Santa Anita Creek

Santa Anita Creek (Santa Anita Wash on federal maps[1]) is a 10.4-mile (16.7 km) long stream in Los Angeles County, California. It flows southwards from its headwaters in the south ridge of the San Gabriel Mountains, to form the beginnings of the Rio Hondo near Irwindale.

Santa Anita Creek
Big Santa Anita Creek, Santa Anita Wash[1]
The creek near the First Water trail junction
Location
CountryUnited States
StateCalifornia
RegionLos Angeles County
CitiesSierra Madre, Arcadia, Monrovia, Azusa, Irwindale
Physical characteristics
SourceEastern flank of Mount Wilson
 • locationAngeles National Forest, San Gabriel Mountains
 • elevation4,600 ft (1,400 m)
MouthRio Hondo
 • location
Irwindale, San Gabriel Valley
 • coordinates
34°06′12″N 118°00′56″W
 • elevation
320 ft (98 m)
Length10.4 mi (16.7 km), North-south
Basin size15 sq mi (39 km2)
Discharge 
 • average9 cu ft/s (0.25 m3/s)
 • minimum0 cu ft/s (0 m3/s)
 • maximum7,000 cu ft/s (200 m3/s)
Basin features
River systemRio Hondo
Tributaries 
 • leftNorth Fork Santa Anita Creek, East Fork Santa Anita Creek
 • rightWinter Creek

Course

The creek begins on the east slope of Mount Wilson, inside the Angeles National Forest. It flows in a curve southeast through Santa Anita Canyon, then drops over the 60-foot (18 m) Sturtevant Falls. The North Fork comes in from the left about a quarter-mile above the falls, and the East Fork also from the left about a quarter-mile downstream. The creek then flows south through a group of about 80 historic cabins on the canyon floor, before receiving Winter Creek from the right near Chantry Flat. Shortly downstream of there, it drops over Hermit Falls and flows into Santa Anita Reservoir, which is impounded by the 225-foot (69 m) Santa Anita Dam.

Leaving the foothills the creek continues southwards through Sierra Madre, Monrovia and Arcadia as the Santa Anita Wash, flowing in a concrete channel. It turns southeast towards Azusa, then south again at Irwindale, where it empties into a small flood control basin.

The water continues out of the basin as the Rio Hondo, which flows southwards to junctions with the San Gabriel River and the Los Angeles River.[2]

References
  1. U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Santa Anita Wash
  2. USGS Topo Maps for United States (Map). Cartography by United States Geological Survey. ACME Mapper. Retrieved 2010-08-10.
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