Editing Modoc County, California (section)

==Geography==
According to the [[U.S. Census Bureau]], Modoc County spans a total area of {{convert|4203|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|3918|sqmi}} is land, with {{convert|286|sqmi}} (6.8%) water.<ref name="GR1">{{cite web|url=http://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/counties_list_06.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=September 28, 2015|date=August 22, 2012|title=2010 Census Gazetteer Files}}</ref> There are 2.25 persons per square mile, making Modoc one of the [[List of counties in California|least-populated counties]] in the state of California. In terms of its county lines, Modoc is one of the only nearly-[[Rectangle|rectangular]] counties in California; a slight deviation occurs around the [[Tule Lake National Wildlife Refuge]]. 

[[Geology|Geologically]], Modoc County is quite unique. The area's tumultuous [[Seismology|seismic]] past has set the stage for a productive, diverse regional [[ecology]] today; a rich [[soil]] composition, largely created by ancient [[Volcano|volcanoes]] dispersing vast amounts of [[Mineral|minerals]], stands out from the typically bland, clay-heavy terrain common in the American west. To the northwest of the county lies [[Medicine Lake Volcano|Medicine Lake]]—the largest [[shield volcano]] on the [[West Coast of the United States|U.S. West Coast]]—and [[Lava Beds National Monument]]. In west Modoc County is the massive [[Glass Mountain (California)|Glass Mountain]], another ancient [[Lava|lava flow]]. The southwestern quadrant of the county is a unique [[ecosystem]] of isolated hardwoods (oaks) and volcanic mountains with intermountain river valleys.

[[File:MuleDeer ModocCounty.jpg|thumb|250px|left|[[Mule deer]] in Modoc County]]

The northern half of the county is primarily the [[Modoc Plateau]], a {{convert|1|mi|km|-high|adj=mid}} expanse of lava flows, [[Cinder cone|cinder cones]], [[juniper]] flats, [[Pinaceae|pine]] forests and [[Lake|seasonal lakes]], including the [[PH|alkaline]] waters of [[Goose Lake (Oregon-California)|Goose Lake]]. Nearly {{convert|1|e6acre|km2}} of the [[Modoc National Forest]] lie on the [[plateau]] between Medicine Lake, to the west, and the [[Warner Mountains]], to the east. 

A great diversity of plants are found in Modoc County. As it is situated within the biodiverse [[California Floristic Province]], many native trees are found in the county, including [[Quercus garryana|Garry oak]] (''Quercus garryana'') and [[Pinus washoensis|Washoe pine]] (''Pinus washoensis'').<ref name="Hogan">C. Michael Hogan, [http://www.globaltwitcher.com/artspec_information.asp?thingid=82385 ''Quercus kelloggii''] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120213134008/http://www.globaltwitcher.com/artspec_information.asp?thingid=82385|date=February 13, 2012}}, Globaltwitcher, 2008</ref> ''[[Pinus jeffreyi]]'' and [[Pinus ponderosa|''P. ponderosa'']] (the Jeffrey and ponderosa pines, respectively) are also found in substantial groves.<ref name="BarbourBillings2000">{{cite book |author1=Michael G. Barbour |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Ra2QzAh9xdIC |title=North American Terrestrial Vegetation |author2=William Dwight Billings |publisher=Cambridge University Press |year=2000 |isbn=978-0-521-55986-7 |access-date=September 27, 2013}}</ref> The rich plant life supports substantial populations of [[mule deer]] (''[[Odocoileus]] hemionus''), [[Rocky Mountain elk]] (''[[Cervus]] canadensis'') and [[pronghorn]] (''[[Antilocapra]] americana''), as well as several herds of [[Wild horse|wild horses]] (''Equus ferus''). [[Clear Lake National Wildlife Refuge]] and Long Bell State Game Refuge are located on the plateau, as well. The [[Lost River (California)|Lost River]], which later drains into the [[Klamath River]] basin, drains the northern part of the plateau; southern watersheds either collect in basin reservoirs or flow into the [[Big Sage Reservoir]], in the center of the county (which later flows into the [[Pit River]]).

Below the rim of the plateau, in the extreme southwest corner of the county, are Big Valley and Warm Springs Valley, which form the bottom of the Pit River watershed that flows through the county. The Pit River's northern and southern [[Tributary|forks]] come together just south of Alturas; the river collects hundreds of other small [[Stream|creeks]] on its trajectory south towards [[Shasta Lake]], where it joins the [[Sacramento River]] and ultimately drains into [[San Francisco Bay]]. The eastern edge of the county is dominated by the Warner Mountains. The Pit River originates in this mountain range. Hundreds of alpine lakes dot the range, all of which are fed by snowmelt and natural springs. East of the Warner Range is [[Surprise Valley (Modoc County, California)|Surprise Valley]] and the western edge of the [[Great Basin]].

[[Hot spring|Hot springs]] and lava caves are unique to Modoc County. There is potential for some [[geothermal energy]] resources in the county, though the viability is highly variable.   
===Adjacent counties===
*[[Klamath County, Oregon]] - north
*[[Lake County, Oregon]] - north
*[[Washoe County, Nevada]] - east
*[[Lassen County, California|Lassen County]] - south
*[[Shasta County, California|Shasta County]] - southwest
*[[Siskiyou County, California|Siskiyou County]] - west

===National protected areas===
* [[Clear Lake National Wildlife Refuge]]
* [[Lava Beds National Monument]] (part)
* [[Modoc National Forest]] (part)
* [[Shasta National Forest]] (part)
* [[Modoc National Wildlife Refuge]] (part)
* [[Tule Lake National Wildlife Refuge]] (part)
* [[Tule Lake Unit, World War II Valor in the Pacific National Monument]] (part)