Malibu Creek
Encyclopedia
Malibu Creek is a year-round stream in western Los Angeles County, California
. It drains the southern Simi Hills
and the westernmost San Fernando Valley
, flows south through the Santa Monica Mountains
, and enters Santa Monica Bay
east of Malibu. The Malibu Creek watershed drains 109 miles (175.4 km) and its tributary creeks reach as high as 3000 feet (914.4 m) into Ventura County, California
. The creek's mainstem begins at the confluence of Triunfo Creek (below Westlake Village, California
) and Lobo Canyon Creek, and flows 13.4 miles (21.6 km) to Malibu Lagoon.
Malibu Canyon is a chief pass though the mountains, and Malibu Canyon Road is a major north/south route connecting the coast to the inland valley. The creek starts at Malibou Lake
, which is held back by the Malibu Lake Dam. Further downstream, Malibu Creek waterfalls 100 feet over the Rindge Dam
, then carves its final path into Malibu Lagoon.
life, and the boundary between the Chumash tribes, who lived to the northwest, and the Gabrieliño, to the south and east, was there.
The origin of the creek's name likely derives from the Chumash term U-mali-wu, which means "it makes a loud noise there". The Spanish recorded this as 'Malibu', and this spelling appears in the Topanga Malibu Sequit land grant on July 12, 1805..
(DPS) have declined dramatically from annual runs totaling 32,000-46,000 adults to less than 500 returning adult fish. This estimate is based largely on the four major steelhead-bearing watersheds (Santa Ynez River
, Ventura River
, Santa Clara River
, and Malibu Creek. Genetic analysis of the steelhead in all four of these watersheds has shown them to be of native and not hatchery stocks. A sand berm across the mouth of the Malibu Creek Lagoon blocks the stream to ocean-based steelhead except during the rainy winter season when high flows breach the berm and opens access to the estuary. The fish quickly reach an impassable barrier presented by the 30 meter high Rindge Dam
, restricting them to the lowest 3.2 km of more than 112 km of historic steelhead habitat. The dam, originally built for water storage and flood control in 1926, no longer functions as the reservoir is completely filled with sediment. Over the past decade several government agencies and non-profit organizations have been trying to remove the dam to restore access to upstream spawning habitat. In 1997, the southern Evolutionarily Significant Unit (ESU) of steelhead trout was added to the federal list of endangered species, with Malibu Creek as the southernmost boundary. Since 1997, the protected range of this ESU has been extended to the U.S./Mexican border. The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) estimates that only 500 anadromous adults remain within this ESU (NMFS 2007). In summer, 2006, there was a massive die off of native and exotic fish and invertebrates in Malibu Creek, thought to be due to a combination of pollution, high temperatures and low oxygen. The steelhead trout population fell to zero by November, 2006. Fortunately, surveys in summer 2008 documented five returning adult steelhead (over 50 cm) and over 2,200 smolt
s (under 10 cm) were also recorded.
The rare plant Malibu baccharis
(Baccharis malibuensis) is endemic to the Malibu Creek drainage.
. In this park, the Rindge Dam becomes a 100 feet (30.5 m) waterfall, emptying into a perennial deep pool. Eventually the creek empties into the 13 acres (52,609.2 m²) Malibu Lagoon.
's Paramount Ranch, Malibu Creek State Park
, and Tapia Park. The Gillette Ranch, once owned by King Gillette and later by Soka University, is being converted to parkland and a multi-million dollar visitor center is being built. Numerous movies and TV shows were filmed in the area, such as Planet of the Apes
and M*A*S*H.
Los Angeles County, California
Los Angeles County is a county in the U.S. state of California. As of 2010 U.S. Census, the county had a population of 9,818,605, making it the most populous county in the United States. Los Angeles County alone is more populous than 42 individual U.S. states...
. It drains the southern Simi Hills
Simi Hills
The Simi Hills are a low rocky mountain range of the Transverse Ranges, located in eastern Ventura County and western Los Angeles County, of southern California, United States.-Geography:...
and the westernmost San Fernando Valley
San Fernando Valley
The San Fernando Valley is an urbanized valley located in the Los Angeles metropolitan area of southern California, United States, defined by the dramatic mountains of the Transverse Ranges circling it...
, flows south through the Santa Monica Mountains
Santa Monica Mountains
The Santa Monica Mountains are a Transverse Range in Southern California, along the coast of the Pacific Ocean in the United States.-Geography:...
, and enters Santa Monica Bay
Santa Monica Bay
Santa Monica Bay is a bight of the Pacific Ocean in southern California, United States. Its boundaries are slightly ambiguous, but it is generally considered to be the part of the Pacific within an imaginary line drawn between Point Dume, in Malibu, and the Palos Verdes Peninsula. Its eastern...
east of Malibu. The Malibu Creek watershed drains 109 miles (175.4 km) and its tributary creeks reach as high as 3000 feet (914.4 m) into Ventura County, California
Ventura County, California
Ventura County is a county in the southern part of the U.S. state of California. It is located on California's Pacific coast. It is often referred to as the Gold Coast, and has a reputation of being one of the safest populated places and one of the most affluent places in the country...
. The creek's mainstem begins at the confluence of Triunfo Creek (below Westlake Village, California
Westlake Village, California
Westlake Village is a planned community that straddles the Los Angeles and Ventura county line. The eastern portion is the incorporated city Westlake Village, located on the western edge of Los Angeles County, California. The city, located in the region known as the Conejo Valley, encompasses half...
) and Lobo Canyon Creek, and flows 13.4 miles (21.6 km) to Malibu Lagoon.
Malibou Lake
Malibou Lake is a small, artificial lake in the Santa Monica Mountains, as well as a community, near Agoura Hills, California, USA. Located within Malibu Creek State Park, and almost completely surrounded by the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area, is situated between Malibu Beach and...
, which is held back by the Malibu Lake Dam. Further downstream, Malibu Creek waterfalls 100 feet over the Rindge Dam
Rindge Dam
The -tall Rindge Dam on Malibu Creek is located in Malibu Creek State Park, about three miles from the coast of Malibu, California. It is situated just northeast of Malibu Canyon Road, from which it is only partially visible...
, then carves its final path into Malibu Lagoon.
History
The area around Malibu Creek was for centuries a major area of Native AmericanIndigenous peoples of the Americas
The indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of North and South America, their descendants and other ethnic groups who are identified with those peoples. Indigenous peoples are known in Canada as Aboriginal peoples, and in the United States as Native Americans...
life, and the boundary between the Chumash tribes, who lived to the northwest, and the Gabrieliño, to the south and east, was there.
The origin of the creek's name likely derives from the Chumash term U-mali-wu, which means "it makes a loud noise there". The Spanish recorded this as 'Malibu', and this spelling appears in the Topanga Malibu Sequit land grant on July 12, 1805..
Ecology
It is estimated that the Steelhead trout (Oncorhyncus mykiss) populations within the Southern California Coast Steelhead Distinct population segmentDistinct population segment
A distinct population segment is the smallest division of a taxonomic species permitted to be protected under the U.S. Endangered Species Act. Species, as defined in the Act for listing purposes, is a taxonomic species or subspecies of plant or animal, or in the case of vertebrate species, a...
(DPS) have declined dramatically from annual runs totaling 32,000-46,000 adults to less than 500 returning adult fish. This estimate is based largely on the four major steelhead-bearing watersheds (Santa Ynez River
Santa Ynez River
The Santa Ynez River is one of the largest rivers on the Central Coast of California. It is long, flowing from east to west through the Santa Ynez Valley, reaching the Pacific Ocean at Surf, near Vandenberg Air Force Base and the city of Lompoc....
, Ventura River
Ventura River
The Ventura River is a river in Ventura County, California. The river forms at the confluence of Matilija Creek and North Fork Matilija Creek, upstream from the Pacific Ocean...
, Santa Clara River
Santa Clara River (California)
The Santa Clara River is approximately long, located in southern California in the United States. It drains an area of the coastal mountains north of Los Angeles. The Santa Clara is one of the largest river systems along the coast of Southern California and one of only a few remaining river...
, and Malibu Creek. Genetic analysis of the steelhead in all four of these watersheds has shown them to be of native and not hatchery stocks. A sand berm across the mouth of the Malibu Creek Lagoon blocks the stream to ocean-based steelhead except during the rainy winter season when high flows breach the berm and opens access to the estuary. The fish quickly reach an impassable barrier presented by the 30 meter high Rindge Dam
Rindge Dam
The -tall Rindge Dam on Malibu Creek is located in Malibu Creek State Park, about three miles from the coast of Malibu, California. It is situated just northeast of Malibu Canyon Road, from which it is only partially visible...
, restricting them to the lowest 3.2 km of more than 112 km of historic steelhead habitat. The dam, originally built for water storage and flood control in 1926, no longer functions as the reservoir is completely filled with sediment. Over the past decade several government agencies and non-profit organizations have been trying to remove the dam to restore access to upstream spawning habitat. In 1997, the southern Evolutionarily Significant Unit (ESU) of steelhead trout was added to the federal list of endangered species, with Malibu Creek as the southernmost boundary. Since 1997, the protected range of this ESU has been extended to the U.S./Mexican border. The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) estimates that only 500 anadromous adults remain within this ESU (NMFS 2007). In summer, 2006, there was a massive die off of native and exotic fish and invertebrates in Malibu Creek, thought to be due to a combination of pollution, high temperatures and low oxygen. The steelhead trout population fell to zero by November, 2006. Fortunately, surveys in summer 2008 documented five returning adult steelhead (over 50 cm) and over 2,200 smolt
Smolt
Smolt may refer to:* Spawn , a juvenile fish.* Smolt , a project aimed at hardware information collection....
s (under 10 cm) were also recorded.
The rare plant Malibu baccharis
Baccharis malibuensis
Baccharis malibuensis is a rare species of flowering plant in the aster family known by the common name Malibu baccharis. It is endemic to Los Angeles County, California, where it is known from only six occurrences in the Malibu Creek drainage in the Santa Monica Mountains near Malibu. It grows in...
(Baccharis malibuensis) is endemic to the Malibu Creek drainage.
Malibu Creek Watershed
Malibu Creek has several tributaries draining the Santa Monica Mountains. These include streams draining to Lake Sherwood, and thence via Potrero Valley Creek to Westlake Lake, then down Triunfo Creek to its confluence with Lobo Canyon Creek which is the origin of Malibu Creek. Amongst many other tributaries are Medea Creek, Las Virgenes Creek and Cold Creek. Medea Creek and Malibu Creek join to form Malibu Lake. Further downstream Las Virgenes Creek joins Malibu Creek at Malibu Creek State ParkMalibu Creek State Park
Malibu Creek State Park is a California state park in the Santa Monica Mountains near Malibu, in Calabasas. It opened to the public in 1976.-Location:Malibu Creek State Park stretches from below Malibu Lake in the west to Piuma Road in the east...
. In this park, the Rindge Dam becomes a 100 feet (30.5 m) waterfall, emptying into a perennial deep pool. Eventually the creek empties into the 13 acres (52,609.2 m²) Malibu Lagoon.
Parks
Parkland in the creek's drainage include the National Park ServiceNational Park Service
The National Park Service is the U.S. federal agency that manages all national parks, many national monuments, and other conservation and historical properties with various title designations...
's Paramount Ranch, Malibu Creek State Park
Malibu Creek State Park
Malibu Creek State Park is a California state park in the Santa Monica Mountains near Malibu, in Calabasas. It opened to the public in 1976.-Location:Malibu Creek State Park stretches from below Malibu Lake in the west to Piuma Road in the east...
, and Tapia Park. The Gillette Ranch, once owned by King Gillette and later by Soka University, is being converted to parkland and a multi-million dollar visitor center is being built. Numerous movies and TV shows were filmed in the area, such as Planet of the Apes
Planet of the Apes
La Planète des singes, known in English as Monkey Planet or Planet of the Apes, is a French 1963 science fiction novel by Pierre Boulle...
and M*A*S*H.