Cajalco Canyon Creek facts for kids
Cajalco Canyon Creek is a stream in Riverside County, California. It flows through Cajalco Canyon in the Temescal Mountains. This stream is a "tributary," which means it flows into a larger stream called Temescal Wash. Temescal Wash then flows into the Santa Ana River.
The name "Cajalco" has an interesting history. It might come from a Hispanic spelling of a word for "quail." This word was used by the Luiseño and Cahuilla people. These Native American groups lived in the area long ago. Another idea is that "Cajalco" is an anagram. It could stand for "California Jalisco Land Company of Los Angeles."
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Where Does Cajalco Canyon Creek Flow?
Cajalco Canyon Creek starts in the Gavilan Hills. These hills are part of the Temescal Mountains. The creek originally flowed down the northeast side of these hills.
The Original Path of the Creek
The creek then turned northwest. It collected water from small streams called "arroyos" from Mead Valley. After that, it turned west. It flowed through the wide, gentle Cajalco Valley. Here, it gathered more water from the Gavilan Plateau. Water also came from Harford Spring Canyon and other small arroyos.
The creek then entered the steep, narrow part of Cajalco Canyon. Finally, it flowed into Temescal Wash. You can see this original path on old maps. For example, the 1898 topographic map of the Elsinore Quadrangle shows it.
How Lake Mathews Changed the Creek
In the 1930s, something big changed the creek. A dam was built in Cajalco Canyon. This dam was part of the Colorado River Aqueduct project. The aqueduct brings water from the Colorado River to Southern California.
Creating Lake Mathews
The dam blocked the creek's flow. This created a large body of water called Cajalco Reservoir. Today, we know it as Lake Mathews. Now, the upper part of Cajalco Canyon Creek flows into Lake Mathews.
The Creek Below the Dam
The lower part of the creek still flows. It continues through the remaining part of Cajalco Canyon. This section of the creek still flows into Temescal Wash. So, the creek now has two parts: one that feeds the lake and one that flows below the dam.
