Feather River, 80 mi/129 km long, N central Calif.; rises in 3 forks in the Sierra Nevada; all three uniting 5 mi/8 km NE of Oroville, in L. Oroville reservoir (Middle Fork joins South Fork 3 mi/4.8 km E of confluence of North and South forks) and flowing S past Oroville and Yaba City/Marysville to Sacramento R., NNW of Sacramento. The Feather R. basin was a rich source of gold in the mid-19th cent. The Feather R. project (1957–1968), which includes Oroville Dam, furnishes central and S California with water and provides flood control, recreation, and hydroelectricity in the river basin.
