Ingram Creek facts for kids

Ingram Creek is a stream in California that flows into the San Joaquin River. It's about 14-mile-long (23 km), which is like a 22-kilometer journey! This creek is located in Stanislaus County, which is part of the big San Joaquin Valley.

Ingram Creek was originally called Arroyo de la Suerte, which means "Creek of Luck" in Spanish. It's a "tributary," which means it's a smaller stream that flows into a larger river.

Where Ingram Creek Starts and Ends

Ingram Creek has a beginning and an end, just like any journey!

The Mouth of the Creek

The "mouth" of Ingram Creek is where it meets the San Joaquin River. This spot is about 46 feet (or 14 meters) above sea level. Here, it joins a "slough," which is a slow-moving channel of water connected to the main river. Think of it as a quiet side path that leads to a busy highway.

The Source of the Creek

The "source" of Ingram Creek is where it begins. This is much higher up, at about 880 feet (or 268 meters) above sea level. The creek starts in a place called Ingram Canyon. It's formed when two smaller streams, Grummett Creek and Cedar Spring Gulch, join together. The very highest parts where the water collects to form the creek are called its "headwaters," and these are found in the Diablo Range mountains.

How the Creek Formed: A Look at Geology

Ingram Creek has carved its way through different types of rocks and soil over millions of years. This process is called "erosion."

Ancient Rocks and Sediments

The creek has cut through very old rock formations. Some of these include:

• Franciscan Assemblage: These are groups of rocks that formed deep under the ocean and were later pushed up to the surface.
• Mesozoic Ultrabasic Intrusive Rocks: These are rocks that formed from hot, molten material (magma) that pushed its way into other rocks underground during the Mesozoic Era (the time of dinosaurs!). "Ultrabasic" means they have very little silica.
• Marine Sediments: These are layers of mud, sand, and tiny sea creatures that settled at the bottom of ancient oceans. These particular sediments are from the Upper Cretaceous, Paleocene, and Eocene periods, which means they are many millions of years old!

Salty Groundwater

Over time, rainwater seeps into the ground and moves through these ancient marine sediments. As it moves, it can dissolve salt and other minerals from the rocks. This process is called "leaching." Because of this, the water deep underground (about 600 feet down) in this area can become quite salty, like "brine."