Penitencia Creek
Encyclopedia
Upper Penitencia Creek is actually one of two creeks by the name Penitencia Creek in northeastern Santa Clara Valley
of California
. They are both tributaries of Coyote Creek.
Lower Penitencia Creek flows along the historic Mission Road between Mission Santa Clara and Mission San Jose
. It runs through the city of Milpitas before receiving flows from Berryessa Creek
, Piedmont Creek, Arroyo de los Coches, Tularcitos Creek and Calera Creek before entering Coyote Creek
near the southern end of San Francisco Bay
.
and Father Crespí
left Monterey they crossed the Encarnacion Arroyo on November 24, 1769, their mission being to explore up the east side of San Francisco Bay, come round the top below Point Reyes
and reach San Francisco.
in the Diablo Range
. It plunges into Cherry Flat Reservoir and then flows through Alum Rock Park
, where it is joined by Arroyo Aguague. Lower down it forms the rough boundary between the Berryessa
and Alum Rock
districts of San Jose
. Unlike most creeks in the Valley, it follows a mostly natural course and does not have concrete or gabion embankments. Penitencia Creek Trail follows some of the creek: it begins unpaved at Noble Avenue in the east, passes percolation ponds which are open to the public, goes unofficially under Piedmont Road, becomes paved through Penitencia Creek Park, passes under Interstate 680, and ends in the far end of Penitencia Creek County Park at Mabury Road in the west.
The creek was diverted westward to Coyote Creek
in the 19th century to irrigate agriculture in that area, permanently splitting Upper Penitencia Creek from Lower Penitencia Creek.
(Oncorhynchus kisutch) historically, based on habitat suitability. However, a drop structure on Upper Penitencia Creek in Alum Rock Park presents a severe partial barrier to fish passage, but an engineering analysis to modify the barrier is in the final planning phase in 2011.
Santa Clara Valley
The Santa Clara Valley is a valley just south of the San Francisco Bay in Northern California in the United States. Much of Santa Clara County and its county seat, San José, are in the Santa Clara Valley. The valley was originally known as the Valley of Heart’s Delight for its high concentration...
of California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. They are both tributaries of Coyote Creek.
Lower Penitencia Creek flows along the historic Mission Road between Mission Santa Clara and Mission San Jose
Mission San José
Mission San José was founded on June 11, 1797 on a site located in the "Mission San Jose District" of Fremont, California in the "Valley of San José." The settlement was the site of the first Ceasarian section childbirth in Alta California...
. It runs through the city of Milpitas before receiving flows from Berryessa Creek
Berryessa Creek
Berryessa Creek is a seasonal creek in northeastern San Jose and Milpitas. Its main source is located in the Los Buellis Hills slightly west of Felter Road. Berryessa Creek has many tributaries, including Piedmont Creek, Calera Creek, and Penitencia Creek. In the summer, Berryessa Creek is mostly...
, Piedmont Creek, Arroyo de los Coches, Tularcitos Creek and Calera Creek before entering Coyote Creek
Coyote Creek
Coyote Creek is a river that flows through the Santa Clara Valley in California, United States.-History:Coyote Creek was originally named Arroyo del Coyote by Padre Pedro Font when the de Anza Expedition reached it on Sunday, March 31, 1776....
near the southern end of San Francisco Bay
San Francisco Bay
San Francisco Bay is a shallow, productive estuary through which water draining from approximately forty percent of California, flowing in the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers from the Sierra Nevada mountains, enters the Pacific Ocean...
.
History
The Ohlone called the creek Shistuk, meaning "place of rabbits". The creek was known as Arroyo de las Penitencia, named after the Penitencia adobe house which stood at the highway and was used as a house of confession and penitence in mission times. Earlier, when Pedro FagesPedro Fages
Pere Fages Beleta , nicknamed L'Ós , was a soldier, explorer, and the second Spanish military Governor of Las Californias Province of New Spain from 1770 to 1774, and the Governor of Las Californias from 1782 to 1791.-Life:...
and Father Crespí
Juan Crespi
Father Juan Crespí was a Majorcan missionary and explorer of Las Californias. He entered the Franciscan order at the age of seventeen. He came to America in 1749, and accompanied explorers Francisco Palóu and Junípero Serra. In 1767 he went to the Baja Peninsula and was placed in charge of the...
left Monterey they crossed the Encarnacion Arroyo on November 24, 1769, their mission being to explore up the east side of San Francisco Bay, come round the top below Point Reyes
Point Reyes
Point Reyes is a prominent cape on the Pacific coast of northern California. It is located in Marin County approximately WNW of San Francisco. The term is often applied to the Point Reyes Peninsula, the region bounded by Tomales Bay on the northeast and Bolinas Lagoon on the southeast...
and reach San Francisco.
Watershed
The source of Upper Penitencia Creek is on Poverty RidgePoverty Ridge
Poverty Ridge is a ridge in unincorporated Santa Clara County, California, east of Milpitas. Calaveras Valley lies to its west, while its east side slopes down to meet Arroyo Hondo. Creeks that originate on Poverty Ridge include Calaveras and Penitencia Creeks....
in the Diablo Range
Diablo Range
The Diablo Range is a mountain range in the California Coast Ranges subdivision of the Pacific Coast Ranges. It is located in the eastern San Francisco Bay area south to the Salinas Valley area of northern California, the United States.-Geography:...
. It plunges into Cherry Flat Reservoir and then flows through Alum Rock Park
Alum Rock Park
Alum Rock Park, founded in 1872, was the first municipal park in the U.S. state of California. Located in a valley in the Diablo Range foothills on the east side of San Jose, the 720 acre park offers 13 miles of trails, varying from fairly level along Penitencia Creek to sharp switchbacks...
, where it is joined by Arroyo Aguague. Lower down it forms the rough boundary between the Berryessa
Berryessa, San Jose, California
The Berryessa District or North Valley in San Jose, California is located in the northeast portion of the city, between Coyote Creek and the Diablo Range foothills. The neighborhood borders Milpitas along Landess Avenue to the north and the Alum Rock neighborhood of East San Jose along Mabury Road...
and Alum Rock
Alum Rock, California
Alum Rock is a census-designated place in Santa Clara County, California, United States and a community of San Jose. The CDP, which excludes all annexed areas, had a population of 15,536 at the 2010 census. Alum Rock was named after a rock formerly thought to be composed of alum in nearby Alum...
districts of San Jose
San Jose, California
San Jose is the third-largest city in California, the tenth-largest in the U.S., and the county seat of Santa Clara County which is located at the southern end of San Francisco Bay...
. Unlike most creeks in the Valley, it follows a mostly natural course and does not have concrete or gabion embankments. Penitencia Creek Trail follows some of the creek: it begins unpaved at Noble Avenue in the east, passes percolation ponds which are open to the public, goes unofficially under Piedmont Road, becomes paved through Penitencia Creek Park, passes under Interstate 680, and ends in the far end of Penitencia Creek County Park at Mabury Road in the west.
The creek was diverted westward to Coyote Creek
Coyote Creek
Coyote Creek is a river that flows through the Santa Clara Valley in California, United States.-History:Coyote Creek was originally named Arroyo del Coyote by Padre Pedro Font when the de Anza Expedition reached it on Sunday, March 31, 1776....
in the 19th century to irrigate agriculture in that area, permanently splitting Upper Penitencia Creek from Lower Penitencia Creek.
Ecology
Upper Penitencia Creek remains a Steelhead trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) stream and according to Leidy may have supported Coho salmonCoho salmon
The Coho salmon, Oncorhynchus kisutch, is a species of anadromous fish in the salmon family. Coho salmon are also known as silver salmon or "silvers". It is the state animal of Chiba, Japan.-Description:...
(Oncorhynchus kisutch) historically, based on habitat suitability. However, a drop structure on Upper Penitencia Creek in Alum Rock Park presents a severe partial barrier to fish passage, but an engineering analysis to modify the barrier is in the final planning phase in 2011.
See also
- Alum Rock ParkAlum Rock ParkAlum Rock Park, founded in 1872, was the first municipal park in the U.S. state of California. Located in a valley in the Diablo Range foothills on the east side of San Jose, the 720 acre park offers 13 miles of trails, varying from fairly level along Penitencia Creek to sharp switchbacks...
- Alum Rock, CaliforniaAlum Rock, CaliforniaAlum Rock is a census-designated place in Santa Clara County, California, United States and a community of San Jose. The CDP, which excludes all annexed areas, had a population of 15,536 at the 2010 census. Alum Rock was named after a rock formerly thought to be composed of alum in nearby Alum...
- Berryessa, San Jose, CaliforniaBerryessa, San Jose, CaliforniaThe Berryessa District or North Valley in San Jose, California is located in the northeast portion of the city, between Coyote Creek and the Diablo Range foothills. The neighborhood borders Milpitas along Landess Avenue to the north and the Alum Rock neighborhood of East San Jose along Mabury Road...
- List of watercourses in the San Francisco Bay Area