Strawberry Creek (San Bernardino County, California) facts for kids

Strawberry Creek is a stream about 4 miles (6.4 km) long. It flows on the south side of the San Bernardino Mountains in California. This creek is part of a larger water system. Its waters eventually flow into Warm Creek, then the Santa Ana River, and finally reach the Pacific Ocean.

Some companies collect water from the ground near Strawberry Creek. This water is then bottled and sold as spring water.

Where Strawberry Creek Flows

Strawberry Creek starts high up in the San Bernardino Mountains. It begins at about 5,000 feet (1,524 meters) above sea level. This starting point is just south of Rimforest and southeast of Strawberry Peak.

The creek flows south for about 2.5 miles (4 km). After that, it turns and flows southwest for another 1.5 miles (2.4 km). Finally, Strawberry Creek joins another stream called East Twin Creek.

East Twin Creek then meets West Twin Creek. West Twin Creek drains water from Waterman Canyon. East Twin Creek flows into Warm Creek. Warm Creek is a branch of the Santa Ana River. The Santa Ana River eventually empties into the Pacific Ocean.

Animals and Plants of Strawberry Creek

Strawberry Creek is an important home for many animals. Some of these animals are very rare or are in danger of disappearing.

One special fish is the Santa Ana speckled dace. This fish used to live in Strawberry Creek. However, a long period of dry weather (a drought) in 2003 caused low water levels. Then, wildfires and floods happened in late 2003. These events made it very hard for the fish to survive. Scientists believe the fish might have disappeared from the creek because of this.

The Santa Ana speckled dace is a very rare fish. Its survival is threatened by human activities. For example, people taking too much water from the creek is a problem. Also, things like dams can block the fish from moving freely. This can make it hard for them to find food or places to lay eggs.

The area around Strawberry Creek also supports other important animals. These include:

• The least Bell's vireo, which is a type of bird.
• The southwestern willow flycatcher, another bird species.
• The two-striped garter snake.
• The California spotted owl.
• The southern rubber boa, which is a type of snake.

Scientists are making plans to bring back some of these animals. They hope to reintroduce the Santa Ana speckled dace. They also plan to bring back the mountain yellow-legged frog. This will happen when there is enough water in the creek. Long droughts have made it difficult for streams in southern California. It is hard for them to support animals that need surface water to live.