Santa Clara River (California)
Santa Clara River Rio de Santa Clara | |
---|---|
Physical characteristics | |
Source | San Gabriel Mountains |
• location | Aliso Canyon, Angeles National Forest, Los Angeles County |
• coordinates | 34°26′01″N 118°21′51″W / 34.43361°N 118.36417°W[2] |
• elevation | 5,800 ft (1,800 m) |
Oxnard, Ventura County | |
• coordinates | 34°14′07″N 119°15′49″W / 34.23528°N 119.26361°W[2] |
• elevation | 0 ft (0 m) |
Length | 83 mi (134 km) |
Basin size | 1,600 sq mi (4,100 km2) |
Discharge | |
• location | Ventura[3] |
• average | 176 cu ft/s (5.0 m3/s)[3] |
• minimum | 0 cu ft/s (0 m3/s)[3][note 1] |
• maximum | 165,000 cu ft/s (4,700 m3/s)[4] |
Basin features | |
Tributaries | |
• right |
The Santa Clara River (Spanish: Río Santa Clara) is an 83 mi (134 km) long[5] river in Ventura and Los Angeles counties in Southern California. It drains parts of four ranges in the Transverse Ranges System north and northwest of Los Angeles, then flows west onto the Oxnard Plain and into the Santa Barbara Channel of the Pacific Ocean.
The watershed has provided habitat for a wide array of native plants and animals and has historically supplied humans with water, fish, and fertile farmland. The northern portion of the watershed was home to the
History
The Santa Clara River was originally named the Río de Santa Clara on August 9, 1769, by the
The Santa Clara-Mojave River Ranger District of the Angeles National Forest is named after the Santa Clara River.
Floods
The failure and near complete collapse of the St. Francis Dam took place in the middle of the night on March 12, 1928. The dam was holding a full reservoir of 12.4×109 US gal (4.7×1010 L) of water that surged down San Francisquito Canyon and emptied into the river.
Course
The Santa Clara River's headwaters take drainage from the northern slopes of the
After the Castaic Creek confluence, the river starts to flow primarily southwest through the
Watershed
Although located just north of the heavily populated
The Santa Clara River watershed borders on the Ventura River/Matilija Creek watershed on the west. On the northwest lies the Santa Ynez River watershed. On the north is the interior drainage basin of Tulare Lake in the Central Valley. To the east is the Mojave River and to the south is the Los Angeles River. The Santa Clara River is the second largest river in Southern California; the larger one is the Santa Ana River.
Estuary
The estuary has been modified by human activities at least since 1855. By the late 1920s roads and agricultural fields had become established. In the late 1950s the former delta area was occupied by the Ventura Water Reclamation Facility and agricultural fields with levees constraining the river from these areas and directing the flow to the Harbor Boulevard bridge.[9] McGrath State Beach was established in 1948.[10] The estuary has been designated a Natural Preserve within McGrath State Beach on the south bank of the river mouth.[11]
From the north bank of the river, the city of Ventura releases some 9,000,000 US gal (34,000,000 L; 7,500,000 imp gal) of treated
The estuary was identified on the 1998, 2002 and 2006 Clean Water Act 303(d) lists of impaired water bodies.[9] In 2012, the Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board required the Counties of Ventura and Los Angeles together with cities along the river to limit the total maximum daily load of bacteria potentially harmful to human health that discharges from stormwater outfalls into the Santa Clara River, primarily during the dry season. Sources of bacteria of concern in urban runoff from the county, City of Fillmore, City of Oxnard, City of Santa Clarita, City of Santa Paula, and City of Ventura include pet and animal wastes, sanitary sewer overflows, and organic debris such as leaves and grass. Examples of ways they will improve water quality include increased frequencies of street sweeping and stormwater catch basin cleaning; field surveys to locate and eliminate both dry season street runoff and leaks from the sanitary sewer systems; and enhanced public education.[15]
Ecology
The river is habitat for threatened species such as the
Historic documentation of an important recreational steelhead trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) fishery occurs for the Santa Clara River into the mid 1900s.[17] The steelhead trout run on the Santa Clara river prior to 1940 is estimated to have had thousands of fish and to have been one of the largest steelhead runs in southern California.[18] Construction of the Vern Freeman Diversion Dam and other migration barriers on the mainstem, Santa Paula Creek, Sespe Creek, Piru Creek, and other tributaries during the mid 1900s appear to be correlated with the demise of the steelhead run as habitat availability decreased and surface flows decreased.[17][18] Adult steelhead still try to migrate up the river with an adult trapped at the Vern Freeman Dam in 2001. A wild rainbow trout population still exists in the headwaters of the Santa Paula, Sespe, Hopper, and Piru Creek tributaries and is producing out-migrating steelhead smolts bound for the Pacific.[17] However, challenges to outgoing smolt migration include low to no stream flows downstream of the dam or predation in the coastal estuary.[19] Lampreys, a parasite, also impact the steelhead.[20] Invasive species such as Arundo donax also create changes that are not favorable to spawning trout.[21] Genetic analysis of the steelhead in the Santa Clara River watershed has shown them to be of native and not hatchery stocks.[22]
There were
In 2002, eight
Quagga mussels were discovered in Lake Piru in 2013. They are an invasive species found in rivers and lakes in the U.S.[28]
River modifications
In Ventura County
The Harbor Boulevard bridge, the most westerly crossing, marks the upstream boundary of McGrath State Beach and the Ventura Water Reclamation Facility while the estuary continues a little farther upstream. In 1969 the river breached the north bank, flowed through an area that had historical been part of the estuary, flooded a new golf course and Harbor Boulevard, and deposited silt and debris into recently completed
Over the years, many communities have used the river banks as
The riverbed was mined extensively for
There are also water diversions, most notably the Freeman Diversion Dam, located approximately 10.7 mi (17.2 km) from the ocean The district provides wholesale water delivery through three pipelines to various portions of the Oxnard Plain.
The Vern Freeman Diversion Dam, built by United Water in 1991 on the Santa Clara river, channels water to shallow basins designed to replenish the aquifer. For decades before the structure was built, earthen dams were constructed in the river to divert water to farmers and replenished the aquifer. The berms would have to be rebuilt whenever winter rains created a flow that breached the berms.[35] Southern California Steelhead were declared endangered in 1997 and the fish ladder on the structure was deemed insufficient. The National Marine Fisheries Service determined in 2015 that fixing this was a high priority since it is the first structure the steelhead encounter when attempting to migrate from the ocean.[36] A judge determined in 2018 that the federal Endangered Species Act had been violated by United Water by failing to ensure that the structure provided an adequate water supply and migratory passageway for steelhead.[37]
Treated Wastewater
In Los Angeles County
The main channel of the Santa Clara River through the city of Santa Clarita remains largely natural, a variety of modifications have been made to the river and its major tributaries. The South Fork of the Santa Clara River features a system of 14 weirs that regulate the flow of the river through Newhall, Valencia, and Saugus. Bouquet Creek is channelized at the confluence of every minor creek that flows into it, most notably along a 0.4 mi (0.64 km) stretch of its riverbed near its confluence with the Santa Clara River.
The
During the decades the project on the Newhall Ranch has been in planning, it has faced legal actions and environmental concerns. The downstream impact and other effects also drew Ventura County officials and citizens into opposition to the project.
Restoration
There has been significant interest in protecting and restoring the river habit.
The city of Santa Clarita protects significant portions of the natural ecology of the river within the Santa Clara River Open Space preserve, which includes portions of San Francisquito Creek and the South Fork of the Santa Clara River north of Lyons Avenue in Newhall.
Two
See also
Notes
- ^ The river is heavily dependent on seasonal rains, so its flow is often zero.
References
- ^ a b Gudde, Erwin G. (1949). California Place Names: A Geographical Dictionary. Berkeley, California: University of California Press. p. 315.
- ^ a b U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Santa Clara River
- ^ a b c "USGS Gage #11114000 on the Santa Clara River at Montalvo, CA (Monthly Averages)". National Water Information System. U.S. Geological Survey. 1928–2004. Retrieved September 16, 2010.
- ^ "USGS Gage #11114000 on the Santa Clara River at Montalvo, CA (Peak Streamflow)". National Water Information System. U.S. Geological Survey. 1932–2004. Retrieved September 16, 2010.
- ^ U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline data. The National Map, accessed March 16, 2011
- ^ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Santa Clara Estuary Natural Preserve
- ^ "State of the Watershed – Report on Surface Water Quality: The Santa Clara River Watershed" (November 2006) RB-AR22181 California Regional Water Quality Control Board – Los Angeles Region
- ^ "California Protected Areas Data Portal" GreenInfo Network San Francisco California
- ^ a b c STAFF REPORT (August 2010) "TOTAL MAXIMUM DAILY LOAD FOR TOXAPHENE FOR THE SANTA CLARA RIVER ESTUARY" CALIFORNIA REGIONAL WATER QUALITY CONTROL BOARD - LOS ANGELES REGION
- ^ Johnson, Brett (December 15, 2014) "McGrath State Beach campground, estuary issues under study" Ventura County Star
- California Resources Agency
- ^ Clerici, Kevin (August 17, 2011) "Ventura reaches settlement, agrees to reuse millions of gallons of highly treated sewage water" Ventura County Star
- ^ Carlson, Cheri (August 25, 2014) "Campground flooded, closes again" Ventura County Star
- ^ Carlson, Cheri (February 11, 2014) "Sandy berm breached near McGrath State Beach campground" Ventura County Star
- ^ Administrative Report (October 27, 2014) "Memorandum of Agreement to Improve Water Quality in the Santa Clara River" City of San Buenaventura City Council
- ^ Sahagun, Louis (August 22, 2016). "Environmentalists to sue San Bernardino and Colton over the killing of threatened fish". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved August 23, 2016.
- ^ a b c Matt Stoecker; Elise Kelley (December 2005). Santa Clara River Steelhead Trout: Assessment and Recovery Opportunities (Report). The Santa Clara River Trustee Council and The Nature Conservancy. Retrieved June 7, 2010.
- ^ a b Moore, Mark (1980). An Assessment of the Impacts of the Proposed Improvements to the Vern Freeman Diversion on Anadromous Fishes of the Santa Clara River System, Ventura County, California (Report). Ventura County Environmental Resources under contract 670. Archived from the original on July 21, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2010.
- ^ Elise Kelley. Steelhead Trout Smolt Survival in the Santa Clara and Santa Ynez River Estuaries (Report). California Department of Fish and Game Fisheries Restoration Grant Program. Retrieved June 7, 2010.
- ^ D'Angelo, Alexa (March 31, 2019). "Third-graders at Rio del Sol School banded together to help save an endangered fish". Ventura County Star. Retrieved April 1, 2019.
- ^ Kallas, Anne (February 8, 2012) "Pair working to restore Santa Clara River" Ventura County Star
- S2CID 32490944.
- ^ Chumash Field Notes, John P. Harrington Papers Microfilm edition: Volume 3, Reel 85, Frame 0305 - 0307. National Anthropological Archives, Smithsonian Institution. Retrieved January 2, 2017.
- ^ "MVZ Mammals 4918 Castor canadensis subauratus Sespe River". Berkeley, California: Museum of Vertebrate Zoology. Retrieved January 2, 2017.
- ^ Walter P. Taylor (1916). The Status of the Beavers in Western America with a Consideration of the Factors in their Speciation, in University of California Publications in Zoology Vol. 12. Berkeley, California: University of California. p. 449. Retrieved January 2, 2017.
- ^ Pedro Font. Expanded Diary of Pedro Font. Archived from the original on July 17, 2011. Retrieved January 30, 2011.
- ^ "Eight Willow Flycatchers Fledge at Hedrick Ranch Nature Area". Friends of Santa Clara River. January 4, 2001. Retrieved April 9, 2013.
- ^ Coyne, Alasdair (January 27, 2014) "Quagga mussels loose in Santa Clara watershed" Ventura County Star
- ^ Meyers, Jeff (November 1, 1990) "An Era of Sail Lies Anchored in Two Harbors : Boating: Ventura County shoreline took on greater appeal with construction of marinas in Ventura and Oxnard." Los Angeles Times
- ^ Miller, Joanna M. (March 20, 1994). "A Few Deadly Floods Stand Out in County". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved March 19, 2017.
- ^ McGrath, Rachel (September 4, 2014) "Sanitation district to pay $466,000 penalty for landfill gas violations" Ventura County Star
- ^ McCartney, Patrick (August 31, 1993) "Gravel Producer Drops Plans for Mining River : Environment: Granite Construction decides that regulations would make it too costly to extract rocks and sand from the Santa Clara." Los Angeles Times
- ^ Herdt, Timm (April 2, 2015). "Fox Canyon agency added to complaint over water diversions". Ventura County Star.
- ^ Wenner, Gretchen (December 31, 2011) "Brackish plant on Oxnard Plain could clean salty water" Ventura County Star
- ^ Barlow, Zeke (May 26, 2011) "Little known Freeman Diversion shaped Ventura County" Ventura County Star
- ^ Wenner, Gretchen (January 23, 2015) "$60 million cost for fish passage has district reeling" Ventura County Star
- ^ Boyd-Barrett, Claudia (October 2, 2018). "Judge says steelhead need more help in Santa Clara River". Ventura County Star. Retrieved March 21, 2019.
- ^ Kelly, Peggy (December 15, 2010) "Santa Paula’s new water recycling facility officially completed" Archived April 5, 2015, at the Wayback Machine Santa Paula Times
- ^ Boyd-Barrett, Claudia (February 3, 2015) "Santa Paula will buy wastewater treatment plant" Archived February 11, 2015, at the Wayback Machine Ventura County Star (subscription may be required for this article)
- ^ Hamilton, Denise (April 03, 1988) "Homes on the Range : Developers Pushing Ranchers Out" Los Angeles Times
- ^ Sahagun, Louis (March 6, 2014). "Newhall Ranch project faces new hurdles with environmentalists' suit". Los Angeles Times.
- ^ "SEA Program – Significant Ecological Areas Program". Archived from the original on October 8, 2020. Retrieved October 7, 2020.
- ^ Holt, Jim (August 17, 2010 - Updated: August 18, 2010) "High cost of compliance" The Santa Clarita Valley Signal Retrieved April 10, 2014.
- ^ Barlow, Zeke (December 27, 2011)"Newhall's impact on Ventura County debated" Ventura County Star
- ^ Khouri, Andrew (August 7, 2014) "San Pedro project illustrates a cause of limited housing affordability" Los Angeles Times
- ^ Sahagun, Louis (March 20, 2014). "Court clears way for Newhall Ranch project to proceed". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved March 21, 2014.
- ^ Coon, Arthur F. (April 4, 2014) "Second District Addresses Interesting CEQA and CESA Species Mitigation Issues in Lengthy Partially Published Opinion Upholding Resource Management and Conservation Approvals for Newhall Ranch Project, but "Hides its Work" on Significant Greenhouse Gas Issues in Unpublished Portion" CEQA Developments. Miller Starr Regalia Retrieved 14 July 2014
- ^ Sahagun, Louis (July 11, 2014). "California Supreme Court to review opinion in Newhall Ranch dispute". Los Angeles Times.
- ^ Coon, Arthur F. (July 11, 2014) "Supreme Court's CEQA Docket Expands With Grant of Review in Newhall Ranch Case" CEQA Developments. Miller Starr Regalia Retrieved 14 July 2014
- ^ Sahagun, Louis (June 15, 2017). "State officials clear a roadblock to the controversial Newhall Ranch development". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved June 17, 2017.
- LA Times. Retrieved October 25, 2017.
- ^ Carlson, Cheri (May 25, 2019). "The Santa Clara River may be one of the last of its kind in Southern California". Ventura County Star. Retrieved May 28, 2019.
- ^ Biasotti, Tony (September 9, 2011) "Conservation groups give update on Santa Clara River efforts" Ventura County Star
- ^ "Santa Clara River". The Nature Conservancy. Retrieved January 20, 2022.
- ^ Downing, Jim; Blumberg, Louis; Hallstein, Eric (2014). "Case study 4: Santa Clara River Floodplain Protection Program" (PDF). Written at California Program. Reducing Climate Risks with Natural Infrastructure (Report). San Francisco: The Nature Conservancy. p. 16. Retrieved November 9, 2014.
- ^ Graff, Stephen (May 8, 2020). "The Coronavirus Is Halting Conservation Programs And The Impact Could Be Devastating". HuffPost. Retrieved May 9, 2020.
- ^ Wilson, Kathleen (February 13, 2022). "Judge upholds Ventura County law protecting wildlife corridors after 3-year-old court battle". Ventura County Star.
External links
- Los Angeles County Public Works
- "Santa Clara River Estuary". California Resources Agency. Archived from the original on June 11, 2007.
- Friends of the Santa Clara River
- Nature Conservancy of California site on the Santa Clara River
- SCOPE Santa Clarita Organization for Planning The Environment
- California State Coastal Conservancy's Santa Clara River Parkway Project