| Whitewater River | |
|---|---|
 Aerial view of the river as it flows out of the San Bernardino Mountains | |
 The course of the Whitewater River highlighted on a map of theSalton Seadrainage basin | |
| Location | |
| Country | United States |
| State | California |
| Cities | Palm Springs,Cathedral City,Rancho Mirage,Palm Desert,Indio,Coachella,Mecca |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Source | Confluence ofNorth andMiddle Forks[1][2] |
| • location | NearSan Gorgonio Mountain,San Bernardino Mountains,San Bernardino County |
| • coordinates | 34°03′48″N116°44′50″W / 34.06333°N 116.74722°W /34.06333; -116.74722[3] |
| • elevation | 4,787 ft (1,459 m) |
| Mouth | Salton Sea |
• location | South ofMecca,Riverside County |
• coordinates | 33°30′30″N116°03′26″W / 33.50833°N 116.05722°W /33.50833; -116.05722[3] |
• elevation | −233 ft (−71 m) |
| Length | 53.9 mi (86.7 km)[4] |
| Basin size | 1,500 sq mi (3,900 km2) |
| Discharge | |
| • location | Indio[5] |
| • average | 3.53 cu ft/s (0.100 m3/s)[6] |
| • minimum | 0 cu ft/s (0 m3/s) |
| • maximum | 11,400 cu ft/s (320 m3/s) |
| Basin features | |
| Tributaries | |
| • left | Mission Creek,[7]Garnet Wash,[8]Thousand Palm Canyon Wash[9] |
| • right | South Fork Whitewater River,[10]San Gorgonio River,Chino Wash,Palm Canyon Wash,[11]Cathedral Canyon[12] |
| Type | Wild, Recreational |
| Designated | March 12, 2019[13] |
TheWhitewater River is a small permanentstream in westernRiverside County, California, with some upstream tributaries in southwesternSan Bernardino County. The river'sheadwaters are in theSan Bernardino Mountains, and it terminates at theSalton Sea in theColorado Sonoran Desert. The area drained by the Whitewater River is part of the largerendorheic Salton Seadrainage basin.
Initially calledAgua Blanco by early Spanish explorers,[14] and later translated into English aswhite water, the river received its name for its milky appearance created by the silicate and lime sediments it carries.[15] The community ofWhitewater was named after the river, and became a key stop on theBradshaw Trail stagecoach runs.
The Whitewater River has three significant tributaries: the North, Middle, and South Forks, all within theSand to Snow National Monument.
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The North Fork begins in thesubalpine zone at about 10,000 ft (3,000 m) onSan Gorgonio Mountain and descends steeply southeast to the Middle Fork, which flows east through a widearroyo. The South Fork flows northeast through a narrower woodedcanyon, joining the Middle Fork lower down. The upper watershed is in theSan Gorgonio Wilderness andSan Bernardino National Forest, then it reaches land managed by theBureau of Land Management. Below the confluences, the arroyo is at least 0.5 mi (0.80 km) wide, paved with accumulations of boulders, gravel, and sand brought down by floods and brushy except in stream channels cleared by floodwaters. Due to floods and shifting channels, there is almost noriparian forest development, except locally along unnamed minor tributaries with relatively stable channels.
ThePacific Crest Trail (PCT) enters the arroyo from the north and follows it downstream through Whitewater Canyon. A connecting trail links the PCT to theWhitewater Preserve, which serves as one of the primary public access points to this section of the river.[16] A small population of wild but non-nativeRainbow trout occurs locally in shaded reaches or cooler tributaries, but elevated summer temperatures limit their distribution along most of the stream.
Floods and debris flows periodically reshape the Whitewater Canyon section of the river. During the Valentine’s Day storm of February 2019 and again duringHurricane Hilary in August 2023, flooding damaged sections of Whitewater Canyon Road and affected access and trails in the canyon.[17]
In contrast to the dry washes commonly visible in the Coachella Valley, the Whitewater River often flows above ground in the upper canyon of the San Bernardino Mountains, where it supports informal recreation such as hiking, wading, and wildlife viewing.[18]
Sections of the Whitewater River were designated as part of theNational Wild and Scenic Rivers System in 2019.[13]
Below the PCT trailhead, the enclosing hills fall away, so the arroyo exits from the San Bernardino Mountains nearMorongo Valley into the westernCoachella Valley. TheSan Gorgonio River rises further west on the south side of San Gorgonio Mountain and then joins it. Garnet Wash, Mission Creek, Chino Canyon Wash, Palm Canyon Wash, Cathedral Canyon, and Thousand Palm Canyon Wash also join, but the water mainly penetrates through the porous desert floor, providinggroundwater recharging of the Coachella Valleyaquifer.
Before approachingPalm Springs, the Whitewater River is fed imported water from theColorado River Aqueduct, managed by theMetropolitan Water District of Southern California.[19] During rare floods, surface water may reach theendorheic basin of theSalton Sea, belowsea level.
In 2001Huell Howser Productions, in association withKCET/Los Angeles, featured the river and nearby community inCalifornia's Gold.[20]
