Sweetwater River (California)
Encyclopedia
The Sweetwater River is a 55 miles (88.5 km) long stream in southwestern California
in the United States
. From its headwaters high in the Cuyamaca Mountains
, the river flows generally southwest, first through rugged hinterlands but then into the urban areas surrounding its mouth at San Diego Bay
. Its drainage basin
covers more than 230 mi2, all of it in San Diego County
. Towns on the river include Descanso
, La Presa
and Chula Vista
.
The term "Sweetwater" is a name often given to freshwater which tastes good in regions where much of the water is bitter to the taste. The Spanish called the river "Agua Dulce", a name they applied to good clear water anywhere they lived.
near Stonewall Peak. It flows south-southwest, receiving Harper Creek from the left and Stonewall Creek from the right, then coursing through narrow valleys and passing the small town of Descanso
. As the river enters the Cleveland National Forest
, it cuts through a steep and spectacular rocky gorge and crosses under a high bridge of Interstate 8
. Shortly after leaving the national forest, it flows into Loveland Reservoir, formed by Loveland Dam
, the first of two major dams along the Sweetwater.
Continuing westwards, it receives the North Fork from the right, travels by the city of Rancho San Diego
and passes through the Rancho San Diego Golf Course. The river then enters Sweetwater Reservoir
, which is formed by the Sweetwater Dam
. Below the dam, the Sweetwater flows through Sweetwater Regional Park in a generally suburban area, passing the city of Bonita
. Bending northwest, the river enters a flood control channel
and passes between National City
and Chula Vista
. The tidal portion of the river, which starts roughly here, is called the Sweetwater Marsh. The river empties into San Diego Bay
about 7.5 miles (12.1 km) southeast of downtown San Diego
.
, but few trees are actually supported by the arid climate. The Sweetwater is the largest river flowing into San Diego Bay
.
Most of the drainage, nearly 64 percent, comprises wilderness or designated parks and open space. However, approximately 30% is urban development and part of the San Diego metro area. Native American reservations also occupy part of the land. The watershed has a human population of over 300,000; mostly residing in the residential cities of Chula Vista
, National City
, and others such as La Presa
, Bonita
and Rancho San Diego
, all in the less rugged western portion of the basin.
The eastern drainage divide of the Sweetwater watershed lies on the main divide of the Cuyamacas, which also separates streams of the Pacific slope from streams draining to the endorheic basin of the Salton Sea
farther to the east. To the north, the Sweetwater basin shares borders with those of the San Diego River
and the smaller streams that drain portions of National City and San Diego. On the south, it is bordered by the Otay River
and Tijuana River
drainages – specifically for the Tijuana, the subwatershed of Cottonwood Creek, the river's main tributary in the U.S.
Before reaching San Diego Bay, the river flows into 316 acres (1.3 km²) Sweetwater Marsh, a part of the San Diego National Wildlife Refuge
. Adjacent to the marsh is the Chula Vista Nature Center hosting nature walks and an aviary with native birds such as burrowing owls, egrets and herons.
s, marsh
es and floodplain
s. It is believed that humans first arrived in the San Diego Bay area between 20,000 and 30,000 years ago. Native American tribes on the river were subdivisions of the Kumeyaay
or Diegueño ethnic group, their villages included Sekwan and Hamacha on the middle portion of the stream; Amotaretuwe to the north, and Ekwiamak in the headwaters portion.
The first European to arrive in the region was probably Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo
, who sailed his ship, the San Salvador, into San Diego Bay on September 28, 1542. Cabrillo did not stay in the area for long, but his visit helped Spain
lay claim to the area. The Spanish established settlements in the area in the 1760s mainly clustering around Mission San Diego de Alcala
. Later, after passing through the hands of Mexico
and finally the United States
, emigrants began arriving in the San Diego area in great numbers, many of them settling along the Sweetwater, establishing irrigated farms. The Sweetwater Dam
was built in 1888 to provide storage for agricultural and municipal uses. By the late 1800s, the stream was described as having "practically no living water, except at its extreme sources and for 10 or 20 miles down from the summit of the range" presumably because of the large irrigation diversions.
, serving mainly for recreation and flood control. Several miles below Palo Verde lies the much larger Loveland Dam
(Sweetwater Falls Dam), which forms Loveland Reservoir. Below here, the Sweetwater is free flowing until about 8 miles (12.9 km) above the mouth, where the Sweetwater Dam
forms the last and largest, Sweetwater Reservoir
.
Loveland and Sweetwater are both operated by the Sweetwater Authority. The former serves mainly for flood control while Sweetwater functions as a reserve water storage facility for the cities downstream, including San Diego, National City and Chula Vista and also as a terminus for piped-in water from the San Diego Aqueduct
.
(Actinemys marmorata), an IUCN Red List endangered species, in a tributary of the Sweetwater River near Jamul, California
alerted wildlife officials that the turtle is still extant in the area. The nearby San Diego National Wildlife Refuge is home to endangered birds such as the Least Bell’s Vireo
(Vireo bellii pusillus) and California Gnatcatcher
(Polioptila californica) and the rare Quino Checkerspot
(Euphydryas editha quino) butterfly.
It has been controversial whether beaver (Castor canadensis) were native to San Diego County. However, a report on the fauna of the county by Dr. David Hoffman in 1866 stated "Of the animal kingdom we have a fair variety: the grizzly bear, the antelope, the deer, the polecat, the beaver, the wildcat, the otter, the fox, the badger, the hare, the squirrel, and coyotes innumerable." Indirect evidence of beaver in San Diego County includes a creek named Beaver Hollow which runs 3.25 miles into the Sweetwater River about 6.5 miles southwest of Alpine
. Beaver Hollow is named on the USGS
Topo Map for Cuyamaca
in 1903, which is twenty years before California Department of Fish and Game
began beaver re-introductions in California.
The upper (above Descanso, California
) Sweetwater River and several small tributaries hold wild Rainbow trout
(Oncorhyncus mykiss) populations, including Cold Springs Creek, Harper Creek, Japacha Creek, Jauquapin Creek, and Stonewall Creek.
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...
. From its headwaters high in the Cuyamaca Mountains
Cuyamaca Mountains
The Cuyamaca Mountains, locally the Cuyamacas, are a mountain range in San Diego County, California. The mountains run roughly northwest to southeast. The highest elevations are Cuyamaca Peak at and Stonewall Peak at...
, the river flows generally southwest, first through rugged hinterlands but then into the urban areas surrounding its mouth at San Diego Bay
San Diego Bay
San Diego Bay is a natural harbor and deepwater port adjacent to San Diego, California. It is 12 mi/19 km long, 1 mi/1.6 km–3 mi/4.8 km wide...
. Its drainage basin
Drainage basin
A drainage basin is an extent or an area of land where surface water from rain and melting snow or ice converges to a single point, usually the exit of the basin, where the waters join another waterbody, such as a river, lake, reservoir, estuary, wetland, sea, or ocean...
covers more than 230 mi2, all of it in San Diego County
San Diego County, California
San Diego County is a large county located in the southwestern corner of the US state of California. Hence, San Diego County is also located in the southwestern corner of the 48 contiguous United States. Its county seat and largest city is San Diego. Its population was about 2,813,835 in the 2000...
. Towns on the river include Descanso
Descanso, California
Descanso is a small census-designated place in the Mountain Empire area of southeastern San Diego County, California and part of California's 52nd congressional district. Descanso is located east of Alpine and west of Pine Valley. The population was 1,423 at the 2010 census.The community's name...
, La Presa
La Presa, California
La Presa is a census-designated place in San Diego County, California, United States. The population of was 34,169 at the 2010 census, up from 32,721 at the 2000 census...
and Chula Vista
Chula Vista, California
Chula Vista is the second largest city in the San Diego metropolitan area, the seventh largest city in Southern California, the fourteenth largest city in the State of California, and the seventy seventh largest city in the U.S....
.
The term "Sweetwater" is a name often given to freshwater which tastes good in regions where much of the water is bitter to the taste. The Spanish called the river "Agua Dulce", a name they applied to good clear water anywhere they lived.
Course
The river rises as an intermittent trickle flowing out of Upper Green Valley, deep in the semi-arid Cuyamaca MountainsCuyamaca Mountains
The Cuyamaca Mountains, locally the Cuyamacas, are a mountain range in San Diego County, California. The mountains run roughly northwest to southeast. The highest elevations are Cuyamaca Peak at and Stonewall Peak at...
near Stonewall Peak. It flows south-southwest, receiving Harper Creek from the left and Stonewall Creek from the right, then coursing through narrow valleys and passing the small town of Descanso
Descanso, California
Descanso is a small census-designated place in the Mountain Empire area of southeastern San Diego County, California and part of California's 52nd congressional district. Descanso is located east of Alpine and west of Pine Valley. The population was 1,423 at the 2010 census.The community's name...
. As the river enters the Cleveland National Forest
Cleveland National Forest
Cleveland National Forest encompasses 460,000 acres , mostly of chaparral, with a few riparian areas. A warm dry mediterranean climate prevails over the Forest. It is the southernmost National forest of California. It is administered by the United States Forest Service, a government agency within...
, it cuts through a steep and spectacular rocky gorge and crosses under a high bridge of Interstate 8
Interstate 8
Interstate 8 is an Interstate Highway in the southwestern United States. It runs from the southern edge of Mission Bay at Sunset Cliffs Blvd, in San Diego, California, almost at the Pacific Ocean, to the junction with Interstate 10, just southeast of Casa Grande, Arizona...
. Shortly after leaving the national forest, it flows into Loveland Reservoir, formed by Loveland Dam
Loveland Dam
Loveland Dam is a dam across the Sweetwater River in San Diego County, California. The dam forms long, narrow Loveland Reservoir which stores of water...
, the first of two major dams along the Sweetwater.
Continuing westwards, it receives the North Fork from the right, travels by the city of Rancho San Diego
Rancho San Diego, California
Rancho San Diego is a census-designated place in San Diego County, California. The population was 21,208 at the 2010 census, up from 20,155 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Rancho San Diego is located at ....
and passes through the Rancho San Diego Golf Course. The river then enters Sweetwater Reservoir
Sweetwater Reservoir
Sweetwater Reservoir is a artificial lake in San Diego County, California formed by the Sweetwater Dam on the Sweetwater River. It lies near the city of Spring Valley....
, which is formed by the Sweetwater Dam
Sweetwater Dam
The Sweetwater Dam is a dam across the Sweetwater River in San Diego County, California. As the crow flies, it sits about east of San Diego and northeast of Chula Vista; and just south of the city of La Presa...
. Below the dam, the Sweetwater flows through Sweetwater Regional Park in a generally suburban area, passing the city of Bonita
Bonita, California
Bonita is a census-designated place in southern San Diego County, California, nestled between the cities of Chula Vista, National City, and San Diego. The population was 12,538 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Bonita is located at ....
. Bending northwest, the river enters a flood control channel
Flood control channel
Flood control channels are a series of large and empty open-air channels that extend a ways below the street levels of some larger cities, so that if and when a flood occurs, the flood will run into the channels, and proceed to be drained to the proper body of water...
and passes between National City
National City, California
National City is a city in San Diego County, California. The population was 58,582 at the 2010 census, up from 54,260 at the 2000 census. National City is the second oldest city in San Diego County and has a historic past.-History:...
and Chula Vista
Chula Vista, California
Chula Vista is the second largest city in the San Diego metropolitan area, the seventh largest city in Southern California, the fourteenth largest city in the State of California, and the seventy seventh largest city in the U.S....
. The tidal portion of the river, which starts roughly here, is called the Sweetwater Marsh. The river empties into San Diego Bay
San Diego Bay
San Diego Bay is a natural harbor and deepwater port adjacent to San Diego, California. It is 12 mi/19 km long, 1 mi/1.6 km–3 mi/4.8 km wide...
about 7.5 miles (12.1 km) southeast of downtown 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...
.
Watershed
This river drains a long, narrow basin of 230 mi2 in extreme southern California, with its mouth less than 20 miles (32.2 km) north of the United States-Mexico border. Much of the river's watershed is mountainous, and the highest point is 5730 feet (1,746.5 m) above sea level at Stonewall Peak in the Cuyamacas Mountains. A large portion of the drainage lies within the Cleveland National ForestCleveland National Forest
Cleveland National Forest encompasses 460,000 acres , mostly of chaparral, with a few riparian areas. A warm dry mediterranean climate prevails over the Forest. It is the southernmost National forest of California. It is administered by the United States Forest Service, a government agency within...
, but few trees are actually supported by the arid climate. The Sweetwater is the largest river flowing into San Diego Bay
San Diego Bay
San Diego Bay is a natural harbor and deepwater port adjacent to San Diego, California. It is 12 mi/19 km long, 1 mi/1.6 km–3 mi/4.8 km wide...
.
Most of the drainage, nearly 64 percent, comprises wilderness or designated parks and open space. However, approximately 30% is urban development and part of the San Diego metro area. Native American reservations also occupy part of the land. The watershed has a human population of over 300,000; mostly residing in the residential cities of Chula Vista
Chula Vista, California
Chula Vista is the second largest city in the San Diego metropolitan area, the seventh largest city in Southern California, the fourteenth largest city in the State of California, and the seventy seventh largest city in the U.S....
, National City
National City, California
National City is a city in San Diego County, California. The population was 58,582 at the 2010 census, up from 54,260 at the 2000 census. National City is the second oldest city in San Diego County and has a historic past.-History:...
, and others such as La Presa
La Presa, California
La Presa is a census-designated place in San Diego County, California, United States. The population of was 34,169 at the 2010 census, up from 32,721 at the 2000 census...
, Bonita
Bonita, California
Bonita is a census-designated place in southern San Diego County, California, nestled between the cities of Chula Vista, National City, and San Diego. The population was 12,538 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Bonita is located at ....
and Rancho San Diego
Rancho San Diego, California
Rancho San Diego is a census-designated place in San Diego County, California. The population was 21,208 at the 2010 census, up from 20,155 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Rancho San Diego is located at ....
, all in the less rugged western portion of the basin.
The eastern drainage divide of the Sweetwater watershed lies on the main divide of the Cuyamacas, which also separates streams of the Pacific slope from streams draining to the endorheic basin of the Salton Sea
Salton Sea
The Salton Sea is a shallow, saline, endorheic rift lake located directly on the San Andreas Fault, predominantly in California's Imperial Valley. The lake occupies the lowest elevations of the Salton Sink in the Colorado Desert of Imperial and Riverside counties in Southern California. Like Death...
farther to the east. To the north, the Sweetwater basin shares borders with those of the San Diego River
San Diego River
The San Diego River is a river in San Diego County, California. It originates in the Cuyamaca Mountains northwest of the town of Julian, then flows to the southwest until it reaches the El Capitan Reservoir, the largest reservoir in the river's watershed at . Below El Capitan Dam, the river runs...
and the smaller streams that drain portions of National City and San Diego. On the south, it is bordered by the Otay River
Otay River
The Otay River is a river in southern San Diego County, California. The river begins at San Miguel Mountain, flows through the Upper- and Lower- Otay Reservoirs, and continues on between the southern part of the Chula Vista and the Otay Mesa West district of San Diego, and empties into San Diego Bay...
and Tijuana River
Tijuana River
The Tijuana River is an intermittent river, 120 mi long, on the Pacific coast of northern Baja California in Mexico and southern California in the United States.-Location:...
drainages – specifically for the Tijuana, the subwatershed of Cottonwood Creek, the river's main tributary in the U.S.
Before reaching San Diego Bay, the river flows into 316 acres (1.3 km²) Sweetwater Marsh, a part of the San Diego National Wildlife Refuge
San Diego National Wildlife Refuge
San Diego National Wildlife Refuge is a National Wildlife Refuge in California. It is part of the San Diego National Wildlife Refuge Complex.A variety of habitats from coastal sage scrub and chaparral to oak woodland and freshwater marsh describe this inland refuge in San Diego's backcountry.The...
. Adjacent to the marsh is the Chula Vista Nature Center hosting nature walks and an aviary with native birds such as burrowing owls, egrets and herons.
History
In pre-Anglo times, the Sweetwater River was a small but year-round stream, lined on both banks by extensive riparian forestRiparian zone
A riparian zone or riparian area is the interface between land and a river or stream. Riparian is also the proper nomenclature for one of the fifteen terrestrial biomes of the earth. Plant habitats and communities along the river margins and banks are called riparian vegetation, characterized by...
s, marsh
Marsh
In geography, a marsh, or morass, is a type of wetland that is subject to frequent or continuous flood. Typically the water is shallow and features grasses, rushes, reeds, typhas, sedges, other herbaceous plants, and moss....
es and floodplain
Floodplain
A floodplain, or flood plain, is a flat or nearly flat land adjacent a stream or river that stretches from the banks of its channel to the base of the enclosing valley walls and experiences flooding during periods of high discharge...
s. It is believed that humans first arrived in the San Diego Bay area between 20,000 and 30,000 years ago. Native American tribes on the river were subdivisions of the Kumeyaay
Kumeyaay
The Kumeyaay, also known as Tipai-Ipai, Kamia, or formerly Diegueño, are Native American people of the extreme southwestern United States and northwest Mexico. They live in the states of California in the US and Baja California in Mexico. In Spanish, the name is commonly spelled...
or Diegueño ethnic group, their villages included Sekwan and Hamacha on the middle portion of the stream; Amotaretuwe to the north, and Ekwiamak in the headwaters portion.
The first European to arrive in the region was probably Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo
Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo
Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo was a Portuguese explorer noted for his exploration of the west coast of North America on behalf of Spain. Cabrillo was the first European explorer to navigate the coast of present day California in the United States...
, who sailed his ship, the San Salvador, into San Diego Bay on September 28, 1542. Cabrillo did not stay in the area for long, but his visit helped Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
lay claim to the area. The Spanish established settlements in the area in the 1760s mainly clustering around Mission San Diego de Alcala
Mission San Diego de Alcalá
Mission Basilica San Diego de Alcalá, in San Diego, California, was the first Franciscan mission in the Las Californias Province of the Viceroyalty of New Spain. It was founded in 1769 by Spanish friar Junípero Serra in an area long inhabited by the Kumeyaay Indians...
. Later, after passing through the hands of Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
and finally the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, emigrants began arriving in the San Diego area in great numbers, many of them settling along the Sweetwater, establishing irrigated farms. The Sweetwater Dam
Sweetwater Dam
The Sweetwater Dam is a dam across the Sweetwater River in San Diego County, California. As the crow flies, it sits about east of San Diego and northeast of Chula Vista; and just south of the city of La Presa...
was built in 1888 to provide storage for agricultural and municipal uses. By the late 1800s, the stream was described as having "practically no living water, except at its extreme sources and for 10 or 20 miles down from the summit of the range" presumably because of the large irrigation diversions.
Dams
On its journey to the sea, the Sweetwater is interrupted by three dams. The first is Palo Verde Dam, a small rockfill structure about 2.5 miles (4 km) southeast of AlpineAlpine, California
Alpine is a census-designated place in San Diego County, California. Alpine had a population of 14,236 at the 2010 census, up from 13,143 at the 2000 census.Alpine is the residence of former United States Representative Duncan Hunter...
, serving mainly for recreation and flood control. Several miles below Palo Verde lies the much larger Loveland Dam
Loveland Dam
Loveland Dam is a dam across the Sweetwater River in San Diego County, California. The dam forms long, narrow Loveland Reservoir which stores of water...
(Sweetwater Falls Dam), which forms Loveland Reservoir. Below here, the Sweetwater is free flowing until about 8 miles (12.9 km) above the mouth, where the Sweetwater Dam
Sweetwater Dam
The Sweetwater Dam is a dam across the Sweetwater River in San Diego County, California. As the crow flies, it sits about east of San Diego and northeast of Chula Vista; and just south of the city of La Presa...
forms the last and largest, Sweetwater Reservoir
Sweetwater Reservoir
Sweetwater Reservoir is a artificial lake in San Diego County, California formed by the Sweetwater Dam on the Sweetwater River. It lies near the city of Spring Valley....
.
Loveland and Sweetwater are both operated by the Sweetwater Authority. The former serves mainly for flood control while Sweetwater functions as a reserve water storage facility for the cities downstream, including San Diego, National City and Chula Vista and also as a terminus for piped-in water from the San Diego Aqueduct
San Diego Aqueduct
The San Diego Project, more popularly referenced as the San Diego Aqueduct, is a system of four aqueducts in the U.S. state of California, supplying about 90 percent of the water supply for the city of San Diego. The system comprises the First and Second San Diego Aqueducts, carrying water from the...
.
Ecology
Recently the surprising discovery of a Western pond turtleWestern pond turtle
The western pond turtle , or Pacific pond turtle is a small to medium-sized turtle growing to approximately 20 cm in carapace length. It is limited to the west coast of the United States of America and Mexico, ranging from western Washington state to northern Baja California...
(Actinemys marmorata), an IUCN Red List endangered species, in a tributary of the Sweetwater River near Jamul, California
Jamul, California
Jamul is a census-designated place in San Diego County, California. Jamul had a population of 6,163 at the 2010 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau Jamul is located at ....
alerted wildlife officials that the turtle is still extant in the area. The nearby San Diego National Wildlife Refuge is home to endangered birds such as the Least Bell’s Vireo
Bell's Vireo
The Bell's Vireo is a small North American songbird. It is 4-3/4 to 5 inches in length, dull olive-gray above and whitish below...
(Vireo bellii pusillus) and California Gnatcatcher
California Gnatcatcher
The California Gnatcatcher, Polioptila californica, is a small 10.8 cm long insectivorous bird which frequents dense coastal sage scrub growth...
(Polioptila californica) and the rare Quino Checkerspot
Quino Checkerspot
The Quino Checkerspot is native to California and Mexico. It is a subspecies of the common Edith's Checkerspot and the second such subspecies to be listed under the federal Endangered Species Act. This species, like many others, has undergone several changes in nomenclature and classification...
(Euphydryas editha quino) butterfly.
It has been controversial whether beaver (Castor canadensis) were native to San Diego County. However, a report on the fauna of the county by Dr. David Hoffman in 1866 stated "Of the animal kingdom we have a fair variety: the grizzly bear, the antelope, the deer, the polecat, the beaver, the wildcat, the otter, the fox, the badger, the hare, the squirrel, and coyotes innumerable." Indirect evidence of beaver in San Diego County includes a creek named Beaver Hollow which runs 3.25 miles into the Sweetwater River about 6.5 miles southwest of Alpine
Alpine, California
Alpine is a census-designated place in San Diego County, California. Alpine had a population of 14,236 at the 2010 census, up from 13,143 at the 2000 census.Alpine is the residence of former United States Representative Duncan Hunter...
. Beaver Hollow is named on the USGS
United States Geological Survey
The United States Geological Survey is a scientific agency of the United States government. The scientists of the USGS study the landscape of the United States, its natural resources, and the natural hazards that threaten it. The organization has four major science disciplines, concerning biology,...
Topo Map for Cuyamaca
Cuyamaca, California
Cuyamaca is a region of eastern San Diego County. It lies east of the Capitan Grande Indian Reservation in the western Laguna Mountains, north of Descanso and south of Julian. Named for the 1845 Rancho Cuyamaca Mexican land grant, the region is now dominated by the Cuyamaca Rancho State Park...
in 1903, which is twenty years before California Department of Fish and Game
California Department of Fish and Game
The California Department of Fish and Game is a department within the government of California, falling under its parent California Natural Resources Agency. The Department of Fish and Game manages and protects the state's diverse fish, wildlife, plant resources, and native habitats...
began beaver re-introductions in California.
The upper (above Descanso, California
Descanso, California
Descanso is a small census-designated place in the Mountain Empire area of southeastern San Diego County, California and part of California's 52nd congressional district. Descanso is located east of Alpine and west of Pine Valley. The population was 1,423 at the 2010 census.The community's name...
) Sweetwater River and several small tributaries hold wild Rainbow trout
Rainbow 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....
(Oncorhyncus mykiss) populations, including Cold Springs Creek, Harper Creek, Japacha Creek, Jauquapin Creek, and Stonewall Creek.
Tributaries
Tributaries of the Sweetwater are listed from mouth to source:- Rice Canyon
- Long Canyon
- Spring Creek
- Dehesa Creek
- Harbison Canyon
- North Fork Sweetwater River
- Beaver Hollow Creek
- Lawson Creek
- Taylor CreekTaylor Creek-Water courses:*Taylor-Massey Creek , Toronto, Ontario, Canada*Taylor Creek , Washington, United States...
- Viejas Creek
- Samagatuma Creek
- Descanso Creek
- Juaquapin Creek
- Japacho Creek
- Cold Stream
- Harper Creek
- Stonewall Creek