River of Mercy
The Merced River watershed begins in the southeastern portion of the park,
primarily in the high country of the Clark and Cathedral Ranges. The river
plunges over Nevada and Vernal Falls, then meanders across the flat Yosemite
Valley floor. Leaving Yosemite Valley, it winds down the Merced Canyon into
the San Joaquin Valley far below. In 1987, recognizing the Merced's pristine
beauty, Congress designated its upper reaches in and below the park as a
National Wild and Scenic River.
Early Spanish explorers named the
Merced River for Our Lady of Mercy.
In Yosemite Valley, later settlers saw
the Merced and its tributaries as
troublesome as well as merciful.
They channeled the wild river,
dynamited the glacial moraine at the
Valley entrance to lower the water
table, and diverted water to quench
the thirst of livestock and to power
a sawmill.
Human alterations have
harmed the riparian
(river-related) habitat.
Introduced fish species
greatly outnumbered
the native rainbow
trout. Human feet have
trampled the riverbanks
and destroyed streamside
plants. Restoration
efforts such as replanting,
fencing, and elimination
of fish stocking are
returning the river to
a more natural state.
