STATION 9 - HISTORY OF THE PETALUMA RIVER
The Petaluma River is actually a tidal slough, 14 miles from San Pablo Bay, but originally was not navigable past Newtown.
In 1860 Chinese laborers cut a channel by hand. In 1862 and 1870 a steam excavator deepened, straightened, and widened the
slough to allow steamships to travel to town. In 1959 Congress changed the Petaluma slough to river, sanctioning government
dredging. Every four years, dredging is done under the auspices of the Corps of Engineers.
 Shollenberger |
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