Natural Resources of California’s Mountain Regions: Minerals, Timber, Water, Wildlife

Sierra Nevada, Cascades, Transverse, Peninsular Ranges

Minerals (Historic & Active)

• Gold (Mother Lode, still recreational), Silver, Copper, Tungsten, Molybdenum, Iron, Rare earths (Mountain Pass — only US REE mine).
• Aggregate (sand, gravel, limestone) — massive construction supply.

Timber

• Conifers: Ponderosa/Jeffrey/Sugar pine, White/Red fir, Incense cedar, Douglas-fir, Giant sequoia (protected).
• Sustainable yield ~1.5B board ft/yr (private + USFS).

Water — California’s Lifeblood

• Snowpack = 30% state supply; 15M acre-ft annual runoff.
• Major rivers: Sacramento, San Joaquin, Kern, Truckee, Carson, Walker.
• Reservoirs: Shasta, Oroville, Folsom, New Melones, Don Pedro.
• Hydro: 15–20% in-state generation.

Wildlife

• Mammals: Black bear, mule deer, elk (reintroduced), Sierra Nevada bighorn, mountain lion, bobcat, fisher, wolverine (rare).
• Birds: Spotted owl, goshawk, Clark’s nutcracker, mountain quail.
• Fish: Golden trout (state fish), Lahontan cutthroat, rainbow/steelhead.

Plants

• Zonation: Foothill woodland → montane conifer → subalpine → alpine.
• Endemics: 400+ species (e.g., Sierra Nevada yellow-legged frog habitat).

Threats

Climate-driven dieback, megafires, bark beetles, groundwater overdraft, recreation pressure.