San Diego River
San Diego River | |
---|---|
![]() Looking upstream near mouth | |
Location | |
Country | United States |
State | California |
Region | San Diego County |
Physical characteristics | |
Source | Cuyamaca Mountains |
• location | 5 miles (8 km) northwest ofJulian, California |
• coordinates | 33°07′09″N116°39′00″W/ 33.11917°N 116.65000°W[1] |
• elevation | 3,750 ft (1,140 m) |
Mouth | Mission Bay |
• location | Community of Ocean Beach,San Diego, California |
• coordinates | 32°45′37″N117°12′45″W/ 32.76028°N 117.21250°W[1] |
• elevation | 13 ft (4.0 m)[1] |
Length | 52 mi (84 km) |
Basin size | 420 sq mi (1,100 km2)[2] |
Discharge | |
• average | 38.3 cu ft/s (1.08 m3/s) |
• minimum | 0 cu ft/s (0 m3/s) |
• maximum | 94,500 cu ft/s (2,680 m3/s) |
TheSan Diego Riveris ariverinSan Diego County, California.It originates in theCuyamaca Mountainsnorthwest of the town ofJulian,then flows to the southwest until it reaches theEl Capitan Reservoir,the second-largestreservoirin the river'swatershedat 112,800 acre-feet (139,100,000 m3). BelowEl Capitan Dam,the river runs west throughSanteeandSan Diego.While passing throughTierrasantait goes throughMission Trails Regional Park,one of the largest urban parks in America.
It flows near theMission San Diego de Alcalá.The river's valley downstream from there is known asMission Valleyfor that reason. The valley forms a transportation corridor forInterstate 8and for theSan Diego TrolleyGreen Line.The river discharges into the Pacific Ocean near the entrance toMission Bay,forming anestuary.
History
[edit]The river has changed its course several times in recorded history. Prior to 1821, the San Diego River usually enteredSan Diego Bay.In the fall of 1821, however, a flood changed the river channel in one night, and the greater volume of the flow was diverted into what was then known as False Bay (now referred to asMission Bay), leaving only a small stream still flowing into the harbor (J. C. Hayes 1874). This flood was remarkable in that no rain fell along the coast. The river was later observed to flow into San Diego Harbor in 1849 and 1856, and the U. S. Coast and Geodetic Survey map of 1859 shows it to be flowing there once again. Because of the high deposition rate of the river, which threatened to ruin San Diego Bay as a harbor, the federal government diverted the flow into Mission Bay and built a levee embankment,Derby Dike,of earth extending from near Old Town to Point Loma in the fall of 1853 (Derby 1853). Later that year, heavy rains caused the river to change course once again, washing out part of the levee and resuming its old course into the harbor (San Diego Herald 1855).
The worst flood in this area was in 1862. This was part of theGreat Flood of 1862,which impacted the entireWestern United States,and had a bearing on theCivil War.In San Diego,Mission Valleywas inundated, and houses in lowerOld Townwere flooded when severe winds from a sea storm from the south backed the water up from the bay into the river (Pourade 1964:250). This flood was very significant because it held its peak for over twenty-four hours. In 1876, the levee was reconstructed, and no further diversions into San Diego Bay have occurred. Since then, a considerable volume of sediment has been added to the San Diego River delta in Mission Bay from occasional floods.
In 1935 El Capitan Dam was constructed 27 miles up the San Diego River; this reduced the sediment entering the bay considerably. An earlier dam was overtopped in 1916, increasing the floodwaters coming down Mission Valley at the time. The Mission Bay and San Diego River jetties were built in 1948, at a time when the shore of the bay was subject to alternating periods of recession and advance. By February 1951, the river levees had been connected to the jetties. All tidal flow was confined to a new channel. Since the river discharges only during flooding, the middle channel was soon completely filled. The channels were finished by 1955, after various difficulties were overcome and the jetties were considerably lengthened so that shallow bars would not form in the entrance.[3]
As San Diego’s Mission Vally grew in size, many businesses located along the banks of the San Diego River began to flood during heavy rain events. The flooding became so extreme that land owners on either side of the San Diego River got together to hatch a plan to contain the 100 year/1 hour rain events. Two men, Dean Wolf (of May Centers Inc.) and Denny Martini of the Bond Ranch (who owned ¾ of Mission Valley in 1908); hatch a bold plan to straighten out and contain the San Diego River. 10 years and over a million dollars was spent devising a plan to build a series of box culverts, “hump back” river banks with rip rap, islands, and hydro seeding. This plan would come to be known as the First San Diego River Improvement Project or FISDRIP (pronounced “Fiz Drip” as it was affectionately known by the land owners) However, the project stalled in 1986 as the financial crisis of 1986 put the projects financial viability in jeopardy. In a last-ditch effort to revive the project the Bond Ranch employed Robert Rodriguez (VP, Merrill Lynch Commercial Real Estate) to spearhead the issuance of Bonds to privately finance the project. The City of San Diego would also contribute to the effort. At this point in time the partnership was showing signs of falling apart. It was at this point that Robert Rodriguez and Denny Martini brought all of the owners together in the same room to sign a historic agreement known as the CHISM agreement. Trammell Crow/Bruce Hazard, Conrock, Don Samis, and May Department Stores were all party to the agreement. The agreement when implemented formed the largest assessment district in the City of San Diego, and the Largest Specific Plan ever adopted by the City of San Diego at that time. In short; private funding would be acquired through the issuance of bonds that were collateralized by the land owners. The funds would be used to straighten out the San Diego River. Additionally, land would be donated to the City of San Diego for the construction of the Trolly to help alleviate traffic congestion. In return the City allowed the reclamation of land for development on formerly “floodway fringe zone”. Most development in Mission Valley today originated with the CHISM agreement.
In September of 1987 the City of San Diego awarded the project a Resolution of Intent and a Notice to Proceed with the First San Diego River Improvement Project.
Water rights
[edit]In 1921, the city of San Diego filed suit against the Cuyamaca Water Company to establish its paramount right to the water of the San Diego River. After several court cases, theCalifornia State Supreme Courtdeclared in 1929 that the city's right was paramount because under Spanish and Mexican laws, thePueblo San Diegowas given exclusive rights to the use of the San Diego River, both surface and underground. TheTreaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgoobligated the U.S. to protect the grants and privileges decreed under the old rule.[4]
Course
[edit]The river travels 52 miles (84 km) from itsheadwatersto the ocean. The river's tributaries include:
- Oak Canyon Creek
- Spring Canyon Creek
- Forester Creek
- Los Coches Creek
- San Vicente Creek
- Wildcat Canyon Creek
- Chocolate Creek
- Conejos Creek
- Sand Creek
- Isham Creek
- Boulder Creek
- Cedar Creek
- Ritchie Creek
- Dye Canyon Creek
- Iron Springs Canyon Creek
- Temescal Creek
- Sentenac Creek
- Coleman Creek
Four additional reservoirs lie in the river's watershed.Cuyamaca Reservoiris located on Boulder Creek andSan Vicente Reservoiris fed by San Vicente Creek.Lake JenningsandLake Murrayare formed by thedammingofcanyons.
TheSan Diego River Park Foundationwas founded in 2001 and is dedicated to conserving the water, wildlife, recreation, culture and community involved with the San Diego River.[5]
The San Diego River Conservancy was established by an act of the California Legislature to preserve, restore and enhance the San Diego River area. The Conservancy is a non-regulatory agency of the state government with an independent nine-member governing board. It is tasked to acquire, manage and conserve land and to protect or provide recreational opportunities, open space, wildlife species and habitat, wetlands, water quality, natural flood conveyance, historical/cultural resources, and educational opportunities. One important goal is to help create a river-long park and hiking trail, stretching the full length of the river from its headwaters in the Cuyamaca Mountains to the Pacific Ocean.[6]
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Mouth
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Channel south of Mission Bay
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Crossing in Mission Trail Regional Park
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Old Mission Dam in Mission Trails Regional Park
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Coast to Crest Trail crosses river near headwaters
Crossings
[edit]From mouth to source:
San Diego[edit]
|
Santee[edit]
Lakeside[edit]
Julian[edit]
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References
[edit]- ^abcU.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: San Diego River
- ^"Boundary Descriptions and Names of Regions, Subregions, Accounting Units and Cataloging Units".U.S. Geological Survey.Retrieved2010-08-22.
- ^Kuhn, Gerald G., and Francis P. Shepard Sea Cliffs, Beaches, and Coastal Valleys of San Diego County: Some Amazing Histories and Some Horrifying Implications. Berkeley: University of California Press, c1984 1984.
- ^"A History of the Dams and Water Supply of Western San Diego County," by Lloyd Charles Fowler, 1953
- ^San Diego River Park Foundation website
- ^San Diego River Conservancy website