List of rivers of Orange County, California facts for kids
Welcome to Orange County, California! This article is all about the important rivers and streams that flow through our area. The biggest rivers here are the Santa Ana River and the San Gabriel River. Their watersheds (the land where rain collects and flows into a river) are huge, reaching into nearby counties like Los Angeles and Riverside.
We also have many other important streams that start or flow mostly within Orange County. Some of these include Coyote Creek, Santiago Creek, San Diego Creek, Aliso Creek, and San Juan Creek. Many of these waterways got their names from Spanish explorers way back in the 1700s.
Orange County is a very developed area with lots of cities and towns. To keep our 3 million residents safe from floods, many streams were changed in the 1900s. They were often straightened and lined with concrete. Some completely new, artificial streams were also built to drain large wetland areas near the coast, especially around Anaheim Bay.
Even though these changes help carry floodwaters away, Orange County's streams are also used to collect and store water. This helps reduce how much water we need to bring in from other places. A great example is Irvine Lake, which is the largest freshwater body in the county. It was created in 1931 by building a dam on Santiago Creek. The Santa Ana River also helps a lot with groundwater recharge. This is where water soaks into the ground to refill underground water supplies, providing up to half of the drinking water used in the county!
| Watershed | Total area |
Area within Orange County |
%Total OC land area |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aliso Creek | 22,400 acres (91 km2) |
22,400 acres (91 km2) |
4.38% |
| Anaheim Bay– Huntington Harbor |
51,422 acres (208 km2) |
51,422 acres (208 km2) |
10.06% |
| Newport Bay | 97,293 acres (394 km2) |
97,293 acres (394 km2) |
19.02% |
| San Gabriel River | 440,960 acres (1,786 km2) |
53,760 acres (218 km2) |
10.51% |
| San Juan Creek | 112,640 acres (456 km2) |
102,387 acres (415 km2) |
20.02% |
| San Mateo Creek | 88,960 acres (360 km2) |
12,262 acres (50 km2) |
2.39% |
| Santa Ana River | 1,696,000 acres (6,869 km2) |
134,701 acres (546 km2) |
26.34% |
Contents
Major River Systems in Orange County
This section explores the main rivers and their connected streams that flow through Orange County.
San Gabriel River Watershed
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The San Gabriel River flows mostly through Los Angeles County. It also forms part of the border between Orange County and Los Angeles County.
- San Gabriel River
- Coyote Creek
- Carbon Creek
- Fullerton Creek
- Brea Creek
- North Fork Coyote Creek (also known as La Canada Verde Creek)
- Coyote Creek
Anaheim Bay Watershed
This area includes several channels built to help drain water, especially near the coast.
- Bolsa Chica Channel
- Anaheim-Barber City Channel
- Westminster Channel
- Sunset Channel
- East Garden Grove-Wintersburg Channel
Santa Ana River Watershed
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The Santa Ana River is about 100 miles (160 km) long. It starts in San Bernardino County and flows through Riverside County. Then it cuts through the northern part of Orange County. This river is very important for our water supply.
- Santa Ana River
- Talbert Channel
- Huntington Beach Channel
- Santiago Creek
- Handy Creek
- Weir Canyon
- Fremont Canyon
- Limestone Canyon
- Black Star Canyon
- Silverado Canyon
- Ladd Canyon
- Modjeska Canyon
- Harding Canyon
- Walnut Canyon
- Gypsum Canyon
- Talbert Channel
Newport Bay Watershed
This watershed drains into Newport Bay, a beautiful coastal area.
- Santa Ana-Delhi Channel (also called Big Canyon)
- San Diego Creek
- Bonita Creek
- Sand Canyon Wash
- San Joaquin Wash
- Peters Canyon Wash
- Hicks Canyon Wash
- Rattlesnake Canyon Wash
- Bee Canyon Wash
- Agua Chinon Creek
- Borrego Canyon Wash
- Serrano Creek
Aliso Creek Watershed
Aliso Creek flows through several cities before reaching the ocean at Laguna Beach.
San Juan Creek Watershed
San Juan Creek is a major waterway in southern Orange County, flowing through historic areas like San Juan Capistrano.
- San Juan Creek
- Arroyo Trabuco (also known as Trabuco Creek)
- Oso Creek
- La Paz Creek
- Tijeras Canyon Creek
- Holy Jim Creek
- Oso Creek
- El Horno Creek
- Cañada Gobernadora
- Bell Canyon
- Crow Canyon
- Dove Creek
- Lucas Canyon
- Hot Springs Creek
- Arroyo Trabuco (also known as Trabuco Creek)
San Mateo Creek Watershed
San Mateo Creek is mostly in Riverside and San Diego Counties. Only a small part of it, including some of its smaller streams, extends into Orange County.
- San Mateo Creek
- Cristianitos Creek
- Talega Canyon
- Cristianitos Creek
Coastal Streams
Many smaller streams flow directly into the Pacific Ocean along the Orange County coast. Here they are listed from north to south. Streams that are part of the larger river systems mentioned above are shown in italics.
- Newport Bay
- Buck Gully
- Moro Canyon
- Laguna Canyon
- El Toro Creek
- Aliso Creek
- Salt Creek
- San Juan Creek
- Prima Deshecha Cañada
- San Mateo Creek
See also
