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Where do the American and Merced rivers drain?
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Sierra Nevada
Physical features of western North America.
The American and Merced rivers originate in the Sierra Nevada mountains and drain into the Central Valley of California. Specifically, the American River is a tributary of the Sacramento River, while the Merced River drains into the San Joaquin River.12
Ultimately, the waters of both rivers reach the Pacific Ocean through the combined delta of the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers at San Francisco Bay.1