{{Distinguish|Estrella River (Costa Rica)}} {{Use American English|date=February 2025}} {{Infobox river | name = Estrella River | name_native = | name_native_lang = | name_other = | name_etymology = <!---------------------- IMAGE & MAP --> | image = | image_caption = | map = | map_size = | map_caption = | pushpin_map = USA California | pushpin_map_size = 300 | pushpin_map_caption= Location of the mouth of the Estrella River in California <!---------------------- LOCATION --> | subdivision_type1 = Country | subdivision_name1 = United States | subdivision_type2 = State | subdivision_name2 = California | subdivision_type3 = Region | subdivision_name3 = San Luis Obispo County | subdivision_type4 = | subdivision_name4 = | subdivision_type5 = | subdivision_name5 = <!---------------------- PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS --> | length = {{convert|28.5|mi|km|abbr=on}} | width_min = | width_avg = | width_max = | depth_min = | depth_avg = | depth_max = | discharge1_location= | discharge1_min = | discharge1_avg = | discharge1_max = <!---------------------- BASIN FEATURES --> | source1 = Confluence of Cholame Creek and San Juan Creek | source1_location = Shandon | source1_coordinates= {{coord|35|39|21|N|120|22|13|W|display=inline}}<ref name="gnis">{{gnis|242072|Estrella River}}</ref> | source1_elevation = | mouth = Salinas River | mouth_location = San Miguel | mouth_coordinates = {{coord|35|44|30|N|120|41|33|W|display=inline,title}}<ref name="gnis" /> | mouth_elevation = | progression = | river_system = | basin_size = | tributaries_left = | tributaries_right = | custom_label = | custom_data = | extra = }} The '''Estrella River''' is a {{convert|28.5|mi|km|adj=mid|-long}}<ref name=NHD>U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline data. [http://viewer.nationalmap.gov/viewer/ The National Map] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120329155652/http://viewer.nationalmap.gov/viewer/ |date=2012-03-29 }}, accessed March 15, 2011</ref> tributary river in eastern San Luis Obispo County, California. The river forms at the confluence of Cholame Creek,<ref name=Cholame>{{cite gnis|240576|Cholame Creek}}</ref> from the north, and San Juan Creek,<ref name=SanJuanCreek>{{cite gnis|273493|San Juan Creek}}</ref> from the south, near the town of Shandon. From there it flows west-northwest to its confluence with the Salinas River, of which it is a tributary, 8 miles (12.8 km) north of Paso Robles. Cholame Creek has its headwaters on the southwest side of Middle Mountain and its tributary, Little Cholame Creek, begins on the northeast side.<ref>{{GNIS|244906|Little Cholame Creek}}</ref><ref>{{GNIS|245870|Middle Mountain}}</ref> The creek drains the Cholame Valley, which is bordered by Diablo Range on the east and Cholame Hills, a northern extension of the Temblor Range, on the west.<ref name=Cholame/> The average precipitation in the area ranges from {{convert|11|to|17|in}}, increasing northward.
A portion of the Temblor Range drains into San Juan Creek, but the nearby Carrizo Plain has been cut off from the watershed by tectonic action. The creek also drains part of the La Panza Range in the southwest of the watershed. The vast majority of the land in the watershed is rangeland, but there is also some cropland, pastureland and developed areas.<ref name=SanJuanCreek/>
==References== {{reflist}}
==Bibliography== *[https://web.archive.org/web/20050413233312/http://www.slocountywater.org/pasoroblesbasin/finalreport/hydrolgeology.pdf San Luis Obispo County Water] *[http://soils.usda.gov/survey/online_surveys/california/san_luis/carrizo.pdf United States Department of Agriculture - Carrizo Plain]{{dead link|date=June 2025|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} *[https://web.archive.org/web/20060923043316/http://www.ca.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/csp/2005/estrella.html United States Department of Agriculture - Estrella Watershed]
{{Salinas River}}
Category:Rivers of San Luis Obispo County, California Category:Salinas River (California) Category:Rivers of Southern California