94-607: Chollas Creek , also referred to as Las Chollas Creek , is an urban creek in San Diego County, California , United States, that is 30 miles (48 km) long. The Chollas Creek's four branches begin in the cities of Lemon Grove and La Mesa and empties into San Diego Bay at Barrio Logan . Bifurcating into two main forks, the creek may also be dry during the Southern California dry season. Multiple plant, animal, and aquatic wildlife species live in or around
188-517: A National Hockey League (NHL) franchise, though it hosted the San Diego Mariners of the now-defunct World Hockey Association (WHA) from 1974 to 1977. Currently, there is no NFL, NBA, or NHL team in the county. San Diego is the largest American city not to have won a championship in a "Big Four" major professional league. The city does have one major league title to its name: the 1963 American Football League (AFL) Championship won by
282-475: A circumpolar distribution in northern North America , Asia and Europe . An unusual association of manzanita occurs on Hood Mountain , in Sonoma County, California , where stands of pygmy forest dominated by Mendocino cypress are found. One fossil fruit of † Arctostaphylos globula and several fossil fruits of † Arctostaphylos menzelii have been described from middle Miocene strata of
376-572: A 6% decrease from 2017. 3,586 were sheltered, and 4,990 were not. 4,912 (75.3%) were in the city of San Diego. North County Inland had 1,153 (13.4%), North County Coastal with 822 homeless (9.6%), 602 (7%) were found in South County, and 1,087 (12.7%) in East County. According to a 2014 Pew Research Center survey, 68% of adults in the county were Christian , of whom 32% were Catholic . 27% were religiously unaffiliated , and 5% adhered to
470-709: A destination for trafficked minors from Mexico and the Philippines. In 2018, the United States Border Patrol caught an average of over a hundred individuals crossing the border illegally each day. San Diego County and Imperial County are part of the Southern Border Region , one of nine such regions. As a regional economy, the Southern Border Region is the smallest but most economically diverse region in
564-410: A female householder with no husband present, and 33.3% were non-families. 24.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.73 and the average family size was 3.29. As of 2000, 25.7% of the population was under the age of 18, 11.30% was from 18 to 24, 32.0% from 25 to 44, 19.8% from 45 to 64, and 11.2%
658-487: A non-Christian faith. According to the University of Southern California , in 2010, the largest faith in the county was Catholicism, followed by non-denominational Christians , and Mormons . In 2014, the county had 978 religious organizations, the seventh most out of all US counties. In 2014 according to Pew Research Center , there are about 170,000 undocumented immigrants living in the region. San Diego has been
752-727: A railroad track owned by the Coronado Railroad crossed the creek near the present-day alignment of National Avenue. In 1901, the Chollas Reservoir was created on a tributary of the creek due to the construction of the Chollas Dam . Also known as the Chollas Heights Dam, the Chollas Dam is a 56 feet (17 m) tall earth-fill type dam with a steel core plate. When the reservoir was built, it
846-636: A regional park. Because of the size and sprawl of the creek, it was decided that Chollas Creek Regional Park would be a loose collection of small parks, open canyons, trails and other recreational amenities. This was finalized in the August 2021 Parks Master Plan. Prior to this, Chollas Creek was the only major waterway in San Diego not to be designated a regional park. In late 2022, the California Coastal Commission approved repairs to
940-525: A state of emergency was declared. Shelters were opened by the Red Cross to assist those residents who were impacted by the flooding. A City of San Diego official later stated that the rains that occurred on January 22 exceeded the design of the stormwater channels within the Chollas Creek watershed. After the rains passed, work crews began to clear the culverts of Chollas Creek; the work falls within
1034-454: A study of the south fork of the creek, before it merged with the north fork, found two plant species with California Rare Plant Ranks: Juncus acutus leopoldii , and Iva hayesiana . Wildlife that live around the creek can include coyotes, skunks, possums, and red-shouldered hawks . Other wildlife which might be found around the creek include desert cottontail , gray foxes , and big brown bats . Birds commonly found along Chollas Creek include
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#17327725367371128-468: A thriving musical and theatrical scene, numerous notable special events, a varied cuisine, and a reputation as one of America's premier centers of craft brewing . Sports in San Diego County includes major professional league teams, other highest-level professional league teams, minor league teams, and college athletics . San Diego County hosts two teams of the major professional leagues,
1222-571: A varied topography. On its western side is more than 70 miles (113 km) of coastline. Most of San Diego between the coast and the Laguna Mountains consists of hills, mesas , and small canyons . Snow-capped (in winter) mountains rise to the east, with the Sonoran Desert farther to the east. The Cleveland National Forest is spread across the central portion of the county, while Anza-Borrego Desert State Park occupies most of
1316-698: A wetland environment dominating the mouth of the creek by 0 AD at the latest. At one point in its history, Chollas Creek had a confluence with the Sweetwater River , where these waters drained into the ocean through Silver Strand . By 1000 AD at the latest, a sandy beach was formed at the northwest mouth of the creek. Chollas Creek was utilized by the Kumeyaay prior to the arrival of the Spanish. A Kumeyaay community had existed near Chollas Creek, in Kumiai
1410-469: A year. Most rainfall occurs from November to April. Winter temperatures are mild, with average high temperatures of 66–70 °F (19–21 °C) and lows of 50–56 °F (10–13 °C). The climate in the San Diego area, like much of California, often varies significantly over short geographical distances resulting in microclimates . In San Diego's case this is mainly due to the city's topography (the Bay, and
1504-591: Is 21,000 cubic feet (590 m) per second. Only a small portion of the watershed are tidelands, and fall under the jurisdiction of the Port of San Diego or the United States Navy. From May to September, Southern California's dry season, the creek may be dry or have very little flow. The mile of the creek closest to San Diego Bay is tidally influenced . The waters of Chollas Creek are polluted by multiple types of pollutants including copper, lead, and zinc. In
1598-570: Is a border county . It is home to 18 Indian reservations , the most of any county in the United States. There are 16 military installations of the U.S. Navy , Marine Corps , and Coast Guard in the county. San Diego County comprises the San Diego–Chula Vista–Carlsbad, CA metropolitan statistical area , which is the 17th most populous metropolitan statistical area and the 18th most populous primary statistical area in
1692-414: Is a genus of plants comprising the manzanitas ( / ˌ m æ n z ə ˈ n iː t ə z / ) and bearberries . There are about 60 species of Arctostaphylos , ranging from ground-hugging arctic, coastal, and mountain shrub to small trees up to 6 m (20 ft) tall. Most are evergreen (one species deciduous ), with small oval leaves 1–7 cm (0.4–3 in) long, arranged spirally on
1786-437: Is a record of past tsunamis . In the 1847 census of San Diego County ordered by Richard Barnes Mason , it found that 2,287 people lived in the county, to include Native Americans, Pacific Islanders, and African Americans. Since at least 2014, San Diego County is the fifth most populous county in the United States. In 2000, only about 3% of San Diego County residents left the county for work while 40,000 people commuted into
1880-563: Is a triangle from a first point on the northern edge of Carlsbad, a second point southeast of Escondido , and a third point on the southern edge of La Jolla . It contains all or most of the cities of Carlsbad, Encinitas, Solana Beach , Del Mar , and Poway in addition to a substantial portion of northern San Diego. According to a point-in-time count taken for the San Diego Regional Task Force on Homelessness, there were 8,576 homeless individuals on January 6, 2018,
1974-663: Is considered an "impaired" water body by the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment . Plans to renovate the creek into a regional park began in 2002 and were completed in 2021 by the City of San Diego. The Chollas Creek watershed extends from the cities of La Mesa and Lemon Grove , through much of San Diego (south of Interstate 8 ), and by an unincorporated area within San Diego County. It also runs through City Heights, Encanto , Barrio Logan, and eastern and southeastern San Diego. The highest elevation of
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#17327725367372068-533: Is responsible for the debris removal; in 2017, 46.97 short tons (42,610 kg) worth of trash was removed from the creek within the navy base. In 2019, the California Natural Resources Agency gave a grant of $ 3.5 million to Groundworks San Diego, to help it restore the creek, through removing concrete channels and adding bike paths besides the creek. In June 2021, the City of San Diego declared that Chollas Creek would be made into
2162-533: The California gnatcatcher , red-tailed hawk , Bell's vireo , and cactus wren . Of these species, the Coastal California gnatcatcher is a threatened species . A study at the mouth of Chollas Creek in 2015 found four species of bivalves and one species of gastropod. The most numerous bivalve was a species of chione . Chollas Creek's existence is estimated to date back to at least 1500 BC, with
2256-854: The National Football League (NFL)'s San Diego Chargers from 1961 to 2017, when the team relocated to the Greater Los Angeles area (now the Los Angeles Chargers ). The county also hosted the National Basketball Association (NBA)'s San Diego Rockets from 1967 to 1971 (now the Houston Rockets ) and San Diego Clippers from 1978 to 1984 (now the Los Angeles Clippers ). San Diego County has never hosted
2350-595: The Peninsular Ranges for hiking, biking, mountainboarding and trail riding . Surfing locations include Swami's , Stone Steps Beach, Torrey Pines State Beach , Cardiff State Beach , San Onofre State Beach and the southern portion of Black's Beach . The region is host to the second largest cruise ship industry in California which generates an estimated $ 2 million annually from purchases of food, fuel, supplies, and maintenance services. In 2008,
2444-458: The Port of San Diego hosted 252 ship calls and more than 800,000 passengers. The culture of San Diego is influenced heavily by American and Mexican cultures due to its position as a border town , its large Hispanic population, and its history as part of Spanish America and Mexico . The area's longtime association with the U.S. military also contributes to its culture. Present-day culture includes many historical and tourist attractions,
2538-572: The Portola Expedition (1769-1770), a survey conducted by crew members of the San Antonio found that Chollas Creek was a viable water source. Despite this finding, it was not utilized due to the presence of the Kumeyaay community there. In 1769, Junípero Serra noted that the village at Chollas Creek was lined with cholla cacti . Although other Kumeyaay communities were involved in a November 1775 attack on Mission San Diego , Chollas
2632-601: The San Diego Padres of Major League Baseball (MLB) and San Diego FC of Major League Soccer (MLS). The county is home to several universities whose teams compete in various NCAA Division I sports, most notably the San Diego State Aztecs . The Farmers Insurance Open , a professional golf tournament on the PGA Tour , is played annually at Torrey Pines Golf Course . San Diego County hosted
2726-576: The South Bay or South County, including South San Diego , an exclave of the city of San Diego which has no land connection to the rest of the city. San Diego County is bordered on the northwest by Orange County , on the north by Riverside County ; on the east by Imperial County ; on the south by Mexico ; and on the west by the Pacific Ocean. Under the Köppen climate classification system,
2820-403: The U.S. state of California . As of the 2020 census , the population was 3,298,634; it is the second-most populous county in California and the fifth-most populous in the United States. Its county seat is San Diego , the second-most populous city in California and the eighth-most populous in the United States. It is the southwesternmost county in the 48 contiguous United States , and
2914-512: The Census Bureau estimates there were 3,343,364 people, 1,067,846 households, and 663,449 families residing in the county. The population density was 670 inhabitants per square mile (260/km ). There were 1,142,245 housing units at an average density of 248 per square mile (96/km ). In 2000, there were 994,677 households, out of which 33.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.7% were married couples living together, 11.6% had
Chollas Creek - Misplaced Pages Continue
3008-492: The Chollas Reservoir was its sole source of water. In 1927 cracks developed in the dam, requiring repairs. The collapse of the St. Francis Dam led to the reassessment, modification, and improvement of other dams, including the capacity enlargement of the Chollas Reservoir. The Reservoir had had a water treatment plant, but it was decommissioned in 1950 due to the completion of the much larger water treatment plant at Lake Murray. In 1966
3102-464: The Colorado Desert, has an average January low of 43 °F (6 °C) and August high of 106 °F (41 °C). Rainfall along the coast averages about 10 inches (25 cm) of precipitation annually, which occurs mainly during the cooler months of December through April. Though there are few wet days per month during the rainy period, rainfall can be heavy when it does occur. However,
3196-562: The Jackie Robinson YMCA. In 1978, a portion of the creek from its mouth to 0.35 miles (0.56 km) was designated as navigable waters . Additional extensive flooding caused damage along Chollas Creek in 1978 and 1979. Beginning in the late 1970s volunteers began to conduct vegetation clearing in the City Heights neighborhood to reduce fire potential within the canyons which the creek flows through . In 1999, Chollas Creek
3290-725: The Las Chollas Creek Bridge, which dates back to 1907 and is utilized by the San Diego Trolley to cross the creek. In May 2023, Groundwork San Diego presented a plan to the San Diego City Council to create a series of trails along Chollas Creek. The Chollas Creek Regional Park is expected to be completed by 2024. In January 2022, a California sea lion was found on California State Route 94 , where bystander motorists and then California Highway Patrol officers, had to divert traffic until it
3384-431: The Pacific Ocean to its boundary with Imperial County , which separated from it in 1907. San Diego County has more than 70 miles (113 km) of coastline. This forms the most densely populated region of the county, which has a mild Mediterranean to semiarid climate and extensive chaparral vegetation, similar to the rest of the western portion of Southern California. Precipitation and temperature extremes increase to
3478-500: The Pacific Ocean to the Colorado River , and it no longer covered the entire border between California and Mexico. According to the U.S. Census Bureau , the county has an area of 4,526 square miles (11,720 km ), of which 4,207 square miles (10,900 km ) is land and 319 square miles (830 km ) (7.0%) is water. The county is larger in area than the combined states of Rhode Island and Delaware. San Diego County has
3572-694: The San Diego Chargers, when the AFL was an independent entity prior to the AFL–NFL merger in 1970. Due to its lackluster record on winning professional championships, and in some cases retaining professional teams, some San Diego sports fans believe there is a curse on professional sports in the city. Arctostaphylos About 60, see text. Arctostaphylos ( / ˌ ɑːr k t oʊ ˈ s t æ f ɪ l ə s , - l ɒ s / ; from ἄρκτος árktos "bear" and σταφυλή staphulḗ "bunch of grapes")
3666-708: The San Diego Civic Innovation Lab and Groundwork San Diego cleared the lot. Improvements included "walking paths, native plant landscaping, mosaic art benches and shade structures". In 2015, microplastics were found in 1 in 4 fish caught and in the sediment at the mouth of Chollas Creek. In January 2016, Friends of Chollas Creek organized a clean up of the creek in the Oak Park neighborhood . Due to debris that flows down Chollas Creek, it ends up in Naval Base San Diego, its publics works
3760-799: The San Diego Museum of Art , Fleet Science Center , San Diego Natural History Museum , USS Midway Museum , and the San Diego Air & Space Museum . Historical places such as the Gaslamp Quarter , Balboa Park and Old Town San Diego State Historic Park . Wildlife refuges, zoos, and aquariums such as the San Diego Zoo , San Diego Zoo Safari Park , Birch Aquarium , and the San Diego-La Jolla Underwater Park . Outdoor destinations include
3854-594: The United States. San Diego County is also part of the San Diego–Tijuana region, the largest metropolitan area shared between the United States and Mexico. From north to south, San Diego County extends from the southern borders of Orange and Riverside Counties to the Mexico–U.S. border and the municipalities of Tijuana and Tecate in Baja California . From west to east, San Diego County stretches from
Chollas Creek - Misplaced Pages Continue
3948-600: The area for Saint Didacus , a Spaniard more commonly known as San Diego. European settlement in what is now San Diego County began with the founding of the San Diego Presidio and Mission San Diego de Alcalá by Spanish soldiers and clerics in 1769. This county was part of Alta California under the Viceroyalty of New Spain until the Mexican declaration of independence . From 1821 through 1848, this area
4042-653: The area has been subject to wildfires that force thousands to evacuate. The most recent are the December 2017 Lilac Fire , the May 2014 San Diego County wildfires , the Witch Creek Fire in 2007, and the Cedar Fire in 2003. California defines a fire season in which fires are most likely to occur, usually between late July and late October (which are the driest months of the area). Signs posted in numerous spots of
4136-516: The attachment of a flipper identification tag and rehabilitation, the sea lion was released into the ocean. In April 2022, the sea lion, who was given the name of Freeway, was found traveling up Chollas Creek in the Logan Heights neighborhood more than a mile away from ocean water, towards where he was found in January of that same year. After being recovered from Chollas Creek, the sea lion
4230-524: The bulk of Arctostaphylos species, are present in the chaparral biome of western North America , where they occur from southern British Columbia in Canada , Washington to California and New Mexico in the United States , and throughout much of northern and central Mexico . One species, however, A. uva-ursi (common bearberry), is adapted to arctic and subarctic climates and has
4324-596: The county provide information on the level of threats from fires based on weather conditions. Northern San Diego County is known as North County ; the eastern suburbs are collectively known as East County ; the rural areas located further east and extending to the Imperial County line are known as the Mountain Empire ; and the southern suburbs, extending to the Mexican border, are collectively known as
4418-583: The creek being protected and regulated wetlands. In 2019, the City of San Diego did not recommend maintenance of Chollas Creek's flood infrastructure. In 2022, before Tropical Storm Kay arrived to San Diego, an emergency declaration was made, and part of the Chollas Creek was cleared of vegetation and debris in the Southcrest and Shelltown neighborhoods, removing over 2,000 short tons (1,800,000 kg) worth of material. On January 22, 2024, Chollas Creek overflowed its channeled creek bed; this occurred on
4512-478: The creek is usually dry minus urban runoff. Due to significant urbanization of the watershed, most of the existing soils within it are not very permeable. This leads to increased volume and velocity of water during storms, which in turn has resulted in erosion of land impacting habitat and existing infrastructure. The maximum discharge predicted from the creek when it goes under Main Street, near Naval Station San Diego,
4606-688: The creek is within La Mesa at about 800 feet (240 m). The creek currently empties into San Diego Bay within Naval Station San Diego . The current mouth of Chollas Creek, is about 2,000 feet (0.61 km) west of the previous natural shoreline. Soils within the watershed are primarily of the Holocene -age, which overlay the older San Diego Formation , which was formed during the Pliocene -age. The La Nacion Fault System runs through
4700-399: The creek's watershed. The watershed of Chollas Creek is 16,270 acres (65.8 km) in area, split into two main forks. The cumulative length of those two forks is 30 miles (48 km) linearly. The south fork watershed covers an area of 6,997 acres (28.32 km), and the north fork watershed covers an area of 9,276 acres (37.54 km). When rain does not fall within the creek's watershed
4794-490: The creek, including the rare plants Juncus acutus leopoldii and Iva hayesiana , and the threatened Coastal California gnatcatcher . The creek has existed prior to 1500 BC and was used by the Kumeyaay tribe, who had a village by the creek. By 1841, the Kumeyaay village was no longer present. The creek has flooded numerous times, displacing nearby residents. Portions of the creek have been armored or channelized . A dam
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#17327725367374888-471: The creeks met. In 1919, Naval Base San Diego was established. Soon after, land at the mouth of Chollas Creek was infilled, removing the existing wetlands. The creek was placed within a channel in order to prevent flooding of reclaimed lands that are part of the Navy base. In 1938, the course of the north fork was modified due to the construction of Wabash Boulevard . From 1946 until 1981, a burn site and landfill
4982-433: The early 20th century, San Diego County had a thriving wine industry ; however the 1916 Charles Hatfield flood was the beginning of the end of the industry which included the destruction of the Daneri winery in Otay Valley . As of October 2016 , there are roughly one hundred vineyards and wineries in San Diego County. By the 2019–2020 statistical survey, California Department of Food & Agriculture (cdfa) found that
5076-445: The east, with mountains that receive frost and snow in the winter. These lushly forested mountains receive more rainfall than the average in Southern California, while the desert region of the county lies in a rain shadow to the east, which extends into the Desert Southwest region of North America. The area which is now San Diego County has been inhabited for more than 12,000 years by the Kumeyaay (also known as 'Iipai-Tiipai or by
5170-400: The emergency declaration. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife tracks the stocking of fish to Chollas Park Lake, located on a tributary of Chollas Creek. The available fish are as follows: San Diego County, California San Diego County ( / ˌ s æ n d i ˈ eɪ ɡ oʊ / ), officially the County of San Diego , is a county in the southwest corner of
5264-436: The fourth heaviest rainfall day documented since 1850. Prior to the heavy rainfall day, the area of the overflow had not been maintained and had trash in the creek bed; When the creek overflowed its creek bed it caused the flooding of multiple homes and cars. Firefighters and lifeguards rescued hundreds from the flood, especially in the Southcrest neighborhood. Due to the flooding and flood damage along Chollas Creek and elsewhere,
5358-460: The historical Spanish name Diegueño), Luiseño , Cupeño , Cahuilla , and the Acjachemen people and their local predecessors. In 1542, the explorer Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo , who may have been born in Portugal but sailed under the flag of Castile , claimed San Diego Bay for the Spanish Empire , and he named the site San Miguel. In November 1602, Sebastián Vizcaíno surveyed the harbor and what are now Mission Bay and Point Loma and named
5452-664: The largest population center in the desert, averages only 5 inches (13 cm), with a high evaporation rate. There are seven official wilderness areas in San Diego County that are part of the National Wilderness Preservation System (NWPS). Four of these are integral parts of Cleveland National Forest, whereas three are managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). Some of these extend into neighboring counties (as indicated below): There are 236 mountain summits and peaks in San Diego County including: More than 1,700 tons of radioactive waste are stored at San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station , which sits in an area where there
5546-484: The late 19th century, thickets of cactus as tall as nearly six feet high were noted in the valley created by the creek. Other species of plants observed growing abundantly included Arctostaphylos , Ceanothus , Eriodictyon californicum , Vitis girdiana , and Diplacus aurantiacus . By the late 20th century, species of plants found along the creek were Eriogonum fasciculatum , Salvia apiana , Quercus dumosa , Malosma , and Diplacus aurantiacus . In 2015,
5640-419: The later part of the 19th century, there were numerous changes in the boundaries of San Diego County, when various areas were separated to make up the counties mentioned above. The most recent changes were the establishments of Riverside County in 1893 and Imperial County in 1907. Imperial County was also the last county to be established in California, and after this division, San Diego no longer extended from
5734-406: The median home price was $ 583,000; this is lower than the median home price in Los Angeles, and Orange counties. According to the 2000 census, the median income for a household in the county was $ 47,067, and the median income for a family was $ 53,438. Males had a median income of $ 36,952 versus $ 30,356 for females. The per capita income for the county was $ 22,926. About 8.9% of families and 12.4% of
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#17327725367375828-559: The metropolitan area. ' The 2010 United States census reported that San Diego County had a population of 3,095,313. The racial makeup of San Diego County was 1,981,442 (64.0%) White , 158,213 (5.1%) African American , 26,340 (0.9%) Native American , 336,091 (10.9%) Asian (4.7% Filipino, 1.6% Vietnamese, 1.4% Chinese, 3.2% Other Asian), 15,337 (0.5%) Pacific Islander , 419,465 (13.6%) from other races , and 158,425 (5.0%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 991,348 people (32.0%). Including those of mixed race,
5922-472: The north and National Avenue in the south, and between 31st Street in the west and 35th Street in the east. According to archeological research conducted in 2011, the area where the village was located was occupied in two distinct periods; one beginning over two thousand years before 2011, and another beginning as early as 1,771 years before 2011. The land that the village used to occupy is now largely occupied by single-family homes and apartment buildings. During
6016-401: The northeast. Although the county's western third is primarily urban, the mountains and deserts in the eastern two-thirds are primarily undeveloped backcountry . Most of these backcountry areas are home to a native plant community known as chaparral . San Diego County contains more than 1,000,000 acres (4,000 km ) of chaparral, twice as much as any other California county. Periodically
6110-476: The numerous hills, mountains, and canyons). Frequently, particularly during the "May gray/ June gloom " period, a thick marine layer will keep the air cool and damp within a few miles of the coast, but will yield to bright cloudless sunshine approximately 5–10 miles (8.0–16.1 km) inland. This happens every year in May and June. Even in the absence of June gloom, inland areas tend to experience much more significant temperature variations than coastal areas, where
6204-480: The nursery trade dominated the county's agriculture by dollar value. Second place went to avocado production. The county has been called "the Craft Beer Capital of America". Brewing has been one of the fastest-growing business sectors with local breweries ranking among the 50 largest craft brewers in the United States and breweries that are consistently rated among the top breweries in the world. Commercial operations to grow, test, or sell cannabis are not allowed in
6298-496: The ocean serves as a moderating influence. Thus, for example, downtown San Diego averages January lows of 48 °F (9 °C) and August highs of 77 °F (25 °C). The city of El Cajon, just 10 miles (16 km) northeast of downtown San Diego, averages January lows of 42 °F (6 °C) and August highs of 89 °F (32 °C). Julian, in the mountains, has an average January low of 29 °F (−2 °C) and August high of 85 °F (29 °C). Borrego Springs, in
6392-435: The population were below the poverty line, including 16.5% of those under age 18 and 6.8% of those age 65 or over. Much of the county's high-income residents are concentrated in the northern part of the city of San Diego. The San Diego metropolitan area has two places with both a population of over 50,000 and a per capita income of over $ 40,000: Carlsbad and Encinitas . The county's largest continuous high-income urban area
6486-443: The rainfall is greater in the higher elevations of San Diego. Some of the higher areas of San Diego, such as Palomar Mountain and the Laguna Mountains , receive 20–40 inches (51–102 cm) of rain per year, supporting lush forests similar to the Sierra Nevada and California Coast Range . The Colorado Desert portion of the county lies to the east of the mountains, which receives the least amount of precipitation; Borrego Springs,
6580-399: The region for a well rounded experience, everything from shopping to surfing as well as its mild climate. Its numerous tourist destinations include Westfield UTC , Seaport Village , and Fashion Valley for shopping. SeaWorld San Diego and Legoland California as amusement parks. Golf courses such as Torrey Pines Golf Course and Balboa Park Golf Course. Museums such as the Museum of Us ,
6674-435: The reservoir was decommissioned and transferred to the City of San Diego Parks & Recreation Department, becoming Chollas Lake Park. In 1971 the lake was designated as a fishing lake for youth 15 and younger. The Chollas Lake is roughly 16 acres. In 1986, a Bactrocera dorsalis was caught in a trap near the lake. This has led to local eradication efforts against this invasive species The Chollas Heights Navy Radio Station
6768-432: The security of the radio station and a company of Marines of the 5th Marine Regiment were stationed at Chollas Heights. The Marines departed the radio station in 1921. Efforts had been made to list the facility as a historic landmark. Some structures of the facility had been reused for other purposes and most historic parts of the facility were not saved. The station was closed in 1992 and demolished in 1994. Military housing
6862-413: The state. However, the two counties maintain weak relations and have little in common aside from their common border. The region has a high cost of living . This includes the highest cost of water in the United States. As of 2018 , San Diego County is within the top ten highest cost of rent in the United States; this has led to people moving out of the county. San Diego County's agriculture industry
6956-470: The stems. The flowers are bell-shaped, white or pale pink, and borne in small clusters of 2–20 together; flowering is in the spring. The fruit are small berries, ripening in the summer or autumn. The berries of some species are edible. Arctostaphylos species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including Coleophora arctostaphyli (which feeds exclusively on A. uva-ursi ) and Coleophora glaucella . Manzanitas ,
7050-468: The total number of residents with Asian ancestry was 407,984. As of 2009, the racial makeup of the county was 79.4% White American , 5.6% Black or African American , 1% Native American , 10.4% Asian , 0.5% Pacific Islander , 10.3% from other races , and 3.6% from two or more races. 31.3% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 67.0% spoke only English at home; 21.9% spoke Spanish, 3.1% Tagalog and 1.2% Vietnamese . As of 2018,
7144-426: The unincorporated areas of the county. Companies must be licensed by the local agency to operate and each city or county may authorize none or only some of these activities. Local governments may not prohibit adults, who are in compliance with state laws, from growing, using, or transporting marijuana for personal use. Tourism plays a large part in the economics of the San Diego metropolitan area. Tourists are drawn to
7238-791: The urban and suburban San Diego area straddles areas of Mediterranean climate (Csa) to the north and hot semi-arid climate (BSh) to the south and east. As a result, it is often described as "arid Mediterranean" and "semi-arid steppe." Farther east, arid desert conditions prevail. Western San Diego's climate is characterized by warm, dry summers and mild winters with most of the annual precipitation falling between November and March. The city has mild, mostly dry weather, with an average of 201 days above 70 °F (21 °C) and low rainfall (9–13 inches (23–33 cm) annually). Summer temperatures are generally warm, with average highs of 70–78 °F (21–26 °C) and lows of 55–66 °F (13–19 °C). Temperatures exceed 90 °F (32 °C) only four days
7332-415: The village on Chollas Creek was named Matt Xtaat. The village appears on a 1782 map created by La Princesa navigator Don Juan Pantoja y Arriola labeled on the map as "Ranchería de las Choyas." By 1841, Eugène Duflot de Mofras noted that the village was no longer in existence. According to archeological surveys conducted in 2004 and 2006, the village was located between present-day Oceanview Boulevard in
7426-439: Was 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females, there were 101.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 99.7 males. In 2012, it was estimated that there were 198,000 unauthorized immigrants ; the origin of the plurality of them is Mexico . In 2018, the median household income was $ 70,824; most people spend more than 30% of their income on housing costs. In August of that year,
7520-536: Was added to the list of impaired waterbodies by the Regional Water Quality Control Board, San Diego Region, after it was found that stormwater samples contained organophosphate pesticides and heavy metals . In 2002, the City of San Diego adopted a 20-year, $ 42 million plan to rehabilitate the creek. That same year, the watershed of the creek had the highest population density of any watershed in San Diego County. In 2007, Groundworks
7614-425: Was built just north of Chollas Reservoir in 1916. Operated remotely from Point Loma, at the time of its creation it used the largest vacuum tube constructed, and required 50 US gallons (190 L) per minute to keep it cooled. The site was chosen so that the lake's water might cool the heated transmitter tubes. Three towers, each 660 feet (200 m) high, were constructed between February 1915 and January 26, 1916. It
7708-401: Was built on the site of the radio station. Branchinecta sandiegonensis , an endangered species, has been documented to have been found at the military housing at Chollas Heights. From the turn of the century, until at least 1930, an estuary existed at the mouth of the creek that measured at least 2,000 feet (610 m) across and expanded until the point where the north and south branches of
7802-609: Was constructed on a tributary in the early 20th century, forming Chollas Reservoir . This reservoir led the United States Navy to construct the Chollas Heights Navy Radio Station to the north. The Chollas Creek valley has been described as "one of San Diego's most neglected watersheds." For decades, the creek has been impacted by pollution, illegal littering, and destruction of natural habitats. The pollution levels are high enough that it
7896-682: Was east of the city limits of San Diego, and was the terminus point of a water pipe from the Lower Otay Reservoir . Built by the Southern California Mountain Water Company, it and the rest of the company was purchased by the City of San Diego in 1913. Water from Chollas Reservoir was piped down to the University Heights Reservoir . For a period of time in 1917, due to storm damage to San Diego's water distribution system,
7990-430: Was formed to cleanup Chollas Creek due to significant illegal dumping into the creek. By 2013, while most of the creek had been put within concrete channels or underground culverts , a small portion of the creek bed had been restored to a more natural soft channel on the south branch of the creek. In 2014, neighbors organized to reclaim a vacant lot in the watershed area for community use. A neighborhood group working with
8084-419: Was not involved. In the late 18th century, 71 people from Chollas were baptized. Stagecoaches traveled within the Chollas Creek watershed down what is now Federal Boulevard. In 1851, Army officer Nathaniel Lyon traveled east along the creek and established a route to what is now Campo, California . In the 1883–1884 rainy season, Southern California experienced record-setting rainfall. As of February 2023, it
8178-420: Was one of the original counties of California, created at the time of California statehood in 1850. At the time of its establishment in 1850, San Diego County was relatively large, and included all of southernmost California south and east of Los Angeles County . It included areas of what are now Inyo and San Bernardino Counties, as well as all of what are now Riverside and Imperial Counties. During
8272-444: Was operated by the City of San Diego within the watershed of Chollas Creek near Chollas reservoir. On New Year's Eve 1951, the creek went over its normal creekbanks impacting a dozen families. In the early 1960s, additional channeling of the creek occurred, with the goal of flood prevention. In 1969, flooding occurred in Chollas Creek leading to the collapse of a channeled portion of the creek near Oceanview Boulevard, along with damage to
8366-518: Was part of Mexico . San Diego County became part of the United States as a result of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo in 1848, ending the Mexican–American War . This treaty designated the border to pass through a point one marine league south of the southernmost point of the port of San Diego, ensuring that the United States received all of the natural harbor of San Diego Bay. San Diego County
8460-424: Was retained at SeaWorld. In April 2023, the sea lion was euthanized at SeaWorld following deteriorating health due to a progressive disease. In 2016, San Diego Fire-Rescue Department noted that Chollas Creek was at risk for flooding due to El Niño related storms. San Diego had a shortfall of funding for flood management; additionally, San Diego claimed that it lacked required permits to conduct debris clearing due
8554-502: Was taken by SeaWorld San Diego personnel for assessment. One of the theories at the time was that he had traveled from San Diego Bay up Chollas Creek to Highway 94 – a route of 3.5 miles (5.6 km). The first time this particular sea lion required the assistance of SeaWorld personnel was in November 2021, when it had made its way away from the water onto Harbor Island Drive near San Diego International Airport . In February 2022, after
8648-581: Was the wettest rainy season in San Diego County, with almost 26 inches of rainfall. The rainfall caused the creek to expand to 120 feet wide at one point. In 1886, the National City and Otay Railroad built a track and crossing over the creek near the present-day alignment of Main Street to supply the construction of Sweetwater Dam . In 1887, a railroad track owned by the California Southern Railroad crossed over creek. In 1888,
8742-579: Was the world's first global Navy Radio Transmitting Facility, broadcasting at 200,000 watts, and was the most powerful radio transmitter in North America at the time. It was built as one of a series of high-powered radio stations, including locations in Pearl Harbor , Cavite , and Annapolis . Beginning with the United States' entry into the Great War , additional changes were made to increase
8836-499: Was worth $ 1.85 billion in 2013, and is one of the top five egg producing counties in the United States. In 2013, San Diego County also had the most small farms of any county in the United States, and had the 19th largest agricultural economy of any county in the United States. According to the San Diego Farm Bureau, San Diego County is the United States' leading producer of avocados and nursery crops . Until
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