List of rivers of Orange County, California

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Map showing the main Orange County watersheds and watercourses.

This is a list of rivers of Orange County, California, which is a small coastal region in the southern portion of the U.S. state of California. There are thirteen distinct drainage areas in the watershed and eight large streams, most of which were formerly free-flowing but intermittent. Most of the waterways in the area received their name from Spanish conquistadors in the 18th century. After suburban development of Orange County began in the 1950s, most of its lowland streams were channelized and/or concreted for flood control.

The San Gabriel River and Coyote Creek, drain a large portion of northwest Orange County and also form most of the county's northwestern border. The remainder of western Orange County drains into Anaheim Bay via a few smaller streams. The Santa Ana River flows through the central part of the county, carrying runoff from the distant San Bernardino Mountains. Its tributary, Santiago Creek, drains the northern part of the Santa Ana Mountains, which form the eastern border of the county. A large part of Central Orange County drains into Newport Bay, of which San Diego Creek is the main tributary. Southern Orange County is drained by Aliso Creek, San Juan Creek and a multitude of smaller coastal streams. San Mateo Creek is located in San Diego County but some of its tributaries extend into the southeast corner of Orange County as well.

If a creek passes through a reservoir or lake, that is included. Lakes at the source of a stream are not listed, unless noted. If a creek has a name of Spanish origin, then the translation of that name is given in the Translations section below.

North of San Diego Creek

Some rivers begin in Orange County and drain into the San Gabriel River, which forms most of the boundary of Orange and Los Angeles counties. Coyote Creek Carbon Creek Moody Creek Fullerton Creek Fullerton Reservoir (instream, flood control) Brea Creek Brea Reservoir (instream, flood control) San Jose Flood Diversion Channel Tonner Canyon North Fork Coyote Creek Miranda Creek Imperial Creek

These two drainage channels abut the mouth of the Santa Ana River: Talbert Channel Huntington Beach Channel Some rivers of Orange County flow into the Santa Ana River, which flows from San Bernardino County and Riverside County. Santiago Creek Handy Creek Irvine Lake(Instream water supply, recreation and flood control reservoir) Limestone Canyon Creek Black Star Canyon Creek Baker Canyon Creek Silverado Canyon Ladd Canyon White Canyon Halfway Canyon Pine Canyon Lost Woman Canyon Spruce Canyon Williams Canyon Spring Canyon Pancho Canyon Harding Creek Modjeska Creek(Named for and flows from Modjeska Peak) Grotto Spring(Forms the headwaters of Modjeska Creek) Bear Trap Canyon Creek Jamison Spring(Located at Santiago Creek's headwaters)

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  Irvine Lake, a reservoir on Santiago Creek

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  The mouth of Black Star Canyon

San Diego Creek to Aliso Creek

San Diego Creek is a large watershed that is directly south of the Santa Ana River, draining into Upper Newport Bay. Reservoirs are listed because outflow from them provide much of the flow in the creek's tributaries. San Diego Creek Bonita Canyon Creek Bonita Canyon Reservoir Sand Canyon Wash Sand Canyon Reservoir San Joaquin Wash San Joaquin Reservoir Peters Canyon Wash Santa Ana Channel Rattlesnake Canyon Creek Peters Canyon Reservoir Marshburn Channel Bee Canyon Wash Round Canyon Bee Canyon Reservoir Agua Chinon Creek Borrego Canyon Serrano Creek La Cañada Wash Santa Ana-Delhi Channel Big Canyon Creek Several small streams, the largest of which is in Laguna Canyon, drain the San Joaquin Hills between the mouths of San Juan and Aliso creeks. Buck Gully Reef Point Creek Los Trancos Canyon Muddy Canyon Creek El Moro Canyon Creek Emerald Canyon Creek Boat Canyon Creek Laguna Canyon Willow Canyon Creek Laurel Canyon Wash El Toro Creek Camarillo Canyon See also Laguna Lakes Little Sycamore Canyon

South of Laguna Canyon, the largest streams flowing into the Pacific are Aliso Creek, Salt Creek and San Juan Creek. Bluebird Canyon Creek Hobo Canyon Aliso Creek Wood Canyon Creek See also Wood Canyon Emergent Wetland Sulphur Creek Narco Channel See also Sulphur Creek Reservoir Niguel Drain Dairy Fork Aliso Hills Channel Munger Creek English Canyon Creek Salt Creek San Juan Canyon Creek Arroyo Salada Storm Channel Sea Canyon Creek North Creek

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  Upper Newport Bay, the discharge point of San Diego Creek

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  Peters Canyon Reservoir is the beginning of Peters Canyon Wash.

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  Aliso Creek upstream of Aliso Canyon

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  Salt Creek nearing its mouth

San Juan Creek South to OC Boundary

San Juan Creek Trabuco Creek Oso Creek La Paz Creek See also Lake Mission Viejo and Upper Oso Reservoir Tijeras Canyon Creek Cañada Chiquita Live Oak Canyon Creek Hickey Canyon Creek Rose Canyon Creek Falls Canyon Creek Holy Jim Creek El Horno Creek Cañada Chiquita Cañada Gobernadora Trampas Canyon Verdugo Canyon Wash Bell Canyon Dove Canyon Creek Tick Creek Lucas Canyon Creek Aliso Canyon Creek Crow Springs Creek Cold Springs Creek Hot Springs Creek Outlet stream of San Juan Hot Springs Chiquito Creek Lion Canyon Creek Long Canyon Creek Morrell Canyon Bear Canyon Creek

South of San Juan Creek the primary streams are Prima Deshecha Cañada and Segunda Deshecha Cañada. Several streams also drain east and south into San Diego County. Prima Deshecha Cañada Cascaditas Canyon Segunda Deshecha Cañada East Fork Segunda Deshecha Cañada Christianitos Canyon Creek (drains to San Mateo Creek) Talega Canyon Gabino Creek La Paz Canyon Creek Trabuco Creek near mouth San Juan Creek in the concrete channel in its lower reaches

Translations

Translations of creeks with names of Spanish origin are give, in alphabetical order.

• Aliso Creek - Alder Creek
• El Horno Creek - Oven Creek
• El Toro Creek - Bull Creek
• Laguna Canyon - Lagoon Canyon
• Oso Creek - Bear Creek
• Prima Deshecha Cañada - First "Undone" Creek
• San Diego Creek - Saint Diego Creek
• San Juan Creek - Saint John Creek'
• Segunda Deshecha Cañada - Second "Undone" Creek
• Trabuco Creek - Musket Creek or Blunderbuss Creek

See also

• List of tributaries of the Santa Ana River
• List of rivers of California

External links

• OC Watersheds