Santa Margarita River
Encyclopedia
The Santa Margarita River is a short intermittent river on the Pacific
coast of southern California
in the United States
, approximately 30.9 miles (49.7 km) long. One of the last free-flowing rivers in southern California, it drains an arid region of the Coast Ranges between Los Angeles
and San Diego
at the southern end of the Santa Ana Mountains
.
, east of Interstate 15
15 miles (24.1 km) east-northeast of Temecula
, from the confluence of Temecula Creek
and Murrieta Creek. It flows southwest past Temecula, through the Temecula Canyon at the south end of the Santa Ana Mountains. Along its lower 10 miles (16.1 km) the river forms a large floodplain as it crosses Camp Pendleton Marine Corps Base. It enters the Gulf of Santa Catalina on the Pacific approximately 3 miles (4.8 km) northwest of Oceanside
.
as the Santa Margarita Ecological Preserve. In addition, The Nature Conservancy
has been active in acquiring land along the river for conservation.
The river was the site of several attempts to build railroads in the 1880s. During much of the 20th century the river was the subject of a long-running water rights
battle between the United States Navy
and the Fallbrook
PUD. The conflict was resolved in 1967 and the following year both entities proposed to jointly construct dams on the river. The proposal was abandoned in 1984 due to environmentalist
opposition.
(Oncorhynchus mykiss), arroyo chub, California killifish, striped mullet, longjaw mudsucker, staghorn sculpin. Aquatic and semi-aquatic mammals include California Golden beaver (Castor canadensis subauratus), muskrat, raccoon and long-tailed weasel.
Major riparian plants include arroyo, black, narrowleaf, Pacific, and red willow; California sycamore, Fremont cottonwood, mulefat and white alder.
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
coast of southern 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...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, approximately 30.9 miles (49.7 km) long. One of the last free-flowing rivers in southern California, it drains an arid region of the Coast Ranges between Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
and San Diego
San Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
at the southern end of the Santa Ana Mountains
Santa Ana Mountains
The Santa Ana Mountains are a short peninsular mountain range along the coast of Southern California in the United States. They extend for approximately 36 mi southeast of the Los Angeles Basin largely along the border between Orange and Riverside counties.- Geography :The range starts in the...
.
Description
It is formed in southwestern Riverside CountyRiverside County, California
Riverside County is a county in the U.S. state of California. One of 58 California counties, it covers in the southern part of the state, and stretches from Orange County to the Colorado River, which forms the state border with Arizona. The county derives its name from the city of Riverside,...
, east of Interstate 15
Interstate 15 in California
In the U.S. state of California, Interstate 15 is a major north–south route through the San Bernardino, Riverside, and San Diego Counties, and it has a length of in the state. It is a major thoroughfare for traffic between Southern California and Las Vegas, Nevada, as well as points beyond...
15 miles (24.1 km) east-northeast of Temecula
Temecula, California
Temecula is a city in southwestern Riverside County, California, United States with a population of 100,097 according to the 2010 United States Census, making it the lowest populated American city over 100,000 population. It was incorporated on December 1, 1989...
, from the confluence of Temecula Creek
Temecula Creek
Temecula Creek runs through southern Riverside County, California, USA, past the rural communities of the Temecula Valley along the State Route 79 corridor, such as Aguanga, and ending near the city of Temecula. The creek is filled with boulders, and is typically dry and sandy. It is a relatively...
and Murrieta Creek. It flows southwest past Temecula, through the Temecula Canyon at the south end of the Santa Ana Mountains. Along its lower 10 miles (16.1 km) the river forms a large floodplain as it crosses Camp Pendleton Marine Corps Base. It enters the Gulf of Santa Catalina on the Pacific approximately 3 miles (4.8 km) northwest of Oceanside
Oceanside, California
-2010:The 2010 United States Census reported that Oceanside had a population of 167,086. The population density was 3,961.8 people per square mile...
.
Conservation
Approximately 4334 acres (1,753.9 ha) of the middle course of the river in Temecula Canyon are owned and managed by San Diego State UniversitySan Diego State University
San Diego State University , founded in 1897 as San Diego Normal School, is the largest and oldest higher education facility in the greater San Diego area , and is part of the California State University system...
as the Santa Margarita Ecological Preserve. In addition, The Nature Conservancy
The Nature Conservancy
The Nature Conservancy is a US charitable environmental organization that works to preserve the plants, animals, and natural communities that represent the diversity of life on Earth by protecting the lands and waters they need to survive....
has been active in acquiring land along the river for conservation.
The river was the site of several attempts to build railroads in the 1880s. During much of the 20th century the river was the subject of a long-running water rights
California Water Wars
The California Water Wars were a series of conflicts between the city of Los Angeles, farmers and ranchers in the Owens Valley of Eastern California, and environmentalists. As Los Angeles grew in the late 1800s, it started to outgrow its water supply. Fred Eaton, mayor of Los Angeles, realized that...
battle between the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
and the Fallbrook
Fallbrook, California
Fallbrook is an unincorporated community in northern San Diego County, California. The Fallbrook census-designated place population was 30,534 at the 2010 census, up from 29,100 at the 2000 census....
PUD. The conflict was resolved in 1967 and the following year both entities proposed to jointly construct dams on the river. The proposal was abandoned in 1984 due to environmentalist
Environmentalism
Environmentalism is a broad philosophy, ideology and social movement regarding concerns for environmental conservation and improvement of the health of the environment, particularly as the measure for this health seeks to incorporate the concerns of non-human elements...
opposition.
Ecology
Major fishes in the Santa Margarita River include the Rainbow troutRainbow trout
The rainbow trout is a species of salmonid native to tributaries of the Pacific Ocean in Asia and North America. The steelhead is a sea run rainbow trout usually returning to freshwater to spawn after 2 to 3 years at sea. In other words, rainbow trout and steelhead trout are the same species....
(Oncorhynchus mykiss), arroyo chub, California killifish, striped mullet, longjaw mudsucker, staghorn sculpin. Aquatic and semi-aquatic mammals include California Golden beaver (Castor canadensis subauratus), muskrat, raccoon and long-tailed weasel.
Major riparian plants include arroyo, black, narrowleaf, Pacific, and red willow; California sycamore, Fremont cottonwood, mulefat and white alder.