Central Valley
Central Valley is a sprawling river-filled basin and agricultural heartland of California, spanning from Redding to Bakersfield and past.
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Geography
| Continent | North America |
|---|---|
| Region | California Central Valley |
| Subregion | Northern California |
| Country | United States |
| State | California |
| Timezone | AmericaLos Angeles |
| Latitude | 39.5 |
| Longitude | -119.5 |
| Maps |
6:15 PM LOCAL TIMEThe Central Valley of California is one of the world's most productive agricultural regions, running roughly 430 miles from Redding in the north to Bakersfield in the south and covering over 40,000 square miles. It is shaped by major rivers—the Sacramento, San Joaquin, and Tulare—whose floodplains and delta systems sustain intensive crop farming and urban areas on wide, flat terraces. Alfalfa, corn, cotton, fruit orchards, and urban centers like Sacramento and Fresno define its land use, and water management—diversions, reservoirs, and groundwater—is central to its function. The climate is Mediterranean: hot, dry summers give way to cool, wetter winters, but variability and drought affect the ecosystem and communities. Cross-state corridors such as Interstate 5 and California State Route 99 slice through county seats and agricultural zones, offering routes for travel and trade. While often seen as a place of vast flatness and intensive farming, look to the seasonal flood peaks, wetland refuges, and mountain foothill transitions at the basin edges for contrast and outdoor discovery.
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