Elder Creek (Tehama County)

Elder Creek is a major stream in Tehama County, California and a tributary of the Sacramento River. It originates at the confluence of its North, Middle and South Forks, which begin in the Mendocino National Forest, and flows 27 mi east to its confluence with the Sacramento River about a mile (1.6 km) east of Gerber and 2 mi north of Tehama. Measured to the head of its longest tributary, the South Fork, Elder Creek has a total length of 42 mi, draining a watershed of about 150 mi2. Like the other streams draining this part of the western Sacramento Valley, Elder Creek is a highly seasonal stream that flows only during the winter and spring.

Elder Creek was so named for the elder trees lining its course. A variant name was Arroyo de los Saucos.