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| The Santa Ana River Watershed |
A watershed is the geographic area draining into a river system, ocean or other body of water through a single outlet and includes the receiving waters. Watersheds are usually bordered, and separated from other watersheds, by mountains ridges or other naturally elevated areas.
Pervious surface, mostly dirt and sand (undeveloped land) allows water to soak into the ground and can transport water into ground water or under surface aquifers that we pump up to use for drinking water.
Impervious surface, roofs, roads, sidewalks, parking lots etc. where rain water flows as runoff over the surface and does not soak in. This is the runoff that harms water quality because of the surface sediments, metals, toxics, nutrients and trash that are carried by the runoff flows. Fish and smaller forms of stream/bay/coastal organisms are sensitive to changes in factors such as streamflow and water quality. They are excellent biological indicators of the effects of urban development. If their environment is deteriorating, eventually the effects will be felt by humans.
We all live in a watershed
A watershed is a self-contained environmental unit, and that makes it a good area in which to learn how to manage the effects of urban development. Just as storm water systems (storm drains and flood control channels) protect our houses and cities to keep us safe, its the same system that delivers urban runoff when its not raining. Its called "dry weather flows" or better yet, dry storm water runoff!
The runoff usually ends up in a bay, wetland or along our coastline beaches. While the county health agency monitors our local waters for bacteria which can harm humans, not much monitoring is being implemented that tests the many harmful metals and toxics and nutrients that end up across our beaches and into the coastal ecosystem.
Orange County has 13 watersheds:
A) Coyote Creek Watershed
Area: 41.3 square miles
Cities Included: Brea, Buena Park, Fullerton, La Habra, and La Palma
Tributary: flows from Riverside County
Common Outlet: San Gabriel River
B) Carbon Canyon
Area: 21.4 square miles
Cities Include: Anaheim, Brea, Buena Park, Cypress, Fullerton, La Palma, and Los Alamitos
Common Outlet: San Gabriel River
C) Westminster
Area: 74.1 square miles
Cities: Anaheim, Cypress, Fountain Valley, Garden Grove, Huntington Beach, Los Alamitos, Santa Ana, Seal Beach, Stanton, and Westminster
Tributaries: Los Alamitos Channel, Bolsa Chica Channel, East Garden Grove-Wintersburg Channel
Common Outlet: San Gabriel River, Anaheim Bay-Huntington Harbour complex, Huntington Harbour
D) Talbert
Area: 21.4 square miles
Cities: Costa Mesa, Fountain Valley, Huntington Beach, Newport Beach, and Santa Ana
Tributaries: Talbert and Huntington Beach Channels, Greenville-Banning Channel
Common Outlet: Talbert Marsh, Santa Ana River
E) Santa Ana River
Area: 153.2 square miles
Cities: Anaheim, Brea, Huntington Beach, Orange, Placentia, Santa Ana, Villa Park, and Yorba Linda
Tributary: Santiago Creek
Common Outlet: Huntington Beach
F) San Diego Creek
Area: 112.2 square miles
Cities: Costa Mesa, Irvine, Laguna Woods, Lake Forest, Newport Beach, Orange, Santa Ana, and Tustin.
Tributaries: San Diego Creek, Serrano Creek, Borrego Canyon Wash, Agua Chinon Wash, Bee Canyon Wash, Peters Canyon Wash, Sand Canyon Wash, Bonita Canyon Creek, Santa Ana Delhi Channel
Common Outlet: Upper Newport Bay
 G) Newport Bay Watersheds
Area: 13.2 square miles
Cities: Costa Mesa and Newport Beach
Tributaries: East Costa Mesa, Santa Isabel
Common Outlet: Newport Bay
H) Newport Coast
Area: 11.2 square miles
Cities: Newport Beach and Laguna Beach
Tributaries: Newport Coast, Muddy Creek
Common Outlet: San Joaquin Hills
I) Laguna Canyon
Area: 10.5 square miles
Cities: Aliso Viejo, Laguna Beach, and Laguna Woods
Tributary: Laguna Canyon Channel
Common Outlet: Laguna Beach
J) Aliso Creek
Area: 30.4 square miles
Cities: Aliso Viejo, Dana Point, Laguna Niguel, Laguna Woods, Laguna Beach, and Lake Forest.
Tributaries: Aliso Creek, Wood Canyon, Sulphur Creek, the Aliso Hills Channel, English Channel
Common Outlet: Aliso Creek Park
K) Salt Creek
Area: 6.1 square miles
City: Dana Point
Tributary: Salt Creek
Common Outlet : Salt Creek Park, Dana Point
L) San Juan Creek
Area: 133.9 square miles
Cities: Dana Point, Laguna Hills, Laguna Niguel, Mission Viejo, Rancho Santa Margarita, and San Juan Capistrano
Tributaries: San Juan Creek, Arroyo Trabuco, Oso Creek
Common Outlet: Doheny State Beach, Dana Point
M) San Clemente
Area: 31.8 square miles
Cities: San Clemente, San Juan Capistrano
Tributaries: Prima Deshecha Canada, Segunda Deshecha Canada
Common Outlet : Pacific Ocean
For more information go to www. ocwatersheds.com |
