Petaluma River

Petaluma River
The river flowing through Petaluma. View is to the southeast.
Petaluma River watershed (Interactive map)
Etymology	Coast Miwok
Location
Country	United States
State	California
Region	Sonoma and Marin counties
City	Petaluma, California
Physical characteristics
Source
• location	1.5 mi (2 km) southwest of Cotati, California
• coordinates	38°18′18″N 122°43′3″W / 38.30500°N 122.71750°W / 38.30500; -122.71750[1]
• elevation	332 ft (101 m)
Mouth	San Pablo Bay
• location	5 mi (8 km) east of Novato, California
• coordinates	38°6′38″N 122°29′15″W / 38.11056°N 122.48750°W / 38.11056; -122.48750[1]
• elevation	0 ft (0 m)
Length	18 mi (29 km)[1]
Basin size	370 km² (140 sq. miles)
Discharge
• location	Petaluma (USGS gage station 11459000)
• average	17 cu ft/s (0.48 m3/s)
• minimum	0 cu ft/s (0 m3/s)
• maximum	9,620 cu ft/s (272 m3/s)
Basin features
Tributaries
• left	Lichau Creek, Lynch Creek, Washington Creek, Adobe Creek
• right	San Antonio Creek

The Petaluma River is a river in the California counties of Sonoma and Marin^[1] that becomes a tidal slough for most of its length. The headwaters are in the area southwest of Cotati. The flow is generally southward through Petaluma's old town, where the waterway becomes navigable, and then flows another 10 mi (16 km) through tidal marshes before emptying into the northwest corner of San Pablo Bay.