Wood Canyon Creek
Encyclopedia
Wood Canyon Creek is a small stream
in Aliso and Wood Canyons Regional Park, which is located in Orange County
in the U.S. state of California
. A tributary of Aliso Creek, it drains a notable valley bounded on the east side by Aliso Viejo
.
Located in an area rich in archaeological sites, the creek area was settled by the Acjachemen tribe hundreds of years ago. Spanish conquistador
s arrived in the mid-18th century, establishing missions and a rancho
that extended around the Aliso Creek watershed. After the rancho came under American ownership, corral
s were built in Wood Canyon, some of which can still be seen today. With rapid urban growth taking hold of most of Orange County, the creek's flow has become dominated by urban runoff
out of several storm drain
s.
The Wood Canyon Creek watershed is contained entirely in the San Joaquin Hills
, a short coastal mountain range that uplifted beginning in the mid-Pleistocene
(1.22 MYA), and is about 3 miles (4.8 km) long, covering a drainage area of 4 mi2.
. Its primary headstream flows out of a storm drain
on the south side of a residential development and flows into an artificial wetland designed to control and treat the runoff. For its first 0.8 miles (1.3 km), the creek follows a narrow canyon southwards. The end of this stretch of canyon is marked by the valley floor widening to a strip of grassland
.
The creek flows between arid meadows and a rich riparian zone
, then rounds a ridge and receives the waters of the Muirlands Storm Drain from the left. This drain forms a small year-round creek that flows just 0.25 mile (0.402335 km) overland. Below the drain the creek merges with Mathis Canyon, a right bank tributary. Flowing past Temple Hill, a 1000 feet (304.8 m) peak of the San Joaquin Hills to the east, it crosses the Wood Canyon Trail three times and falls over a few artificial concrete waterfalls. It then passes under the Aliso Creek Trail through a series of culvert
s and cascades down into Aliso Creek.
, a small coastal mountain range that follows much of Orange County's Pacific coast
. It is a long, narrow valley about 3 miles (4.8 km) long and 1.2 miles (1.9 km) wide, bounded by arid slopes 700 to 1000 ft (213.4 to 304.8 m) high, and covering about 4 mi2. Nearly 80% of the Wood Canyon watershed forms the northern arm of Aliso Canyon
. It is the second largest tributary of Aliso Creek, following Sulphur Creek
.
Running nearly parallel to Laguna Canyon
in the west for much of its length, Wood Canyon Creek is bounded on the east and north by the city of Aliso Viejo
. Except for a few bordering portions, the watershed is relatively undeveloped. The Wood Canyon Trail, which is partially paved but mostly a wide dirt road, follows the creek for its entire length. The Dairy Fork subwatershed of Aliso Creek borders Wood Canyon Creek to the northeast.
Modified extensively by man-made runoff and erosion control measures, Wood Canyon Creek is referred to by the Watershed and Coastal Resources Division of Orange County as the Wood Canyon Channel. Some stretches of the creek are lined with riprap
and there are three grout
ed riprap drop structure
s on the creek, each 3 to 5 ft (0.9144 to 1.5 m) tall. The riparian zone surrounding the creek is one of the most prominent in the Aliso Creek watershed as a whole, although urban runoff
has degraded its health.
Stream
A stream is a body of water with a current, confined within a bed and stream banks. Depending on its locale or certain characteristics, a stream may be referred to as a branch, brook, beck, burn, creek, "crick", gill , kill, lick, rill, river, syke, bayou, rivulet, streamage, wash, run or...
in Aliso and Wood Canyons Regional Park, which is located in Orange County
Orange County, California
Orange County is a county in the U.S. state of California. Its county seat is Santa Ana. As of the 2010 census, its population was 3,010,232, up from 2,846,293 at the 2000 census, making it the third most populous county in California, behind Los Angeles County and San Diego County...
in the U.S. state 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...
. A tributary of Aliso Creek, it drains a notable valley bounded on the east side by Aliso Viejo
Aliso Viejo, California
Aliso Viejo is a city in Orange County, California. It had a population of 47,823 as of the 2010 census, up from 40,166 as of the 2000 census. It became Orange County's 34th city on July 1, 2001, the only city in the county to incorporate since 2000...
.
Located in an area rich in archaeological sites, the creek area was settled by the Acjachemen tribe hundreds of years ago. Spanish conquistador
Conquistador
Conquistadors were Spanish soldiers, explorers, and adventurers who brought much of the Americas under the control of Spain in the 15th to 16th centuries, following Europe's discovery of the New World by Christopher Columbus in 1492...
s arrived in the mid-18th century, establishing missions and a rancho
Rancho
Rancho may refer to:*Alta California land grants in the 19th century; see Ranchos of California*Rancho High School, a North Las Vegas high school*Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center**Rancho Los Amigos Scale...
that extended around the Aliso Creek watershed. After the rancho came under American ownership, corral
Corral
Corral is a town, commune and sea port in Los Ríos Region, Chile. It is located south of Corral Bay. Corral is best known for the forts of Corral Bay, a system of defensive batteries and forts made to protect Valdivia during colonial times. Corral was the headquarters of the system...
s were built in Wood Canyon, some of which can still be seen today. With rapid urban growth taking hold of most of Orange County, the creek's flow has become dominated by urban runoff
Urban runoff
Urban runoff is surface runoff of rainwater created by urbanization. This runoff is a major source of water pollution in many parts of the United States and other urban communities worldwide.-Overview:...
out of several storm drain
Storm drain
A storm drain, storm sewer , stormwater drain or drainage well system or simply a drain or drain system is designed to drain excess rain and ground water from paved streets, parking lots, sidewalks, and roofs. Storm drains vary in design from small residential dry wells to large municipal systems...
s.
The Wood Canyon Creek watershed is contained entirely in the San Joaquin Hills
San Joaquin Hills
The San Joaquin Hills are a set of low hills in coastal Orange County, California. They extend in a northwest-southeast direction, starting in the northwest in Newport Beach at the southern edge of the Los Angeles Basin, and extending southeast to San Juan Capistrano.-Geography and habitats:Named...
, a short coastal mountain range that uplifted beginning in the mid-Pleistocene
Pleistocene
The Pleistocene is the epoch from 2,588,000 to 11,700 years BP that spans the world's recent period of repeated glaciations. The name pleistocene is derived from the Greek and ....
(1.22 MYA), and is about 3 miles (4.8 km) long, covering a drainage area of 4 mi2.
Course
Although its headwaters originally lay slightly farther north than its location today, the 2.8 miles (4.5 km) Wood Canyon Creek now begins slightly south of California State Route 73California State Route 73
State Route 73 is a state highway in the U.S. state of California. The route runs from Interstate 405 to Interstate 5 through the San Joaquin Hills in Orange County. From its northern terminus, the first three miles of the highway are called the Corona del Mar Freeway; this section of highway...
. Its primary headstream flows out of a storm drain
Storm drain
A storm drain, storm sewer , stormwater drain or drainage well system or simply a drain or drain system is designed to drain excess rain and ground water from paved streets, parking lots, sidewalks, and roofs. Storm drains vary in design from small residential dry wells to large municipal systems...
on the south side of a residential development and flows into an artificial wetland designed to control and treat the runoff. For its first 0.8 miles (1.3 km), the creek follows a narrow canyon southwards. The end of this stretch of canyon is marked by the valley floor widening to a strip of grassland
Grassland
Grasslands are areas where the vegetation is dominated by grasses and other herbaceous plants . However, sedge and rush families can also be found. Grasslands occur naturally on all continents except Antarctica...
.
The creek flows between arid meadows and a rich riparian zone
Riparian 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...
, then rounds a ridge and receives the waters of the Muirlands Storm Drain from the left. This drain forms a small year-round creek that flows just 0.25 mile (0.402335 km) overland. Below the drain the creek merges with Mathis Canyon, a right bank tributary. Flowing past Temple Hill, a 1000 feet (304.8 m) peak of the San Joaquin Hills to the east, it crosses the Wood Canyon Trail three times and falls over a few artificial concrete waterfalls. It then passes under the Aliso Creek Trail through a series of culvert
Culvert
A culvert is a device used to channel water. It may be used to allow water to pass underneath a road, railway, or embankment. Culverts can be made of many different materials; steel, polyvinyl chloride and concrete are the most common...
s and cascades down into Aliso Creek.
Watershed
The Wood Canyon subwatershed is contained entirely within the San Joaquin HillsSan Joaquin Hills
The San Joaquin Hills are a set of low hills in coastal Orange County, California. They extend in a northwest-southeast direction, starting in the northwest in Newport Beach at the southern edge of the Los Angeles Basin, and extending southeast to San Juan Capistrano.-Geography and habitats:Named...
, a small coastal mountain range that follows much of Orange County's Pacific coast
Pacific Coast
A country's Pacific coast is the part of its coast bordering the Pacific Ocean.-The Americas:Countries on the western side of the Americas have a Pacific coast as their western border.* Geography of Canada* Geography of Chile* Geography of Colombia...
. It is a long, narrow valley about 3 miles (4.8 km) long and 1.2 miles (1.9 km) wide, bounded by arid slopes 700 to 1000 ft (213.4 to 304.8 m) high, and covering about 4 mi2. Nearly 80% of the Wood Canyon watershed forms the northern arm of Aliso Canyon
Aliso Canyon
Aliso Canyon is a canyon cut through the San Joaquin Hills by Aliso Creek. Located in Orange County in the U.S. state of California, the canyon's name derives from the Spanish word for alder....
. It is the second largest tributary of Aliso Creek, following Sulphur Creek
Sulphur Creek (California)
Sulphur Creek is a tributary of Aliso Creek in Orange County in the U.S. state of California. Draining about of mostly residential land in the southern San Joaquin Hills, it is the creek's largest tributary....
.
Running nearly parallel to Laguna Canyon
Laguna Canyon
Laguna Canyon is a canyon, formerly a water gap, that cuts through the San Joaquin Hills in southern Orange County in the U.S. state of California, directly west of the city of Irvine...
in the west for much of its length, Wood Canyon Creek is bounded on the east and north by the city of Aliso Viejo
Aliso Viejo, California
Aliso Viejo is a city in Orange County, California. It had a population of 47,823 as of the 2010 census, up from 40,166 as of the 2000 census. It became Orange County's 34th city on July 1, 2001, the only city in the county to incorporate since 2000...
. Except for a few bordering portions, the watershed is relatively undeveloped. The Wood Canyon Trail, which is partially paved but mostly a wide dirt road, follows the creek for its entire length. The Dairy Fork subwatershed of Aliso Creek borders Wood Canyon Creek to the northeast.
Modified extensively by man-made runoff and erosion control measures, Wood Canyon Creek is referred to by the Watershed and Coastal Resources Division of Orange County as the Wood Canyon Channel. Some stretches of the creek are lined with riprap
Riprap
Riprap — also known as rip rap, rubble, shot rock or rock armour or "Rip-rap" — is rock or other material used to armor shorelines, streambeds, bridge abutments, pilings and other shoreline structures against scour, water or ice erosion.It is made from a variety of rock types, commonly granite or...
and there are three grout
Grout
Grout is a construction material used to embed rebars in masonry walls, connect sections of pre-cast concrete, fill voids, and seal joints . Grout is generally composed of a mixture of water, cement, sand, often color tint, and sometimes fine gravel...
ed riprap drop structure
Drop structure
A drop structure, also known as a grade control, sill, or weir, is a manmade structure, typically small and built on minor streams, or as part of a dam's spillway, to pass water to a lower elevation while controlling the energy and velocity of the water as it passes over...
s on the creek, each 3 to 5 ft (0.9144 to 1.5 m) tall. The riparian zone surrounding the creek is one of the most prominent in the Aliso Creek watershed as a whole, although urban runoff
Urban runoff
Urban runoff is surface runoff of rainwater created by urbanization. This runoff is a major source of water pollution in many parts of the United States and other urban communities worldwide.-Overview:...
has degraded its health.