Hills Ferry, California

The Merced River (; Spanish: Río Merced, meaning "Mercy River") is a 145-mile (233 km)-long tributary of the San Joaquin River in central California, United States. It flows from the Sierra Nevada into the San Joaquin Valley and is best known for its steep course through the southern part of Yosemite National Park, where it is the primary watercourse in Yosemite Valley. Below the mountains, the river's character changes as it becomes a slow meandering stream across the agricultural San Joaquin Valley. The river began to take shape as the Sierra Nevada rose about 10 million years ago, and sediment eroded from its canyon helped form the flat floor of the San Joaquin Valley. Glaciation during the ice ages carved the high-elevation portions of the watershed, including Yosemite Valley, into their present form. Historically, an extensive riparian zone provided habitat for millions of migrating birds, and the river supported one of the southernmost runs of chinook salmon in North America. Miwok and Paiute people lived along the river for thousands of years before Spanish and Mexican military expeditions passed through in the early 19th century. The California Gold Rush brought settlers to towns along the lower Merced River. The Yosemite Valley Railroad was built along the Merced River canyon, enabling mining and logging in the upper watershed and later carrying tourists to Yosemite National Park. Conflicts between settlers and Native Americans led to the expulsion of the Ahwahnechee from Yosemite. Large-scale irrigation was introduced to the San Joaquin Valley in the late 19th century, leading to construction of numerous dams that blocked migrating salmon and caused steep declines in riparian habitat. Diversion of water for irrigation often reduces the river to a small stream by the time it reaches its mouth. Mitigation efforts include habitat conservation work, re-establishment of historic streamflow patterns, and operation of a salmon hatchery.

Rancho Orestimba y Las Garzas (Meetingplace and the Herons) was a 26,668-acre (107.92 km2) Mexican land grant in present-day Stanislaus County and Merced County, California given in 1844 by Governor Manuel Micheltorena to Sebastián Núñez. The grant was originally in a part of Tuolumne County that became part of Stanislaus County in 1854, and was located west of the San Joaquin River and south of Rancho Del Puerto, and encompassed present-day Newman. Arroyo Orestimba lay across the northern section of the Rancho Orestimba with Arroyo de las Garzas across the southern end of the Rancho.

George J. Hatfield State Recreation Area is a state park unit on the Merced River Merced County, California. It is located in the San Joaquin Valley about 20 miles (32 km) south of Modesto.

Timba (Yokuts: Orestimba, meaning "meeting place") is a small unincorporated town in Stanislaus County, California, United States, about 1 mile (1.6 km) north of Newman. Timba is located at 37°20′34″N 121°01′52″W.

Newman is a city in Stanislaus County, California, located in the San Joaquin Valley region of the greater Central Valley. The city had a population of 10,224 at the 2010 census, up from 7,093 at the 2000 census. Founded in 1888 by Simon Newman, the city is a largely agricultural community, known for its annual Fall Festival.

Los Baños Creek or Los Banos Creek, originally El Arroyo de los Baños, is a tributary stream of the San Joaquin River. Its source drains the slopes of the Diablo Range within the Central Valley of California, United States. Los Baños Creek has its source at the confluence of North Fork Los Banos Creek and South Fork Los Banos Creek. It flows northeast to the west edge of Los Banos and then north to Mud Slough 2.5 miles (4 km) upstream from its confluence with the San Joaquin River.

Gustine Airport (FAA LID: 3O1) is a public airport located two miles (3.2 km) east of Gustine, serving Merced County, California, United States. It is mostly used for general aviation.

Gustine High School is a public high school in Gustine, California, United States. Gustine High School was established in 1913. Gustine High School includes a variety of about 20 clubs and 13 sports.

Gustine is a city in Merced County, California. Gustine is located 29 miles (47 km) west of Merced, at an elevation of 98 feet (30 m). At the 2020 census, the city population was 6,110, up from 5,520 at the 2010 census.

Saratoga Village Library, formerly known as the Saratoga Library, is a historic building in Saratoga, California designed by architect Eldridge T. Spencer in 1927. The building is historically significant due to its long association with the development of civic life of Saratoga throughout the 20th century, serving as the only library for the community for 51 years. The Saratoga Village Library was placed on the National Register of Historic Places on January 17, 2007. In 1978, the completion of a new Saratoga Library was established on Saratoga Avenue and Fruitvale. The design was also the work of Spencer.

Crows Landing is a census-designated place (CDP) in Stanislaus County, California. Crows Landing is about 20 miles (32 km) southwest of Modesto. Crows Landing sits at an elevation of 128 feet (39 m). The 2020 United States census reported Crows Landing's population was 322.

Garzas Creek, originally Arroyo de las Garzas (Creek of the Herons), is a tributary of the San Joaquin River draining the eastern slopes of part of the Diablo Range within the San Joaquin Valley of California. The Creek has its source 0.8 km (0.5 mi) south of Hog Canyon and 1.6 km (1 mi) northwest of Bullhead Reservoir, and its mouth at the confluence with Los Banos Creek 4.8 km (3 mi) northeast of Ingomar in Merced County. The closest populated place was the former settlement and railroad station of Linora that is 0.38 miles south of Garzas Creek. The town of Gustine, is 4.35 miles from Garzas Creek.