| San Timoteo Creek San Timoteo Wash | |
|---|---|
 Map of the Santa Ana River drainage basin | |
| Location | |
| Country | United States |
| State | California |
| Counties | San Bernardino,Riverside |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Source | Confluence of Little San Antonio Creek and Noble Creek |
| • location | San Bernardino Mountains |
| • coordinates | 33°56′28″N117°0′22″W / 33.94111°N 117.00611°W /33.94111; -117.00611[1][2] |
| • elevation | 2,430 ft (740 m) |
| Mouth | Santa Ana River |
• location | NearLoma Linda |
• coordinates | 34°04′10″N117°16′50″W / 34.06944°N 117.28056°W /34.06944; -117.28056[3] |
• elevation | 1,004 ft (306 m) |
| Basin size | 125 sq mi (320 km2)[4] |
| Discharge | |
| • location | nearLoma Linda[4] |
| • average | 4.29 cu ft/s (0.121 m3/s)[4] |
| • minimum | 0 cu ft/s (0 m3/s) |
| • maximum | 15,000 cu ft/s (420 m3/s) |
| Basin features | |
| Tributaries | |
| • left | Coopers Creek |
| • right | Noble Creek,Little San Gorgonio Creek,Yucaipa Creek |
San Timoteo Creek (also calledSan Timoteo Wash,[3] colloquially known asSan Tim[5]) is astream inRiverside andSan Bernardino counties insouthern California, United States. Atributary of theSanta Ana River, it flows throughSan Timoteo Canyon.[6] San Timoteo Creek has adrainage basin of about 125 square miles (320 km2).[4] The creek receives most of its water from headwater tributaries flowing from theSan Bernardino Mountains nearCherry Valley, as well asYucaipa Creek, which flows fromLive Oak Canyon.[7]
In the past the creek wasintermittent. Today it flows year-round due to agricultural runoff and secondary treatment discharge from a water treatment plant inYucaipa.[1]
The name "San Timoteo" was given to the creek and canyon around 1830. It is Spanish forSaint Timothy.[8]
San Timoteo Creek is formed by the confluence of Little San Antonio Creek and Noble Creek west ofBeaumont.[1] Coopers Creek joins from the southeast just before the San Timoteo enters the San Timoteo Canyon. The San Timoteo flows northwest through San Timoteo Canyon, north ofThe Badlands in the southern hills ofRedlands. Yucaipa Creek, flowing from Live Oak Canyon, joins San Timoteo Creek in San Timoteo Canyon. After the creek leaves the canyon it flows throughBryn Mawr andLoma Linda to its mouth on the Santa Ana River, near theI-10 andI-215 interchange.[2]
Historically, San Timoteo Canyon was used as a travel corridor by Native Americans and Spanish ranchers. San Timoteo Canyon Road was used by stage coaches from the 1880s through the 1920s. By the 1910s the road was being used by cars.[7]
A largeNative American village used to exist near the mouth ofSan Timoteo Canyon. Its inhabitants were ultimately incorporated into theMission San Gabriel Arcángel.[9]
In the 19th century the village ofSaahatpa was established in San Timoteo Canyon by ChiefJuan Antonio and his band ofCahuilla Indians. The village was abandoned after a devastating smallpox epidemic in 1862–63.[10]
In May 1877 theSouthern Pacific Railroad Company completed tracks through San Timoteo Canyon, overSan Gorgonio Pass and east toYuma, Arizona.[11]
During the greatLos Angeles flood of 1938, the creek flooded, causing damage and destruction.[5][12] In 1969, the creek overflowed its banks again, causing damage in Redlands and inundating two-thirds of Loma Linda. Many of the bridges over the creek washed away, andLoma Linda Academy was completely flooded.[12][13][14] These floods led to controversial calls forflood control on the creek. The federal government made appropriations forchannelization of the entire creek in 1988, but local opposition to the measure was strong. Eventually, a compromise measure was reached, in which the creek was only partially channelized in 2008 by theUS Army Corps of Engineers.[5] In 2010, the creek again flooded parts of Loma Linda.[14] In 2013, the Corps of Engineers completed a flood control mitigation project which included maintenance and revegetation.[5]
The creek is a popular local venue for hiking and mountain biking.[15]
Urbanization is occurring rapidly in the San Timoteo watershed, resulting in an increased potential for floods. TheUnited States Army Corps of Engineers has built flood control structures along most of the lower reaches of the creek. A concrete-lined channel runs from the confluence of the Santa Ana River 3.1 mi (5.0 km) upstream. Due to public opposition regarding extending the concrete channel in more upstream portions of San Timoteo Creek, flood control upstream of the concrete section uses a soft-bottom channel through most of the project.[1]
TheEnvironmental Protection Agency, in cooperation with San Bernardino County, Redlands, and Loma Linda, are working to restore sections of San Timoteo Creek's riparian ecosystem to a close approximation of its natural state, while recognizing it is not possible to restore certain reaches to a pristine condition.[1] San Timoteo Creek is one of the few remaining functional wildlife corridors linking the Santa Ana River and Prado Basins on the west with the San Bernardino, San Gorgonio, and San Jacinto Mountains to the east.[1] San Timoteo is one of the last major drainage systems in the inland area of Southern California with some significant remnants of riparian vegetation and habitat.[1]
