Atwater is a city on State Route 99 in Merced County, California, United States. Atwater is 8 miles (13 km) west-northwest of Merced, at an elevation of 151 feet (46 m). The population as of the 2020 census was 31,970, up from 28,168 in 2010.
Water tower in the city
Bloss House Museum
California State Route 99
State Route 99 (SR 99) is a north–south state highway in the U.S. state of California, stretching almost the entire length of the Central Valley. From its southern end at Interstate 5 (I-5) near Wheeler Ridge to its northern end at SR 36 near Red Bluff, SR 99 goes through the densely populated eastern parts of the valley. Cities served include Bakersfield, Delano, Tulare, Visalia, Fresno, Madera, Merced, Turlock, Modesto,
Manteca, Stockton, Sacramento, Yuba City, and Chico.
SR-99's southern terminus, and the Wheeler Ridge Interchange, viewed looking north from I-5 in the Tejon Pass.
SR 99 crossing the San Joaquin River at the northern border of Fresno with the early stages of construction of California High-Speed Rail's San Joaquin River Viaduct, as well as the existing Union Pacific Railroad bridge, also visible
Facing north from Skyway on SR 99 in Chico with the Butte College, Chico Campus visible on the right