Butte Valley National Grassland is a United States National Grassland located in northern California.
Geography
The area is located in the Klamath River basin at an elevation of approximately . The annual precipitation is approximately . It consists primarily of flat, sandy soils and a dry lake bed. The area includes sweeping views of the Cascade Range and Mount Shasta.
History
The area attracted homesteaders in the late 19th century who ditched, drained, plowed, and grazed the land. Overuse caused a decline in productivity that was exacerbated by the drought of the 1930s. The U.S. government purchased submarginal lands in 1937. The lands were then administered by the Soil Conservation Service (now the Natural Resources Conservation Service) which began stabilizing the land by planting of over of crested wheatgrass. In the 1940s a portion of the area was used as bombing range. Grazing of the land continued until its designation as a National Grassland in 1991.
See also
- Native grasses of California
- Grasslands of California
References
External links
- Butte Valley National Grassland - Klamath National Forest