| Trampas Canyon Creek | |
|---|---|
 Stream map of San Juan Creek watershed with three major tributaries in dark blue, smaller streams in light blue, and cities and towns in orange. Trampas Canyon Creek is the short waterway flowing north into San Juan Creek, near the lower edge of the map. | |
| Location | |
| Country | United States |
| State | California |
| District | Orange County |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Source | Trampas Canyon Reservoir nearSanta Ana Mountains |
| • coordinates | 33°29′18″N117°35′36″W / 33.4883597°N 117.5933813°W /33.4883597; -117.5933813 |
| • elevation | 800 ft (240 m) |
| Mouth | San Juan Creek |
• coordinates | 33°30′53″N117°34′58″W / 33.5147478°N 117.5828254°W /33.5147478; -117.5828254 |
• elevation | 272 ft (83 m) |
| Length | 0.8 mi (1.3 km) |
| Basin features | |
| River system | San Juan Creek |
Trampas Canyon is a short tributary ofSan Juan Creek in southernOrange County theU.S. state ofCalifornia.[1] It rises in forks on steep slopes of the southernSanta Ana Mountains (33°29′18″N117°35′36″W / 33.4883597°N 117.5933813°W /33.4883597; -117.5933813), and flows north to where it is dammed by Trampas Canyon Dam (USGS San Clemente Quad 7½"). Trampas Canyon 1795-006 Dam (33°29′54″N117°35′15″W / 33.498359°N 117.587548°W /33.498359; -117.587548)[2] forms a small lake that branches into four forks running east–west. Exiting the dam, the creek flows north and turns slightly to the west, where it joins San Juan Creek on the left bank, near the confluence ofCañada Gobernadora (33°18′19″N117°20′45″W / 33.3053°N 117.3458°W /33.3053; -117.3458). Trampas Canyon Creek isephemeral and only flows during storm events or while Trampas Canyon Dam is releasing, and is not a primary tributary of San Juan Creek.[3]
A study was prepared in 1999 by the City ofSan Juan Capistrano, and it was found that a failure of the earthen Trampas Canyon Dam would do more damage to the lower course of San Juan Creek than for a100 year flood. A failure would cause a floodwave over 0.5 miles (0.80 km) wide to rush down the lower 4.7 miles (7.6 km) of San Juan Creek toDoheny State Beach, flooding parts of San Juan Capistrano andDana Point. A 100-year flood would cause a slightly smaller inundation.[4]