Mount Whitney, the tallest peak in California is named after him, a testament to his legacy. Whitney organized the first comprehensive survey of California and the first complete topographic maps of the state were completed under him. The second State Geologist, Josiah Whitney, served from 1860 to 1873. He compiled a report entitled "On the Geology of the Sierra Nevada, or California Range." Trask to the position of State Geologist and he served from 1850 to 1856. Shortly after statehood, the California state government appointed its first State Geologist and began commissioning geologic surveys of their own. This is the first known sea-floor canyon and is now called Monterey Canyon.įrom the 1850s through the 1860s, the United States Coast Survey, now NOAA's Office of Coast Survey, published a set of color maps with five stratigraphic units detailing the geologic makeup of California as well as a comprehensive set of nautical charts for the entire coast of California. ġ857, the commanding officer of the United States Coast Survey Steamer, Active, discovers a deep submarine valley, or "gulch," in the center of Monterey Bay. To further supplement the navigators the book includes notes on observed magnetic variation and a table of 26 coordinates for landmarks, harbors and a table of bearings for several point to point journeys. This book includes the maps from the 1849 expedition as well as a color illustrations of ports and important landmarks. Ī Series of Charts with Sailing Directions, by Cadwalader Ringgold was published in 1852. Also included on the maps are the sizes and locations of settlements along the Sacramento River. In 1841 Cadwalader Ringgold, an officer in the United States Navy, spent twenty days surveying the San Francisco Bay watershed as a member of the United States Exploring Expedition In 1849, Cadwalader Ringgold began a more comprehensive survey of surveying the San Francisco Bay region, the Sacramento River, and parts of the American and created a number of 8maps which included Depth sounding information for the Sacramento River and San Francisco Bay. Chronology of early surveying and mapping efforts A bathymetric map of the Davidson Seamount, before it was named for George Davidson in 1936. History 1650 Nicolas Sanson map showing California as an island. Not only are physical maps of California readily available, but maps with all variety of demographic information are as well. Time has brought even more mapping with modern technology, particularly GIS any aspect of California can be and is recorded on a map. When gold was discovered in 1848 and it joined the United States as the thirty first state in 1851 and interest in plotting California's landscapes boomed.Ĭalifornia quickly became a well-documented piece of the United States. As California became increasingly populated, comprehensive surveying and mapping of its territory seemingly expanded slowly. Eventually, by the 18th century, enough information about California reached the outside world to dispel that myth. For hundreds of years there persisted a European misconception that California was an island and many maps were made depicting it as such. Ĭalifornia is a unique place that has not always been well understood. Alden termed the canyon a "submarine gulch." Courtesy of the NOAA Image Library. Monterey Canyon was first noted in 1857 by James Alden of C&GS Ship ACTIVE. From George Davidson published paper in Proc. They were created using data licensed from and copyright by Map Resources.The 1897 contoured map of Monterey Bay 1897 contoured map of Monterey "Submerged Valley". These maps are property of and may not be used beyond our websites. If you want to share these maps with others please link to this page. The lowest point is Death Valley at -282 feet.Ĭopyright information: The maps on this page were composed by Brad Cole of. Whitney at 14,494 feet - the highest point in California. See our state high points map to learn about Mt. Detailed topographic maps and aerial photos of California are available in the store. It shows elevation trends across the state. This is a generalized topographic map of California. We also have a page about California water resources. Most of these lakes and streams can be clearly seen on the California Satellite Image. Small parts of eastern California are in the Great Basin, an area of the United States that does not drain into any ocean but instead drainage flows into local basin such as Lake Tahoe or Mono Lake. Major streams that drain to the Pacific include the San Joaquin, Salinas, Russian, Eel and Trinity Rivers. Most of California is in the Pacific Ocean watershed. This map shows the major streams and rivers of California and some of the larger lakes.
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