| San Francisquito Creek | |
|---|---|
 | |
 | |
| Etymology | Spanish |
| Native name | Arroyo San Francisquito (Spanish) |
| Location | |
| Country | United States |
| State | California |
| Region | Los Angeles County |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Source | |
| • location | southwest ofSan Francisquito Pass |
| • coordinates | 34°38′12.62″N118°23′5.86″W / 34.6368389°N 118.3849611°W /34.6368389; -118.3849611[1] |
| • elevation | 3,544 feet (1,080 m)[2] |
| Mouth | |
• location | confluence with Santa Clara River |
• coordinates | 34°25′34.21″N118°34′9.26″W / 34.4261694°N 118.5692389°W /34.4261694; -118.5692389[1] |
• elevation | 1,082 feet (330 m)[2] |
| Length | 22 mi (35 km) |
| Basin features | |
| River system | Santa Clara River |
San Francisquito Creek, inLos Angeles County, is atributary stream of theSanta Clara River. It drains the south facing slopes of theSierra Pelona Mountains of theSan Gabriel Mountains within theTransverse Range ofCalifornia, United States.
The closest populated place to the creek isGreen Valley that lies along the upper course of the creek, in the upper part ofSan Francisquito Canyon, southeast of the source of the Creek atSan Francisquito Pass. At its mouth and confluence with theSanta Clara River isSanta Clarita.
Originally called theArroyo San Francisquito,[3] San Francisquito Creek and its canyon was for many years the major route of wagon and stage roads northward fromLos Angeles into theSan Joaquin Valley. The first wasEl Camino Viejo, later there was theStockton–Los Angeles Road and theButterfield Overland Mail stage route. The wagon road followed the course of the stream in the bottom of the canyon.[4] Two stage stations for the Overland Mail were along the Creek.Widow Smith's Station was located about 1 mi (1.6 km) down the canyon from Green Valley.[5] andKing's Station, located 10 mi (16 km) south of Widow Smith's Station in lower San Francisquito Canyon.[6]
TheSt. Francis Dam was built on San Francisquito Creek in San Francisquito Canyon, and completed in 1926. It was part of theLos Angeles Aqueduct system, creating a storage reservoir for the importedOwens Valley water. The dam failed in 1928, due to a then undetectable geological weakness in the bedrock. The resulting flood sent a massive wave of water and debris down the canyon and theSanta Clara River Valley and to the sea, killing up to 600 people.[7] Some of these debris can still be found today littering the creek bed.
In 1999, the city ofSanta Clarita established the creek as an ecological conservation zone and has since built a pair of 2.5 mi (4.0 km) long bike and pedestrian paths along the eastern and western banks of the river as it flows into the city.[8]
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