▁em pt ies ▁into ▁an ▁otherwise ▁dry ▁San ▁Jo aqu in ▁( R M 1 1 8 ). ▁ ▁The ▁majority ▁of ▁the ▁river ▁flows ▁through ▁quiet ▁agricult ural ▁bottom ▁lands , ▁and ▁as ▁a ▁result ▁its ▁me and ering ▁course ▁man ages ▁to ▁avoid ▁most ▁of ▁the ▁urban ▁areas ▁and ▁cities ▁in ▁the ▁San ▁Jo aqu in ▁Valley . ▁About ▁ ▁west ▁of ▁Mod esto , ▁the ▁San ▁Jo aqu in ▁meets ▁its ▁largest ▁trib ut ary , ▁the ▁Tu ol um ne . ▁Near ▁Vern alis , ▁it ▁is ▁joined ▁by ▁another ▁major ▁trib ut ary , ▁the ▁Stanis laus ▁River . ▁The ▁river ▁passes ▁between ▁M ante ca ▁and ▁T racy , ▁where ▁a ▁pair ▁of ▁distrib ut aries ▁– ▁the ▁Old ▁River ▁and ▁Middle ▁River ▁– ▁split ▁off ▁from ▁the ▁main ▁stem ▁just ▁above ▁the ▁Sac r amento - San ▁Jo aqu in ▁D elta , ▁a ▁huge ▁invert ed ▁river ▁delta ▁formed ▁by ▁sed iment ▁depos its ▁of ▁the ▁Sac r amento ▁and ▁San ▁Jo aqu in ▁R ivers . ▁ ▁About ▁ ▁from ▁the ▁mouth , ▁the ▁river ▁draw s ▁ab re ast ▁to ▁the ▁western ▁fl ank ▁of ▁Stock ton , ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁bas in ' s ▁largest ▁cities . ▁From ▁here ▁to ▁the ▁mouth , ▁the ▁river ▁is ▁d red ged ▁as ▁part ▁of ▁a ▁navigation ▁project , ▁the ▁Stock ton ▁Deep ▁Water ▁Sh ip ▁Channel . ▁Past ▁the ▁head ▁of ▁t ide , ▁amid ▁the ▁many ▁islands ▁of ▁the ▁delta , ▁the ▁San