuskokwim and Texas ' Trinity . The major drainage basins bordering that of

7011-604: The Iraq War , delivering 61,000,000 square feet (5,700,000 m ) of cargo and 1,100,000,000 US gallons (4,200,000 m ) of fuel by the end of that year. Merchant mariners were recognized for their contributions in Iraq. For example, in late 2003, VADM David L. Brewer III , Military Sealift Command commander, awarded the crew of MV  Capt. Steven L. Bennett the Merchant Marine Expeditionary Medal . The RRF

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7182-690: The Klamath Diversion , proposed to send the entire flow of the Klamath River into the Sacramento River through a system of large reservoirs, canals, pumping stations and tunnels. Similarly, the Dos Rios Dam project would have diverted a considerable portion of the Eel River to the Sacramento. Both projects were defeated by local resistance, opposition from environmentalists, as well as the high capital cost. The Sacramento River Deep Water Ship Channel

7353-558: The Oregon –California border, occasionally overflows into the Pit River during wet years, although this has not happened since 1881. The Goose Lake watershed is the only part of the Sacramento River basin extending into another state. Unlike most California rivers, the Pit and the McCloud Rivers are predominantly spring-fed, ensuring a large and consistent flow in even the driest of summers. At

7524-695: The Secretary of the Air Force . Merchant mariners who served in World War II were denied such veterans recognition until 1987 when a federal court ordered it. The Court held that the Secretary of the Air Force wrongfully denied active military service recognition to American merchant mariners who participated in World War II. Captains , mates (officers), and pilots supervise ship operations on domestic waterways and

7695-709: The Shasta , Modoc , and Achomawi /Pit River Tribes of the volcanic plateaus in the north; the Wintu and Hupa in the northern Klamath and Trinity mountains; the Nomlaki , Yuki , Patwin , and Pomo of the Coast Ranges; the Yana , Atsugewi , Maidu , Konkow , and Nisenan in the Sierra and their western foothills; and the Miwok in the south. Most of the Sacramento Valley's native peoples relied on hunting, gathering and fishing, although agriculture

7866-522: The Snake – Columbia River systems; geologic evidence indicates that the two were connected by a series of wetlands and channels about 4-5 million years ago. Located along the Pacific Flyway , the sprawling wetlands of the Sacramento Valley are an important stop for migratory birds; however, only a fraction of the historic wetlands remain. Seasonally flooded rice paddies in the Sacramento Valley comprise

8037-534: The Tehachapi Mountains via four large pumping stations. The project irrigates 750,000 acres (300,000 ha) of land in the San Joaquin Valley and serves 22 million people in Central and Southern California. Over the years, several other plans materialized to divert rivers from California's North Coast into the Sacramento watershed, as future demand was projected to exceed supply. The only one to be built

8208-521: The Trinity River . It then swings east through Redding , the largest city of the Shasta Cascade region, and turns southeast, entering Tehama County . East of Cottonwood it receives Cottonwood Creek – the largest undammed tributary – from the west, then Battle Creek a short distance downstream. Below Battle Creek it carves its last gorge, Iron Canyon, emerging from the hills at Red Bluff , where

8379-557: The United States Maritime Administration focused on the larger segment of the fleet: ships of 10,000 tonnes deadweight (DWT) and over. Two hundred forty-five (245) privately owned American-flagged ships are of this size, and 153 of those meet the Jones Act criteria. The World War II era was the peak for the U.S. fleet. During the post-war year of 1950, for example, U.S. carriers represented about 43 percent of

8550-596: The United States Maritime Administration . In 2014, they employed approximately 6.5% of all American water transportation workers. Merchant Marine officers may also be commissioned as military officers by the Department of Defense. This is commonly achieved by commissioning unlimited tonnage Merchant Marine officers as Strategic Sealift Officers in the United States Navy Reserve . During World War II, nearly 250,000 civilian merchant mariners served as part of

8721-437: The foothill yellow-legged frog and western spadefoot are listed as endangered species. Riparian and wetlands areas along the Sacramento once totaled more than 500,000 acres (2,000 km ); today only about 10,000 acres (40 km ) remains. Much of this consists of restored stretches and artificially constructed wetlands. Levee construction has prevented the river from changing course during winter and spring floods, which

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8892-857: The 16th century, Europeans were shipping horses, cattle and hogs to the Americas. Spanish colonies began to form as early as 1565 in places like St. Augustine, Florida , and later in Santa Fe, New Mexico ; San Antonio , Tucson , San Diego , Los Angeles and San Francisco . English colonies like Jamestown began to form as early as 1607. The connection between the American colonies and Europe, with shipping as its only conduit, would continue to grow unhindered for almost two hundred years. The first wartime role of an identifiable United States Merchant Marine took place on June 12, 1775 , in and around Machias, Maine (then part of Massachusetts ). A group of citizens, hearing

9063-417: The 20th century. From the late 19th century through the 20th century, California experienced an economic boom that led to the rapid expansion of both agriculture and urban areas. The Central Valley was becoming a heavily developed irrigation farming region, and cities along the state's Pacific coast and the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers were growing rapidly, requiring river control to prevent flooding on

9234-419: The 20th century. Other human impacts include the heavy water consumption for agriculture and urban areas, and pollution caused by pesticides , nitrates , mine tailings , acid mine drainage and urban runoff . The Sacramento supports 40–60 species of fish, and 218 species of birds. The basin also has a number of endemic amphibian and fish species. Many Sacramento River fish species are similar to those in

9405-595: The Arctic. The National Defense Reserve Fleet (NDRF) acts as a reserve of cargo ships for national emergencies and defense. As of 31 January 2017, the NDRF fleet numbered 99 ships, down from 2,277 ships at its peak in 1950. NDRF vessels are now staged at the James River (off Ft. Eustis, VA); Beaumont , TX; and Suisun Bay (off Benicia, CA) anchorages, and other designated locations. A Ready Reserve Force component of

9576-549: The British port of Hong Kong . For the task, Captain Wilder must pilot a stolen, wood-burning, flat-bottomed, 19th Century stern-wheel riverboat. He will need to utilize his detailed memory of the China coast to draw a chart and navigate using an unreliable magnetic compass , and without a chronometer . Finally, he must rely upon the villagers' determination and resources to escape. The villagers have been planning their escape for more than

9747-649: The Cascades; its headwaters rise on the western extreme of the Basin and Range Province , east of major Cascade volcanoes such as Mount Shasta and Lassen Peak . The other two are the Klamath River and Columbia River . By discharge, it is the second-largest contiguous U.S. river draining into the Pacific, after only the Columbia River, which has almost ten times the flow of the Sacramento. The Colorado River , which reaches

9918-736: The Chinese Civil War. The determination as to model can be made in the scene where Captain Wilder is shown watching Mr. Feng in his car with the Mosin–Nagant laid across his knees. The single blade front sight and thick barrel bands of the Model 1891 are unmistakable. Blood Alley is a nickname for the Formosa Strait . Blood Alley is a nickname for Rue Chu Pao-san, a short street off Avenue Edward VII, located in Shanghai , where Fleischman had visited as

10089-510: The Commandant of Midshipman's staff. This high stress period involves physical training, marching, and an intensive introduction to regimental life at the academy. After the indoctrination period is completed, the academic year begins. U.S. citizen candidates for admission must sign a service obligation contract as a condition of admittance to the USMMA; U.S. candidates who completed Indoc will execute

10260-437: The Delta to facilitate water flow from the Sacramento to the Banks Pumping Plant and the California Aqueduct , which can carry as much as 4.2 million acre-feet (5.2 km ) of water each year. From its origin at the Delta the canal runs 444 miles (715 km) southwards through the west side of the San Joaquin Valley, providing irrigation water to farmlands along its length, and lifted almost 3,000 feet (910 m) over

10431-455: The Duty Engineer. Marine oilers and more experienced qualified members of the engine department , or QMEDs, maintain the vessel in proper running order in the engine spaces below decks, under the direction of the ship's engine officers. These workers lubricate gears, shafts, bearings, and other moving parts of engines and motors; read pressure and temperature gauges, record data and sometimes assist with repairs and adjust machinery. Wipers are

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10602-419: The First and in the Second World Wars . 3.1 million tons of merchant ships were lost in World War II. Mariners died at a rate of 1 in 26, which was the highest rate of casualties of any service. All told, 733 American cargo ships were lost and 8,651 of the 215,000 who served perished in troubled waters and off enemy shores. During World War II ships with deck guns had United States Navy Armed Guard to man

10773-454: The Knaggs Ranch property within the Yolo Bypass by Sacramento River for four consecutive winters. UC Davis shares their results produced the fastest growth of juvenile Chinook salmon in the Central Valley to ever be recorded. The Nigiri project attempted to see if these floodplains as surrogate wetlands which can be controlled to copy the Sacramento River system's annual natural flooding cycle the native fish depend on. Runoff water from agriculture

10944-408: The Korean War, 540 vessels were activated to support military forces. A worldwide tonnage shortfall from 1951 to 1953 required over 600 ship activations to lift coal to Northern Europe and grain to India. The Department of Agriculture required 698 activated ships to store grain from 1955 through 1964. After the Suez Canal Crisis in 1956, the NDRF activated 223 cargo ships and 29 tankers. During

11115-443: The MSTS participated. During the Vietnam War, at least 172 National Defense Reserve Fleet (NDRF) ships were activated, and together with other US-flagged merchant vessels crewed by civilian seamen, carried 95% of the supplies used by the American armed forces. Many of these ships sailed into combat zones under fire. The SS Mayaguez incident involved the capture of mariners from the American merchant ship SS Mayaguez . During

11286-514: The Maritime Administration agreed to allow American maritime academy cadets to train aboard OSG's international flag vessels. In 2015, the average salary of American mariners was $ 39,000. The Military Sealift Command (MSC), an arm of the Navy , serves the entire Department of Defense as the ocean carrier of materiel during peacetime and war. MSC transports equipment, fuel, ammunition, and other goods essential to United States armed forces worldwide. Up to 95% of all supplies needed to sustain

11457-760: The NDRF was established in 1976 to provide rapid global deployment of military equipment and forces. As of January 2017, the RRF consists of 46 vessels, down from a peak of 102 vessels in 1994. Two RRF ships are homeported at the NDRF anchorage in Beaumont, TX, while the remainder are assigned to various other homeports. In 2014, the federal government reported directly employing approximately 5,100 seafarers, out of an industry total of over 78,000 water transportation workers in Occupation Code 53–5000, which represented about 6.5% of all water transportation workers, many of whom worked on Military Sealift Command supply ships. By 2016, MSC reported employing more than 5,500 federal civilian mariners. Training and licensing are managed by

11628-454: The Oath of Office as a Midshipman in the Navy Reserve the day prior to Acceptance Day. Plebes officially become part of the USMMA Regiment of Midshipmen on Acceptance Day, which is now standardized at 2 weeks after Indoc ends. Until they are "recognized" later in the academic year, plebes must continue adhere to stringent rules affecting most aspects of their daily life. After earning it, the plebes are recognized, henceforth accorded privilege of

11799-493: The Pit and McCloud Rivers provided the majority of river flow in dry summers when the Upper Sacramento and other tributaries slowed to a trickle. Monthly combined discharge of Sacramento River at Freeport and Yolo Bypass near Woodland (cfs) The Sacramento River's watershed is the largest entirely in California, covering much of the northern part of the state. The endorheic (closed) Goose Lake drainage basin in southern Oregon , however, has been known to overflow into

11970-402: The Sacramento River system during particularly wet years. The Sacramento River basin generally lies between the Sierra Nevada and Cascade Range on the east and the Coast Ranges and Klamath Mountains in the west, although the part of the basin drained by the Pit River extends east of the Cascades. The Pit River, has the distinction of being one of three rivers that cut through the main crest of

12141-411: The Sacramento River system is the Pit River, which is by far the largest of the three rivers flowing into Shasta Lake. At the USGS Montgomery Creek gauge, the average flow of the Pit River was 4,760 cu ft/s (135 m /s) for the period 1966–2013. By comparison, the Sacramento River at Delta gauge, a few miles above Shasta Lake, recorded an average of 1,191 cu ft/s (33.7 m /s) for

12312-517: The Sacramento River, although not all of them are currently operational. The ones currently in operation are at Delta, California (near the source at Mount Shasta), at Keswick (near Redding), Colusa (about halfway down the river), Verona , and Freeport . The Freeport gauge, which sits just downstream of Sacramento, provides a relatively good metric of the annual outflow from the Sacramento River Basin. The average flow between 1949 and 2013

12483-461: The Sacramento River, and significant changes to the river's hydrology and environment. Since the 1950s the watershed has been intensely developed for water supply and the generation of hydroelectric power . Today, large dams impound the river and almost all of its major tributaries. The Sacramento River is used heavily for irrigation and serves much of Central and Southern California through the canals of giant state and federal water projects. While it

12654-568: The Sacramento Valley is below 300 feet (91 m) in elevation; in its lower course, the Sacramento River drops only about 1 foot (0.30 m) per mile. Between the bajadas or alluvial slopes extending from the foothills of the Sierra Nevada and Coast Ranges, are the low floodplains of the Sacramento River. The river flows at an elevation somewhat higher than the surrounding terrain due to deposits of sediment over millennia that created raised banks (essentially natural levees ). The banks separate

12825-482: The Sacramento Valley, first coming into contact with European explorers in the late 1700s. The Spanish explorer Gabriel Moraga named the river Rio de los Sacramentos in 1808, later shortened and anglicized into Sacramento . In the 19th century, gold was discovered on a tributary of the Sacramento River, starting the California Gold Rush and an enormous population influx to the state. Overland trails such as

12996-519: The Sacramento and Feather Rivers into the Yolo Bypass , which parallels the Sacramento River down the west side of the valley. Cache Creek and Putah Creek , two major tributaries which formerly joined the Sacramento River from the west, are now intercepted by the Yolo Bypass via man-made channels. The main channel of the Sacramento flows south, forming the Yolo– Sacramento County line. As

13167-658: The Sacramento are that of the Klamath in the north, the San Joaquin and Mokelumne to the south and the Eel River in the west. The Russian River also lies to the west and the endorheic (closed) Honey Lake and Eagle Lake basins to the north. On the east side are many endorheic watersheds of the Great Basin including the Truckee River and Carson River . Parts of the Sacramento watershed come very close to, but do not extend past,

13338-692: The Sacramento to the Mokelumne River channel, allowing a portion of the water to be pumped south toward Clifton Court Forebay , the receiving reservoir for the main CVP and State Water Project aqueducts which irrigate millions of acres and supply water to over 23 million people in the San Joaquin Valley , the San Francisco Bay Area and Greater Los Angeles . Although river levels are tidally influenced here and occasionally as far north as Verona,

13509-479: The Sacramento with a portion of its historic flood plain, which it would have naturally flooded had the levee system not been in place. During the Great Depression in the 1930s, the first concrete proposals for a statewide water engineering project emerged, but when the state government could not sell the necessary bonds to fund the project, the federal government took over. The Central Valley Project , one of

13680-466: The Sacramento's main tributaries, enabling the regulation of water for irrigation and hydroelectric power. Starting in the late 1950s, two major canals were extended to irrigate the western side of the Sacramento Valley – the Tehama-Colusa and Corning Canals . Starting at the Red Bluff Diversion Dam on the Sacramento, the canals are 111 and 21 mi (179 and 34 km) long respectively, and divert

13851-571: The Sacramento. The Sacramento and its wide natural floodplain were once abundant in fish and other aquatic creatures, notably one of the southernmost large runs of chinook salmon in North America. For about 12,000 years, humans have depended on the vast natural resources of the watershed, which had one of the densest Native American populations in California. The river has provided a route for trade and travel since ancient times. Hundreds of tribes sharing regional customs and traditions have inhabited

14022-529: The Sierra Nevada. The watershed also has Lassen Volcanic National Park , which covers 106,000 acres (430 km ) centered on Lassen Peak, the southernmost Cascade volcano. Whiskeytown-Shasta-Trinity National Recreation Area , which is over 200,000 acres (810 km ) in size, straddles much of the upper Sacramento and Trinity Rivers, and is named for the three local reservoirs (Shasta Lake, Trinity Lake and Whiskeytown Lake ) which are popular tourist areas. Many other state parks and recreation areas lie within

14193-462: The U.S. Army's Afloat Prepositioning Force (APF) with two specialized tankers and one dry cargo vessel capable of underway replenishment for the Navy's Combat Logistics Force. On October 22, 2015, a Military Sealift Command oiler and a United States civilian tanker refueled at sea during an exercise. This is not normally done as commercial fleet vessels are not normally geared for this type of exercise. This

14364-613: The U.S. government and the Native Americans involving their relocation onto a reservation in the Sierra foothills; this promise was broken. Therefore, in 1863, the tribes from the area surrounding the middle Sacramento and Feather rivers , the Konkow group, were removed and marched forcibly to the Round Valley Indian Reservation near the Eel River . A total of 461 people were forced from their homes, but only 277 made it to

14535-480: The U.S. military can be moved by Military Sealift Command. As of February 2017, MSC operated approximately 120 ships with 100 more in reserve. More than 5,500 civil service or contract merchant mariners staff the ships. MSC tankers and freighters have a long history of also serving as supply vessels in support of civilian research in the Arctic and Antarctic , including: McMurdo Station , Antarctica ; and Greenland in

14706-427: The U.S. military, transporting supplies and personnel. Between 1939 and 1945, 9,521 merchant mariners died, a per capita casualty rate greater than those of each U.S. Armed Forces branch. The GI Bill Improvement Act Of 1977 P.L. 95-202 , granted veteran status to Women Airforce Service Pilots and "any person in any other similarly situated group" with jurisdiction granted to the Secretary of Defense , and delegated to

14877-552: The USMMA became the first Federal service academy to enroll female students, two years before the other Federal service academies. Freshmen, known as " plebes ," upon reporting in June or July of each year as the incoming class, begin a three-week indoctrination period, also known as "Indoc". Indoc is functionally run by upperclass midshipmen, but is overseen by officers of the United States Maritime Service who are part of

15048-677: The United States Coast Guard, guided by the United States Code of Federal Regulations Title 46 , Chapter I, Subchapter B. Training requirements are also molded by the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification, and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (or STCW ), which prescribes minimum standards that must be met. Unlimited tonnage deck officers (referred to as mates) and engine officers are trained at maritime academies, or by accumulating sea-time as

15219-590: The United States merchant fleet had 175 privately owned, oceangoing, self-propelled vessels of 1,000 gross register tons and above that carry cargo from port to port. One hundred fourteen (114) were dry cargo ships, and 61 were tankers. Ninety seven (97) were Jones Act eligible, and 78 were non-Jones Act eligible. MARAD deemed 152 of the 175 vessels "militarily useful". In 2005, there were also 77 passenger ships. Of those American-flagged ships, 51 were foreign owned. Seven hundred ninety-four (794) American-owned ships are flagged in other nations. 2005 statistics from

15390-479: The United States, Sutter and other large landholders in California held on to their properties. In 1848 Sutter assigned James W. Marshall to build a sawmill on the South Fork American River at Coloma , where Marshall discovered gold. Although Sutter and Marshall originally intended to keep the find a secret, news soon broke attracting three hundred thousand hopefuls from all over North America, and even

15561-659: The Upper Sacramento River, McCloud River and Pit River . The Upper Sacramento begins near Mount Shasta , at the confluence of North, Middle and South Forks in the Trinity Mountains of Siskiyou County . It flows east into a small reservoir, Lake Siskiyou , before turning south. The river flows through a canyon for about 60 miles (97 km), past Dunsmuir and Castella , before emptying into Shasta Lake near Lakehead in Shasta County . The McCloud River rises on

15732-421: The Yolo Bypass in the rice field floodplains adjacent to the Sacramento River. The name comes from a form of Japanese sushi which contains a slice of fish on top of a compressed wedge of vinegared rice. Salmon migrate from the Central Valley rivers to the ocean where they increase in size for one to three years then return to rivers to spawn, if a young fish is larger when they enter the ocean, they will have more of

15903-581: The ancient path of the Siskiyou Trail, in the 1880s and 1890s. Many parts of the railroad were treacherous, especially in the mountainous areas north of Dunsmuir . It was not long after Sacramento surpassed a population of 10,000, then the Great Flood of 1862 swept away much of it (and almost everything else along the Sacramento River) and put the rest under water. The flood waters were exacerbated by

16074-549: The area, and relied on Native American labor to maintain his domain. Sutter had something of a two-faced relationship with the many Native American groups in the area. He was friendly with some of the tribes, and paid their leaders handsomely for supplying workers, but others he seized by force to labor in the fields. After the Bear Flag Revolt of 1846 and the Mexican–American War , in which California became part of

16245-537: The base of the Montezuma Hills , forming the border of Solano and Sacramento Counties. This part of the river is dredged for navigation by large oceangoing vessels and averages three-quarters of a mile (1.2 km) across. North of Antioch and Pittsburg , the Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers join at the head of Suisun Bay , marking the official end of both rivers. The combined waters flow west through Suisun Bay and

16416-565: The border of California and Nevada . The basin's diverse geography ranges from the glacier-carved, snowcapped peaks of the Sierra Nevada to the sea-level (and often lower) marshes and farmlands of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. The highest point is 14,104 feet (4,299 m) at Mount Shasta , a dormant stratovolcano near the headwaters of the Sacramento River. The Sierra Nevada peaks generally decrease in height from south to north—from over 10,000 feet (3,000 m) in

16587-430: The bypass recorded an average throughput of 4,809 cubic feet per second (136.2 m /s) between 1939 and 2013, mostly from December–March. The highest recorded flow was 374,000 cubic feet per second (10,600 m /s) on February 20, 1986. During the dry season of July through September, the bypass carries low to zero flow. Although the Sacramento River nominally begins near Mount Shasta, the true hydrological source of

16758-501: The center of an agricultural empire that provided food to feed the thousands of miners working in the hills as well as a place of financial exchange of all the gold that was mined. Sacramento was officially established in 1850 and was recognized as the state capital in 1854. As the economy of the Sacramento Valley grew, the Southern Pacific Railroad established tracks along the river to connect California with Oregon following

16929-577: The clock." Wayne plays a Merchant Marine captain in a role originally intended for Robert Mitchum prior to an altercation with the producers. Mitchum was fired from the production by Wellman. Wayne took over the lead after Gregory Peck turned the film down and Humphrey Bogart requested a large amount of money to assume the role. Swedish actress Anita Ekberg , veteran actor Paul Fix , actor Berry Kroeger , and film character actor Mike Mazurki all play Chinese roles in Hollywood " yellowface ". Most of

17100-460: The combat theater equipment and supplies including combat support equipment for the Army, Navy Combat Logistics Force, and USMC Aviation Support equipment. By the beginning of May 2005, RRF cumulative support included 85 ship activations that logged almost 12,000 ship operating days, moving almost 25% of the equipment needed to support operations in Iraq. The Military Sealift Command was also involved in

17271-503: The counties. Many of the mountainous regions of the watershed are administered by the U.S. Forest Service . The Sacramento River watershed includes large areas of coniferous forests in the Mendocino and Trinity National Forests in the Coast Ranges, Shasta and Lassen National Forests in the southern Cascades and the Plumas , Tahoe and Eldorado National Forests on the western slopes of

17442-500: The delta of the Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers. However, due to their vantage point, neither Fages nor any of his men saw the Sacramento clearly. They assumed that the San Joaquin, coming from the south, was the largest of the merging rivers they saw. In 1808, explorer Gabriel Moraga , on a journey to find suitable sites for the construction of missions, became the first foreigner to see the river clearly. Judging its huge breadth and power he named it Rio de los Sacramentos , or "River of

17613-679: The east slope of Mount Shasta and flows south for 77 miles (124 km) through the southern Cascade Range , roughly parallel to the Upper Sacramento, eventually to reach the McCloud Arm of Shasta Lake. The Pit River, by far the largest of the three, begins in Modoc County in the northeastern corner of California. Draining a vast and remote volcanic highlands area, it flows southwest for nearly 300 miles (480 km) before emptying into Shasta Lake near Montgomery Creek . Goose Lake , straddling

17784-596: The east. A few miles downstream it forms the border of Butte County and Glenn County to the west. Stony Creek joins from the west in Glenn County, near Hamilton City and about 15 miles (24 km) west of Chico . The river then forms the Glenn– Colusa County line for a short distance before crossing entirely into Colusa County. It passes by the Sutter Buttes , a group of volcanic hills that rise abruptly from

17955-460: The eastern boundary of the Yolo Bypass . The manually operated Sacramento Weir, located across from downtown Sacramento on the west side of the river, serves to relieve floodwater pressure from the American River by allowing it to drain west into the Yolo Bypass instead of continuing down the Sacramento River. Downstream of Sacramento, the river enters the Sacramento–San Joaquin River Delta ,

18126-480: The entry-level workers in the engine room, holding a position similar to that of ordinary seamen of the deck crew. They clean and paint the engine room and its equipment and assist the others in maintenance and repair work. With more experience, they become oilers and firemen. Able seamen and ordinary seamen operate the vessel and its deck equipment under officer supervision and keep their assigned areas in good order. They watch for other vessels and obstructions in

18297-616: The extras, however, are ethnic Chinese. Anita Ekberg was awarded the Golden Globe for Best Female Newcomer for her performance in Blood Alley. In addition, the United States Air Force awarded the cast and crew of Blood Alley a Certificate of Merit for encouraging recruitment for the United States Air Force by their work in the movie. John Wayne took the oath on behalf of the film's company as Honorary USAF Recruiters. The film

18468-409: The ferry in the shallow harbor. Chiku Shan makes a run for it into a marshy estuary, and disappears. Because smoke would reveal their position, the villagers both pole and tow the riverboat through miles of marshlands until reaching the open sea beyond the destroyer's search area. Tack fires up the boiler, and the steamboat proceeds to Hong Kong with the refugees. Their triumphant arrival is hailed by

18639-588: The fertile agricultural region bounded by the Coast Ranges and Sierra Nevada known as the Sacramento Valley , but also extending as far as the volcanic plateaus of Northeastern California. Historically, its watershed has reached as far north as south-central Oregon where the now, primarily, endorheic (closed) Goose Lake rarely experiences southerly outflow into the Pit River , the most northerly tributary of

18810-638: The first Gulf War , the merchant ships of the Military Sealift Command (MSC) delivered more than 12 million metric tons of vehicles, helicopters , ammunition , fuel and other supplies and equipment. At one point during the war, more than 230 government-owned and chartered ships were involved in the sealift. As of January 2017, U.S. Government-owned merchant vessels from the National Defense Reserve Fleet have supported emergency shipping requirements in 10 wars and crises. During

18981-517: The geographically similar Colusa Basin is located to the west. The Sutter Bypass begins at Colusa and runs parallel to the east side of the Sacramento River until reaching the confluence with the Feather River . The Yolo Bypass, located on the west side of the river, starts at the confluence of the Feather and rejoins the Sacramento in the Delta. Although termed "bypasses", the system essentially reconnects

19152-425: The gold fields. As the miners expanded their diggings deeper into the Sierra Nevada and Klamath Mountains, Native Americans were pushed off their land and a long series of skirmishes and fights began that continued until intervention by the state and national governments. The influx of migrants brought foreign diseases like malaria and smallpox , which American Indians had no immunity to. These diseases killed off

19323-405: The growth of the global liquefied natural gas (LNG) tanker fleet, which reached 370 vessels as of 2007. In 2007 the United States Maritime Administration (MARAD) set uniform LNG training standards at U.S. maritime training facilities. While short-term imports are declining, longer term projections signal an eightfold increase in U.S. imported LNG by 2025, the worldwide LNG fleet does not include

19494-508: The guns. Some Armed Guard personnel also served as Radiomen and Signalmen . The Navy gun crews were assisted by ship's crew, though the merchant mariner's training in gunnery and combat role was ignored for years. Specific instructions as to merchant crew manning of guns and training they should receive was issued by the War Shipping Administration which operated all U.S. merchant ships either directly or through agents during

19665-597: The headwaters of the American River near Lake Tahoe , to 5,000 to 7,000 feet (1,500 to 2,100 m) in Lassen County where they adjoin the Cascade Range. On the west side, the Coast Ranges are the opposite, increasing in height to almost 10,000 feet (3,000 m) in the north. The arid volcanic plateaus in the northeast, which are characterized by alternating hills and large sedimentary basins, typically lie at elevations of 3,000 to 5,000 feet (910 to 1,520 m). Most of

19836-472: The high seas. A captain (master) is in overall command of a vessel, and supervises the work of other officers and crew. A captain has the authority to take the conn from a mate or pilot at any time he or she feels the need. On smaller vessels the captain may be a regular watch-stander , similar to a mate, directly controlling the vessel's position. Captains and department heads ensure that proper procedures and safety practices are followed, ensure that machinery

20007-1090: The land in the delta to gradually sink since the late 19th century. Many of the delta islands would be underwater if not for the maintenance of the levees and pumps that keep them dry. Some of the "islands" are now up to 25 feet (7.6 m) below the adjacent channels and sloughs. The Sacramento River watershed is home to about 2.8 million people; more than two-thirds live within the Sacramento metropolitan area . Other important cities are Chico , Redding , Davis and Woodland . The Sacramento River watershed covers all or most of Shasta , Tehama , Glenn , Butte , Plumas , Yuba , Sutter , Lake and Yolo Counties. It also extends into portions of Siskiyou , Modoc , Lassen , Lake (in Oregon), Sierra , Nevada , Placer , El Dorado , Sacramento , Solano and Contra Costa Counties. The river itself flows through Siskiyou, Shasta, Tehama, Butte, Glenn, Colusa, Sutter, Yolo, Sacramento, Solano and Contra Costa, often forming boundaries between

20178-538: The land was probably submerged under the Pacific), they were worn by erosion , and the present-day range only formed about 4 million years ago. The northern part of the Sacramento watershed is more ancient, and was formed by intense volcanic activity over 25 million years ago, resulting in lava flows that covered and created the Modoc Plateau, through which the Pit River flows. Mount Shasta and Lassen Peak are among

20349-471: The land. Most of the villages were small. Although it was once commonly believed that the original natives lived as tribes , they actually lived as bands , family groups as small as twenty to thirty people. The Sacramento Valley was first settled by humans about 12,000 years ago, but permanent villages were not established until about 8,000 years ago. Historians have organized the numerous separate original native groups into several "tribes". These are known as

20520-476: The largest irrigation projects in the world, was constructed by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation beginning in 1935. Ultimately, the system would distribute 7 million acre-feet (8.6 km ) to irrigate 3 million acres (1.2 million ha) of land in the Sacramento and San Joaquin Valleys. Construction of Shasta Dam, the principal water storage facility in the Sacramento River system, started in 1938 and

20691-543: The lower end of Shasta Lake is Shasta Dam , which impounds the Sacramento River for flood control, irrigation and hydropower generation. Before the construction of Shasta Dam, the McCloud River emptied into the Pit River, which joined the Sacramento near the former mining town of Kennett , submerged when Shasta Lake was filled. The Pit River Bridge , which carries Interstate 5 and the Union Pacific Railroad over

20862-529: The main channel of the Sacramento. The Sacramento River and the Sutter Bypass flow parallel for over 40 miles (64 km), rejoining on the border of Sutter County and Yolo County near Knights Landing . The Feather River , the largest tributary of the Sacramento, joins from the east at Verona directly below the Sutter Bypass. A second flood control structure, the Fremont Weir, diverts flood waters from both

21033-614: The middle of the Sacramento Valley, where it receives Butte Creek from the east at Colusa . Below Colusa the river flows south-southeast, forming the border of Colusa County and Sutter County to the east. About 20 miles (32 km) further downstream, the Sacramento River reaches the Tisdale Weir. During floods, water overtops the weir and flows east into the Sutter Bypass , the first of two major bypass channels that temporarily store and move floodwaters downstream to reduce pressure on

21204-413: The most recent being the Great Flood of 1862 . Dams, levees and floodways constructed during the 20th century have thus far prevented this phenomenon from re-occurring. The Sacramento River and its valley were one of the major Native American population centers of California. The river's abundant flow and the valley's fertile soil and mild climate provided enough resources for hundreds of groups to share

21375-545: The news from Concord and Lexington, captured the British schooner HMS Margaretta. The citizens, in need of critical supplies, were given an ultimatum: either load the ships with lumber to build British barracks in Boston, or go hungry. They chose to fight. Word of this revolt reached Boston, where the Continental Congress and the various colonies issued Letters of Marque to privateers . The privateers interrupted

21546-576: The numerous Cascade Range volcanoes that still stand in the area. As the Sierra rose, water erosion and glaciation carved deep canyons, depositing massive amounts of sediment to form a coastal plain between the mountains and the Pacific Ocean. About 3 million years ago, multiple terranes were formed and smashed into the North American Plate from the Pacific Plate, causing the uplift of

21717-640: The oceans, the Great Lakes , rivers, canals, harbors, and other waterways. In times of war, the Merchant Marine can be an auxiliary to the United States Navy , and can be called upon to deliver military personnel and materiel for the military. In the 19th and 20th centuries, various laws fundamentally changed the course of American merchant shipping. These laws put an end to common practices such as flogging and shanghaiing , and increased shipboard safety and living standards. The United States Merchant Marine

21888-510: The one hand, and to ensure a consistent supply of water on the other. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the State of California completed reports as early as the 1870s and 1880s which outlined future development of the Sacramento, Feather, Yuba and Bear rivers. In 1873, Colonel B.S. Alexander of the Army Corps of Engineers surveyed the Central Valley's hydrology and irrigation systems and proposed

22059-626: The parasitic cowbird , which lays its eggs in the nests of other bird species causing its hatchlings to compete with the others for food. There were once 9 species of amphibians that used the Sacramento River, but some have become extinct and most other populations are declining due to habitat loss caused by agriculture and urban development. Amphibians originally thrived in the marshes, sloughs, side-channels and oxbow lakes because of their warmer water, abundance of vegetation and nutrients, lower predator populations and slower current. This population once included several species of frogs and salamanders;

22230-410: The period 1945–2013. The McCloud River had an average discharge of 775 cu ft/s (21.9 m /s) for the 1967–2013 period. Since the 1960s, the McCloud River flow has been reduced and the Pit River flow increased due to diversion of water for hydropower generation; however the total volume of water entering Shasta Lake remains the same. Before Shasta Dam was built, the volcanic springs feeding

22401-411: The precipitation." The topography of the Sacramento River watershed makes it particularly prone to flooding. Storm water runs quickly off the steep mountains flanking the Sacramento Valley, but with few exceptions the alluvial valley floor is strikingly flat, slowing down the runoff and causing it to overflow the river banks. Before flood control works were built, the winter floods frequently transformed

22572-478: The pressure of floodwaters on the main channel. The bypasses are then allowed to drain slowly once flood crests have passed. For most of the year, the bypasses remain dry and are used for annual crops such as rice. Some of the principal features are the Butte Basin, Colusa Basin, Sutter Bypass and the Yolo Bypass. The Butte Basin is a large lowland area on the east side of the river between Hamilton City and Colusa ;

22743-605: The prior grade and additional endorsements and testing are required. The term "unlimited" indicates that there are no limits that the officer has in relation to the size and power of the vessel or geographic location of operation. The U.S. Merchant Marine Academy (also known as USMMA or Kings Point ) is one of the five United States service academies (the others are the United States Military Academy, Naval Academy, Coast Guard Academy, and Air Force Academy), and one of eleven United States maritime academies . It

22914-436: The reservation; the others perished of disease, starvation or exhaustion. As mining developed from simple methods such as panning and sluicing to a new form of commercialized extraction, hydraulic mining , profits from the petering gold rush made a second leap, earning more profits than placer miners in the early years had ever made. The city of Sacramento , founded on the original site of Sutter's fort, began to flourish as

23085-550: The reservoir, is structurally the highest double-decked bridge in the United States (although most of the bridge piers are submerged under Shasta Lake when the reservoir is full). The Upper Sacramento River canyon also provides the route for I-5 and the railroad between Lakehead and Mount Shasta. Below Shasta Dam the Sacramento River enters the foothills region of the northern Sacramento Valley. It flows through Keswick Dam , where it receives about 1,200,000 acre⋅ft (1.5 × 10  million km ) of water per year diverted from

23256-473: The rice fields under the Yolo Bypass next to Sacramento River can serve as an important floodplain habitat and feeding ground for juvenile or endangered fish. UC Davis noted juveniles grew much bigger and faster within the flooded rice fields when compared to those released in the Sacramento River. Public agencies, conservation groups and landowners have all been working together and conducting experiments since 2011. Experiments conducted on rice fields took place at

23427-491: The rich valley bottom and marsh lands. Before European contact, the indigenous population of the Sacramento Valley has been estimated at 76,000 people. The first outsiders to see the river were probably the members of a Spanish colonial-exploratory venture to Northern California in 1772, led by Captain Pedro Fages . The group ascended a mountain, likely in the hills north of Suisun Bay , and found themselves looking down at

23598-403: The river after use) are about 4.72 million acre-feet (5.82 km ) for irrigation and 491,000 acre-feet (0.606 km ) for urban use. An additional 7.61 million acre-feet (9.39 km ) is reserved for environmental uses, primarily to maintain a minimum fresh water outflow in the Delta to combat salinity. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has stream gauges on 25 locations along

23769-500: The river continues south it approaches the Sacramento metro area, the largest population center in the watershed. Sacramento International Airport is located on the east bank of the river near Fremont. Near downtown Sacramento it receives the American River from the east, then passes under the historic Tower Bridge and Interstate 80 Business . The California State Capitol sits less than zero point five miles (0.80 km) east of

23940-463: The river flooded up to 650,000 cubic feet per second (18,000 m /s) during the rainy season, equal to the flow of the Mississippi River . Late summers of particularly dry years could see flows drop below 1,000 cubic feet per second (28 m /s). Large volumes of water are withdrawn from the Sacramento River for irrigation, industry and urban supplies. Annual depletions (water not returned to

24111-415: The river from the lowlands to the east and west that once served as vast overflow basins during winter storms, creating large areas of seasonal wetlands . Since the 19th century, artificial levee systems have been constructed to enable farming in the fertile flood plain. Today there are 2,000,000 acres (8,100 km ) of irrigated farmland in the Sacramento Valley. Due to the reduction of the floodplain area,

24282-521: The river where the Tower Bridge crosses it. Shortly downstream, the Port of Sacramento is located on the west side of the Sacramento, connected to the river by a lock. The Sacramento River Deep Water Ship Channel provides access to the port from the Pacific, bypassing about 42 miles (68 km) of the winding lower Sacramento. The channel runs parallel to the Sacramento several miles to the west, and also forms

24453-493: The sediments washed down by the millions of tons by hydraulic mining, which filled the beds of the Sacramento, Feather and American rivers up to 7 feet (2.1 m) in Sacramento and also covered thousands of acres of Central Valley lands. A flood in 1875 covered the city of Marysville and when it subsided the town's streets were filled with debris and rocks washed down from the "hydraulicking" going on upstream. Repeated floods and increased demand for Sacramento River water saw

24624-548: The ship's path, as well as for navigational aids such as buoys and lighthouses . They also steer the ship , measure water depth in shallow water , and maintain and operate deck equipment such as lifeboats , anchors , and cargo-handling gear. On tankers, mariners designated as pumpmen hook up hoses, operate pumps, and clean tanks. When arriving at or leaving a dock, they handle the mooring lines . Seamen also perform routine maintenance chores, such as repairing lines, chipping rust, and painting and cleaning decks. On larger vessels,

24795-478: The show’s producers asked the acclaimed director for a list of people to interview, Wellman included Mitchum, whose stalled career Wellman had boosted in 1946 by casting Mitchum as the lead in The Story of GI Joe . Mitchum told the producers, no, he didn’t have time to talk about William Wellman. When Wellman found out, he was livid. When the two men worked on Blood Alley , he took his revenge by badgering Mitchum around

24966-499: The speed of flood flow in the Sacramento River has increased, creating a significant hazard for the farms and towns along its course. By the early 20th century engineers had realized not all the floodplains could be safely reclaimed, leading to the intentional creation of flood bypasses where development is limited to annual crops and recreational uses. Further south, much of the delta region is actually below sea level: subsidence caused by wind erosion and intensive farming have caused

25137-472: The steam whistles and ship sirens of every vessel in the harbor. The film's screenplay was written by Albert Sidney Fleischman , based on his novel, and was produced by Wayne's Batjac Productions . Location filming took place in and near China Camp , a shrimp fishing village in the San Francisco Bay . Additional filming occurred at Point Orient shrimp camp where the film crew was largely based in what

25308-432: The stern wheel while mooring the steamboat, snapping two of the paddle blades. Wilder is forced to stay in the Graveyard longer than planned in order to make repairs. At the same time, Cathy goes ashore and returns after learning of her father's fate. The Fengs are put ashore, only to be taken back aboard when the pursuing Red Chinese destroyer begins shelling the Graveyard from a distance. It launches power boats to search for

25479-477: The title Midshipman , which gives them more privileges, known as "rates". Academy students focus on one of two different ship transport areas of education: marine transportation or marine engineering . Transportation students learn about ship navigation , cargo handling, navigation rules , and maritime law . Engineering students learn about the function of the ship's engines and its supporting systems. There are currently five different academic majors conferring

25650-831: The unit equipment and 45% of the ammunition needed. Two RRF tankers, two Roll-on/Roll-off (RO/RO) ships and a troop transport ship were employed in Somalia for Operation Restore Hope in 1993 and 1994. During the Haitian crisis in 1994, 15 ships were activated for Operation Uphold Democracy operations. In 1995 and 1996, four RO/RO ships were used to deliver military cargo as part of US and UK support to NATO peace-keeping missions. Four RRF ships were activated to provide humanitarian assistance for Central America following Hurricane Mitch in 1998. In 2003, 40 RRF ships were used in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom . This RRF contribution included sealifting into

25821-418: The valley into an inland sea. In 1880 State Engineer William H. Hall developed the first flood control plan for the Sacramento River. Hall recognized that with the combination of flat topography and extremely heavy winter runoff volumes, a system of levees alone could not hope to contain flooding, as had been proven time and again in the flood prone city of Sacramento. The Sacramento River Flood Control Project

25992-442: The villagers lure the patrol boat into the harbor and trap it there. They flee down the coast in the stolen ferryboat, bluffing their way past a People's Liberation Army Navy destroyer. They disappear into a fog bank, hiding by day in shoreline reed marshes and sailing south only at night. The Fengs attempt to sabotage the escape, first by poisoning the food and water supply, then attempting and failing to take over Chiku Shan during

26163-729: The war. At wars end 144,857 men would serve in the Navy Armed Guard on 6,200 ships. Merchant shipping also played its role in the wars in Vietnam and Korea . During the Korean War, under the operational control in theater of the Military Sea Transportation Service (MSTS), the number of chartered ships grew from 6 to 255. In September 1950, when the U.S. Marine Corps went ashore at Incheon , 13 Navy cargo ships, 26 chartered American, and 34 Japanese-manned merchant ships of

26334-480: The water stays fresh in all but the driest years. Saltwater intrusion from the Pacific Ocean was one of the main reasons for the construction of the federal Central Valley Project (CVP), whose dams maintain a minimum flow in the Sacramento River to keep seawater at bay. Below Rio Vista , the lower Sacramento River is rejoined by the Deep Water Ship Channel and the Yolo Bypass and curves southwest along

26505-634: The watershed. By geologic standards, the Sacramento is a fairly young river; the borders of its watershed began to form only a few million years ago as magma welling up below the Earth's crust pushed up by the Pacific Plate colliding with the North American Plate caused the formation of the Sierra Nevada . Although mountains had existed as early as 100 million years ago in this region (before then

26676-457: The world's shipping trade. By 1995, the American market share had plunged to 4 percent, according to a 1997 report by the U.S. Congressional Budget Office (CBO). The report states, "the number of U.S.-flag vessels has dropped precipitously — from more than 2,000 in the 1940s and 850 in 1970 to about 320 in 1996." A diminishing U.S. fleet contrasted with the burgeoning of international sea trade. For example, worldwide demand for natural gas led to

26847-414: The world, to the Sacramento River in search of fortunes, kicking off the California Gold Rush . People flocked to the region by the Oregon Trail -Siskiyou Trail, California Trail , Southern Emigrant Trail and various land and/or sea routes through the Isthmus of Panama and around southern South America by ship. Steamboats traveled up and down the Sacramento River carrying miners from San Francisco to

27018-431: The years to come, this path, which eventually extended from San Francisco to Portland, Oregon following parts of the Sacramento, Willamette , Klamath , Rogue , and other rivers would become an important trade and travel route. Although just one of thousands of American emigrants that poured into California over the next few years when California became part of the United States, John Augustus Sutter 's arrival marked

27189-422: Was 23,330 cubic feet per second (661 m /s). The maximum recorded flow was 115,000 cubic feet per second (3,300 m /s) on February 19, 1986; the lowest was 3,970 cubic feet per second (112 m /s) on October 15, 1977. Flow in the Yolo Bypass , a relief channel designed to carry a portion of the flood waters in order to protect the Sacramento area, is not measured by the Freeport gauge. A separate gauge on

27360-468: Was at least 1,000 feet (300 m) deep. About 650,000 years ago the lake catastrophically overflowed, draining into San Francisco Bay and creating the Carquinez Strait , the only major break for hundreds of miles in the Coast Ranges. The narrow outlet trapped some of the sediments of the rivers in the Central Valley, forming the inland Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta . Since then, this inland sea has periodically reformed during times of intense flooding,

27531-416: Was authorized by the federal government in 1917. While it intended to contain minor floods in the river banks by strengthening the existing levee system, the main feature was a series of bypasses, or sections of the valley intentionally designed to flood during high water. Weirs placed at strategic points along the Sacramento River release water into the bypasses when the river reaches a certain stage, relieving

27702-432: Was called upon to provide humanitarian assistance to gulf coast areas following Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita landfalls in September 2005. The Federal Emergency Management Agency requested a total of eight vessels to support relief efforts. Messing and berthing was provided for refinery workers, oil spill response teams and longshoremen. One vessel provided electrical power. As of 2007, three RRF ships supported

27873-465: Was completed in 1945. Controlling runoff from the upper 6,600 square miles (17,000 km ) of the Sacramento River watershed, Shasta greatly reduces flood peaks on the middle and lower parts of the Sacramento River. Flood waters are stored for irrigation in dry years as well as navigation and electricity generation. In the following decades, more huge reservoirs – capable of storing a combined 13 × 10 acre-feet (16 km ) of water – were constructed on

28044-400: Was completed in 1963, and was built to facilitate navigation of large oceangoing ships from the Delta to the port of Sacramento. The channel bypasses the winding lower part of the Sacramento River between the state capital and the Delta thus reducing water travel times. It also serves to discharge floodwaters from the lower end of the Yolo Bypass . Built by the Army Corps of Engineers, the canal

28215-434: Was crucial to the renewal of existing wetlands and the creation of new ones. Since the late 19th century the river has been mostly locked in a fixed channel, which once could shift hundreds of feet or even several miles in a year because of floods. In 2010, about 100 miles (160 km) of the river's riparian forests were undergoing restoration. UC Davis initiated a project known as The Nigiri Project which takes place under

28386-455: Was done to increase operational readiness of MSC's naval auxiliary assets and prove flexibility of operation. In Fall 2021, news broke out that several midshipmen reported having been sexually assaulted either at the Academy or during Sea Year. The news resulted in a suspension of Sea Year, multiple investigations and lawsuits, and another promise by the U.S. Government to keep women safer while under their jurisdiction. As of 31 December 2016,

28557-643: Was practiced in a few areas. Settlement size ranged from small camps to villages of 30–50 permanent structures. Acorns were a staple food , and the Sacramento Valley's riparian zones, which supported seven species of native oaks, provided these in abundance. Native Americans pounded the acorns into flour, which they used to make bread and cakes. Abundant salmon and steelhead runs in the Sacramento River and its tributaries were harvested using fishing weirs, platforms, baskets and nets. The river also provided shellfish, sturgeon, eel and suckerfish They also hunted waterfowl, antelope and deer which all existed in huge numbers in

28728-442: Was promoted by the appearance of Wayne on the number-one rated television show, I Love Lucy . In an unusual two-episode arc airing as the show's season opener on October 10, 1955, Lucy and Ethel steal Wayne's footprints from the forecourt of Grauman's Chinese Theatre the night before the premiere of Blood Alley , and complications ensue. During the second episode, a studio employee interrupts Wayne in his dressing room to show him

28899-416: Was released on DVD May 4, 2005 by Warner Bros. Home Video. The film was re-released on Blu-ray July 18, 2017 by the Warner Archive Collection. United States Merchant Marine The United States Merchant Marine is an organization composed of United States civilian mariners and U.S. civilian and federally owned merchant vessels . Both the civilian mariners and the merchant vessels are managed by

29070-404: Was the Trinity River Project (which would become part of the CVP), sending over 90 percent of the flow of that river into the Sacramento via a tunnel under the Klamath Mountains. Due to environmental damage and fish kills in the Trinity River, the volume of diverted water has been limited by law since the 1990s. Other, larger projects ultimately failed to take root. One of the most notorious,

29241-407: Was under the control of Mexico , although few Mexican settlers had come to what would later become the state, mostly settling in the small pueblos and ranchos along the south and central coast. The HBC mountain men created the Siskiyou Trail out of several Native American paths that ran through the mountains between Oregon's Willamette Valley and the northern part of the Sacramento Valley. In

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