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93-403: Aliso Creek may refer to: Aliso Creek (Orange County) Aliso Canyon Aliso Creek (Los Angeles County) , also called Aliso Canyon Wash See also [ edit ] Aliso (disambiguation) Aliso Canyon (disambiguation) Topics referred to by the same term [REDACTED] This disambiguation page lists articles associated with

186-407: A Los Angeles banker. The ranch passed through several owners before being acquired by Dwight Whiting in 1884. Whiting heavily promoted the settlement of the area, calling it "Aliso City". The name "El Toro" (of unclear origin, though it had been in use since 1838) was used after the U.S. Postal Service declined the name "Aliso" for a post office, citing that it was too similar to Alviso . He granted

279-763: A boundary between the Tongva Native Americans in the north, and the Acjachemen (sometimes grouped with the larger Payómkawichum ) in the south. The Tongva's territory extended north, past the Santa Ana River and San Gabriel River , into present-day Los Angeles County , while the Acjachemen's smaller territory extended from Aliso Creek south, past San Juan Creek , and to the vicinity of San Mateo Creek in present-day San Diego County . The availability of perennial water in some parts of

372-469: A dam just above the mouth of the creek to store 2,650 acre-feet (3,270,000 m ) and provide a firm annual yield of 150 acre-feet (190,000 m ) of water. Lewis Moulton filed a lawsuit as the reservoir would flood part of the Rancho Niguel, but the dam project was upheld in a hearing in 1936. However, this dam was never built. With the exception of the farming community of El Toro, the rest of

465-565: A major contamination source in many watersheds throughout the United States. The report explained that "...further declines in water quality remain likely if the land-use changes that typify more diffuse sources of pollution are not addressed... These include land-disturbing agricultural, silvicultural, urban, industrial, and construction activities from which hard-to-monitor pollutants emerge during wet-weather events. Pollution from these landscapes has been almost universally acknowledged as

558-628: A mile (1.6 km) in width in the north to 5 miles (8.0 km) wide in the south. The watershed is characterized by rolling hills, with very little flat land except in the alluvial valleys along Aliso Creek. The portion of the Santa Ana Mountains in the Aliso Creek watershed top out at approximately 2,300 feet (700 m), while the San Joaquin Hills rise to 1,020 feet (310 m) at Temple Hill, locally called "Top of

651-563: A natural channel once again in El Toro Park. Past Muirlands Boulevard the creek flows in a concrete channel, making a sharp turn to the southeast before veering back south towards Interstate 5 . Downstream of the freeway Aliso Creek flows through Laguna Hills then through Aliso Park in the retirement community of Laguna Woods Village . It enters Aliso Viejo at the Moulton Parkway bridge near Sheep Hills Park. Below this point

744-434: A natural streambed along the bottom of a brushy, shaded ravine. It turns southwest, crossing under the 241 toll road and passing Saddleback Church , then receives an unnamed tributary from the right. The creek then enters Lake Forest , where it receives Munger Creek from the right and English Canyon Creek from the left. Below English Canyon, Aliso Creek flows in a concrete channel through Heroes Park and then reverts to

837-538: A nearly 1,000-foot (300 m) deep gorge which cuts through the San Joaquin Hills approaching the Pacific. About a mile (1.6 km) below Sulphur Creek, Aliso Creek is impounded at a small concrete dam. It then receives its second largest tributary, Wood Canyon Creek , to the south of Soka University of America . Below Wood Canyon it turns south, winding through the wilderness park then turning west at

930-433: A number of smaller tributaries such as Munger Creek have been completely filled in. Crossings of the creek are listed from mouth to source (year built in parentheses). The creek is crossed by roughly 30 major bridges. From mouth to source, Aliso Creek is joined by seven major tributaries. Another forty-six minor streams and drains flow into the creek. Most of Southern California , including all of Orange County,

1023-462: A population of 144,000 divided among seven incorporated cities. Aliso Creek flows over highly erosive marine sedimentary rock of late Eocene to Pliocene age. What would become the Aliso Creek watershed originally lay at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean, before being uplifted as recently as 10 million years ago. About 1.2 million years ago, the San Joaquin Hills began to uplift in

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1116-476: A productive discussion on urban runoff and the importance of effective disposal of household items can help to encourage environmentally friendly practices at a reduced cost to the city and local economy. Thermal pollution from runoff can be controlled by stormwater management facilities that absorb the runoff or direct it into groundwater , such as bioretention systems and infiltration basins. Bioretention basins tend to be less effective at reducing temperature, as

1209-626: A right of way to the California Southern Railroad Company and even traveled to England to "encourage 'gentleman farmers' to come to El Toro to raise oranges and walnuts." The Surf Line was extended through the area in 1888, connecting Los Angeles to San Diego via Orange County. By 1932, citrus and other fruit trees were the main crops in El Toro, irrigated by wells sunk into the shallow groundwater basins along Aliso creek. For similar reasons, Don Juan Avila sold

1302-455: A risk of illness. After heavy rainfall events that cause stormwater overflows, contaminated water can impact waterways in which people recreate or fish, causing the beaches or water-based activities to be closed. This is because the runoff has likely caused a spike in harmful bacterial growth or inorganic chemical pollution in the water. The contaminants that we often think of as the most damaging are gasoline and oil spillage, but we often overlook

1395-400: A sandbar that only breached during the rainy season. Due to development of the golf course and parking lots at the mouth of the creek, the lagoon has been significantly reduced from its original size. The increased freshwater inflow caused by urban runoff has further disrupted the hydrologic regime of the lagoon, which occasionally breaches, causing large surge flows into the Pacific Ocean before

1488-462: A variety of stormwater management techniques to reduce the effects of urban runoff. These techniques, called best management practices for water pollution (BMPs) in some countries, may focus on water quantity control, while others focus on improving water quality, and some perform both functions. Pollution prevention practices include low impact development (LID) or green infrastructure techniques - known as Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) in

1581-610: Is a 19.8-mile (31.9 km)-long, mostly urban stream in south Orange County , California . Originating in the Cleveland National Forest in the Santa Ana Mountains , it flows generally southwest and empties into the Pacific Ocean at Laguna Beach . The creek's watershed drains 34.9 square miles (90 km ), and it is joined by seven main tributaries . As of 2018, the watershed had

1674-619: Is a major cause of urban flooding , the inundation of land or property in a built-up environment caused by rainfall overwhelming the capacity of drainage systems , such as storm sewers . Triggered by events such as flash flooding , storm surges , overbank flooding, or snow melts , urban flooding is characterized by its repetitive, costly, and systemic impacts on communities, even when not within floodplains or near any body of water. There are several ways in which stormwater enters properties : backup through sewer pipes, toilets and sinks into buildings; seepage through building walls and floors;

1767-606: Is channeled into storm drains and surface waters, the natural sediment load discharged to receiving waters decreases, but the water flow and velocity increases. In fact, the impervious cover in a typical city creates five times the runoff of a typical woodland of the same size. Overwatering through irrigation by sprinkler may produce runoff reaching receiving waters during low flow conditions. Runoff carries accumulated pollutants to streams with unusually low dilution ratios causing higher pollutant concentrations than would be found during regional precipitation events. Urban runoff

1860-400: Is improperly applied or when turf is over-fertilized. Eroding soils or poorly maintained construction sites can often lead to increased sedimentation in runoff. Sedimentation often settles to the bottom of water bodies and can directly affect water quality. Excessive levels of sediment in water bodies can increase the risk of infection and disease through high levels of nutrients present in

1953-656: Is no trace today of the original Serrano residence, although its precise location has been identified in Sycamore Park in Mission Viejo, on the east bank of Aliso Creek north of I-5. In 1996 descendants of the Serrano and Avila families and others dedicated a plaque at the site. Following the Mexican–American War , California was annexed by the United States, becoming the 31st state in 1850. In 1871,

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2046-527: Is now the city of Aliso Viejo and grazed their cattle there. Most of the Native Americans were relocated to the mission where they were forced into agricultural labor and converted to Spanish Catholicism. In order to provide timber for Spanish settlements, most of the riparian forests around Aliso Creek were heavily logged. It was said that the trees near the mouth of Aliso Canyon were especially tall and there were accounts of Spanish ships mooring in

2139-558: The San Joaquin Hills along the Orange County coast began their uplift along the San Joaquin Hills blind thrust fault which extends south from the Los Angeles Basin . The hills rose directly in the path of Aliso Creek, which cut a water gap through the range, forming Aliso Canyon . The uplift also diverted Sulphur Creek , which originally flowed south into Salt Creek , to turn north and join Aliso Creek. During

2232-534: The giant reed , have in many places replaced native trees. Giant reed was originally planted in the 1970s to control erosion. These invasive species are most prevalent along upper Sulphur Creek, the lower half of Aliso Creek, and Wood Canyon Creek. The hilly terrain of the watershed supports mostly grassland and coastal scrub vegetation. Native shrub species present in the watershed include California brittlebush , California buckwheat , California sagebrush , California goldenbush , coyote brush and mule fat . Like

2325-489: The gold rush started in 1848. "The hospitality of the Avila's were legendary. In 1846 and 1847 Generals Frémont and Kearny as well as Commodore Stockton were said to have been entertained. General Andreas Pico and the last two Mexican governors Pío Pico and José María Flores were also welcome visitors... There was always music and plenty of food. Whenever provisions ran low, locals knew that they could always count of

2418-495: The last glacial period (110,000 to 10,000 years ago), especially in the Wisconsinian glaciation (31,000 to 10,000 years ago), the climate of Southern California became periodically much wetter, with a climate similar to the present-day Pacific Northwest . At these times Aliso Creek was a river carrying much more water than it does today. During glacial periods sea level was as much as 400 feet (120 m) lower, increasing

2511-411: The 1700s and established Mission San Juan Capistrano , whose lands included part of the Aliso Creek watershed. In the 1840s the watershed was divided between several Mexican land grants . After California became part of the United States, the ranchos were gradually partitioned and sold off to farmers and settlers; starting in the 1950s, real estate companies acquired most of the land for development. By

2604-424: The 1960s. Although some parts of Aliso Creek were completely lined with concrete, it retains an earthen riverbed in most parts despite being confined to a narrow channel. A major weakness in the flood control system is at the south end of Aliso Canyon where the creek is confined by steep cliffs and the Aliso Creek golf course. This area has suffered severe flood damage several times in the 20th century. The 1998 flood

2697-471: The 21st century, more than 70 percent of the Aliso Creek watershed was urbanized. Most of the creek's course has been channelized or otherwise impacted by development. Pollution and erosion from urban runoff have become chronic issues. However, parts of the creek remain free flowing and provide important regional wildlife habitat, especially in the Aliso Canyon section. The creek has recently been

2790-576: The Aliso Creek watershed; today, they are mostly confined to the wilderness reserves in the Santa Ana Mountains (Cleveland National Forest) and San Joaquin Hills (Aliso/Wood Canyons, Laguna Coast Wilderness). Most large mammal populations in the Aliso/Wood Canyons area are considered at risk of extirpation by the 2040s, in the absence of extensive habitat restoration. Mountain lions have already disappeared from Aliso/Wood Canyons. Although most of

2883-473: The Laguna Niguel Skate and Soccer Park, where it skirts the northwestern part of Laguna Niguel . Below Aliso Creek Road it is joined from the east by its largest tributary, Sulphur Creek . Sulphur Creek drains much of northern Laguna Niguel and is dammed to form Laguna Niguel Lake , the main feature of Laguna Niguel Regional Park . From there, Aliso Creek turns west and enters Aliso Canyon,

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2976-689: The NMFS recognized the lower 7 miles (11 km) of Aliso Creek as former steelhead habitat and the creek was added to the Distinct Population Segment List under the jurisdictional domain of NOAA. It is now considered a candidate for re-colonization. The evidence cited included Native American (Acjachemen) accounts of takings, as well as anglers who reported taking steelhead trout in the 1960s and 1970s from Aliso Creek's estuary and Aliso Canyon before suburban development began. The last reported observation of steelhead in Aliso Creek

3069-401: The Rancho Niguel in 1865 to John Forster, and the property was eventually purchased by Lewis Moulton and Jean Pierre Daguerre in 1895. Daguerre was one of many Basque immigrants who arrived in this part of Orange County starting in the 1870s, introducing sheep ranching and crops of bean and barley to the area. Moulton and Daguerre purchased parts of adjoining ranches, bringing the total size of

3162-585: The South Orange County Wastewater Agency (SOCWA)'s Coastal Treatment Plant. It then flows through the former Aliso Creek Inn and Golf Course (now The Ranch at Laguna Beach), under Pacific Coast Highway , and empties into the sea at Aliso Beach in Laguna Beach . Aliso Creek forms a narrow tidal lagoon just above its mouth at Aliso Beach. The lagoon originally covered a large area at the outlet of Aliso Canyon, dammed by

3255-621: The Thurston family left for Santa Ana , though their son Joe stayed until selling the land in 1921. It served as a Girl Scout camp for several years before the Laguna Beach Country Club, the precursor of the present day hotel and golf course, was built in 1950. After the severe drought of 1863–64, in which thousands of cattle died, Don José Serrano was forced to sell the Rancho Cañada de los Alisos to J.S. Slauson,

3348-472: The Topanga Formation, Monterey Formation, San Onofre Breccia, Capistrano Formation and Niguel Formation. Generally throughout the watershed, there are five major soil and rock outcrop types—Capistrano sandy loam, Cieneba sandy loam, Marina loamy sand, Myford sandy loam, and Cieneba-rock outcrop. The water table ranges from 6 to 20 feet (1.8 to 6.1 m) deep. About 1.22 million years ago,

3441-499: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and US Fish & Wildlife Service declared that steelhead had inhabited the creek until the 1970s, when increased urbanization resulted in poor water quality conditions (pollution and low oxygen levels) that drove the migrational fish out. In 2009, after years of petitioning from local residents and environmental groups including Friends of the Aliso Creek Steelhead and Clean Water Now,

3534-667: The UK, and Water-Sensitive Urban Design (WSUD) in Australia and the Middle East - such as the installation of green roofs and improved chemical handling (e.g. management of motor fuels & oil, fertilizers, pesticides and roadway deicers ). Runoff mitigation systems include infiltration basins , bioretention systems, constructed wetlands , retention basins , and similar devices. Providing effective urban runoff solutions often requires proper city programs that take into account

3627-732: The World", in Laguna Beach west of Aliso Canyon. Aside from 44-acre (18 ha) Laguna Niguel Lake , an impoundment of the Sulphur Creek tributary, there are no major bodies of fresh water. The watershed experiences a dry Mediterranean climate . As of 2001, the average annual precipitation in the San Juan Hydrological Unit, which Aliso Creek is part of, was 16.42 inches (417 mm). The watershed borders five major Orange County watersheds: Santiago Creek to

3720-527: The accumulation of water on the property and in public rights-of-way; and the overflow of water from water bodies such as rivers and lakes. Where properties are built with basements, urban flooding is the primary cause of basement flooding. Urban runoff contributes to water quality problems. In 2009 the US National Research Council published a comprehensive report on the effects of urban stormwater and stated that it continues to be

3813-446: The average annual peak flow at the El Toro gauge was 511 cubic feet per second (14.5 m /s), and between 1960 and 1980, the average peak flow was 1,178 cubic feet per second (33.4 m /s). The Aliso Creek drainage basin lies in the south central part of Orange County, roughly halfway between the Santa Ana River and the border of San Diego County . It is an elongated area of 34.9 square miles (90 km ), ranging from about

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3906-756: The boundary at Aliso Creek. On July 24, 1769, the Spanish Portolà expedition led by Gaspar de Portolá , traveling north from San Diego, reached a stream which Fray Joan Crespí described as "Alisos Creek", which was actually the Arroyo Trabuco . They camped there for two days before continuing on and crossing what is now known as Aliso Creek, where they found wild grapes and roses in abundance, on July 26. Crespí wrote in his diary, "So we went on over very open country, with hills and broad mesas, ascending and descending through three or four little valleys of good soil well grown with alders." He also wrote of

3999-497: The boundary between the two ranchos; Don José and Don Juan built adobes along Aliso Creek on either side of the road (though Don Juan's main residence was in San Juan Capistrano). Don José also had a racetrack and rodeo grounds near Aliso Creek, near the present day intersection of El Toro Road and Muirlands Blvd. The foundation of the Avila adobe still exists today, south of I-5 with a sign marking its location. There

4092-656: The boundary lay north of Aliso Creek and that the entire stream lay within Acjachemen land. D. Earle (1992) further stated that "There is some evidence... that Gabrielino (Tongva) territory may have extended only as far south as the Tustin Plain" (a location about 10 miles (16 km) north of Aliso Creek). This contradicts the generally accepted theory originated by Alfred L. Kroeber (1925) who stated that "Juaneño (Acjachemen) place names do not extend north of Aliso Creek". The Master Key (1956) by Bernice Eastman Johnson and The First Angelinos (1996) by W. McCawley also place

4185-411: The byproducts of the combustion of gasoline and other fossil fuels , as well as of the heavy metals nickel , copper , zinc , cadmium , and lead . Roof runoff contributes high levels of synthetic organic compounds and zinc (from galvanized gutters). Fertilizer use on residential lawns, parks and golf courses is a measurable source of nitrates and phosphorus in urban runoff when fertilizer

4278-411: The creek made it an attractive location for Native Americans to camp, hunt, gather and fish. The numerous oak groves along the creek provided an abundant supply of acorns, a staple of their diet. About 70 archaeological sites have been discovered along the creek, with 33 on the northwest side and 47 on the southeast side. An Acjachemen village situated near the confluence of Aliso Creek and Sulphur Creek

4371-581: The creek channel is tightly bound by urban development, it is considered a potential wildlife corridor between these two areas. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers describes the corridor as "meager at best with several places where Aliso Creek is very narrow, concrete, or incorporates golf courses parks and school grounds." The watershed supports multiple native bird species, including California least tern , least Bell's vireo , southwestern willow flycatcher , California gnatcatcher , and western snowy plover . The loss of riparian zones has reduced bird habitat in

4464-524: The creek itself remains as an underfit stream . Before urbanization of the watershed, Aliso Creek and some of its tributaries supported a significant riparian zone dominated by native hardwoods such as coast live oak , sycamore , alder , cottonwood and arroyo willow . Many of the trees in Aliso Creek's riparian zone, especially near the mouth of the creek, were cut down in the Spanish Mission period to construct colonial settlements. During

4557-700: The creek's mouth), Los Alisos Intermediate School in Mission Viejo , and Aliso Creek Road. Aliso Creek rises along the Loma Ridge in the foothills of the Santa Ana Mountains , near the community of Portola Hills , Lake Forest . The creek's headwaters are at an elevation of 1,700 feet (520 m) in the Cleveland National Forest near Whiting Ranch Wilderness Park . The creek flows south along Country Home Road then begins to parallel Santiago Canyon Road , which becomes El Toro Road south of Cook's Corner . The creek enters Mission Viejo , flowing freely in

4650-484: The creek's mouth. Urban runoff accounts for at least 80 percent of the creek's dry season flow. The United States Geological Survey operated a stream gage on the creek at the El Toro Road bridge in Mission Viejo from 1930 to 1980. This gage measured runoff from 7.91 square miles (20.49 km ), or 26 percent of the watershed area. There was also a gauge in Laguna Beach which measured runoff from

4743-501: The creek. The California sycamore, Platanus racemosa , is also known as aliso in Spanish, and is common in the area around the creek. According to the U.S. Geological Survey 's Geographic Names Information System , the creek has also been historically called "Los Alisos Creek" and "Alisos Creek". Several nearby geographical features also share the name, including the city of Aliso Viejo , Aliso Beach, Aliso Peak (a headland near

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4836-544: The early 20th century, groundwater withdrawal for agriculture killed off many of the remaining trees along the creek. The most significant remaining riparian habitat today occurs in Aliso and Wood Canyons, and along the uppermost headwaters of Aliso Creek. Increased erosion and pollution caused by urban runoff have had adverse impacts on the riparian zone. Invasive plants, including tobacco tree , castor bean , pampas grass , periwinkle , and artichoke thistle , but most notably

4929-526: The entire watershed, but it operated only from 1982 to 1987. The average annual flow at El Toro was 0.92 cubic feet per second (0.026 m /s), ranging from 4.7 cubic feet per second (0.13 m /s) in February to 0.05 cubic feet per second (0.0014 m /s) in July. The highest peak flow was 2,500 cubic feet per second (71 m /s) on February 24, 1969. At the Laguna Beach gage, the average annual flow

5022-444: The first American settler along Aliso Creek, Eugene Salter, claimed 152 acres (0.62 km ) near the mouth of the creek inside Aliso Canyon, but abandoned it soon after. The following year the land was acquired by homesteaders George and Sarah Thurston and their eight children, who converted the land surrounding the creek into orchards and vegetable gardens, and later helped establish a public campground at Aliso Beach. In 1914 most of

5115-465: The focus of projects to restore the stream channel and improve water quality. The first recorded use of the name "Aliso" was for the Rancho Cañada de los Alisos Mexican land grant in 1841. The rancho area was renamed El Toro sometime before 1900, but the name "Aliso Creek" persisted. The word aliso means " alder " in Spanish, and refers to the riparian forests that historically occurred along

5208-621: The generosity of Don Juan." Rancho Cañada de los Alisos (translated as "Valley of the Alders" or "Valley of the Sycamores"), encompassing the northern half of the Aliso Creek watershed including what would become El Toro, was granted to Don José Antonio Fernando Serrano (Don Juan's brother-in-law) in 1842–1846. The nearly 11,000-acre (4,500 ha) rancho would come to feature large tracts of grazing land as well as vineyards, orchards and vegetable gardens near Aliso Creek. El Camino Real provided

5301-652: The historic ratio of sediment to water, urban runoff rushes down the stream channel, ruining natural features such as meanders and sandbars , and creates severe erosion—increasing sediment loads at the mouth while severely carving the stream bed upstream. As an example, on many Southern California beaches at the mouth of a waterway, urban runoff carries trash, pollutants, excessive silt, and other wastes, and can pose moderate to severe health hazards. Because of fertilizer and organic waste that urban runoff often carries, eutrophication often occurs in waterways affected by this type of runoff. After heavy rains, organic matter in

5394-499: The impact that fertilizers and insecticides have. When plants are watered and fields irrigated, the chemicals that lawns and crops have been treated with can be washed into the water table. The new environments that these chemicals are introduced to suffer due to their presence as they kill native vegetation, invertebrates, and vertebrates. Effective control of urban runoff involves reducing the velocity and flow of stormwater, as well as reducing pollutant discharges. Local governments use

5487-527: The large bay at the outlet of Aliso Canyon and men going ashore to chop down and take away these trees for constructing mission buildings, ships and other structures. Mexico won independence from Spain in 1822, keeping the Alta California province, and secularized the missions in the 1830s. Former mission lands were divided into private land grants. In 1842, Don Juan Avila received the 13,316-acre (53.89 km ) Rancho Niguel grant. The name of

5580-415: The local Acjachemen people: "They came without arms and with a friendliness unequaled; they made us presents of their poor seeds and we made return with ribbons and gew-gaws." These first explorers were soon followed by Franciscan missionaries who established Mission San Juan Capistrano in 1776 near the main population center of the Acjachemen people, on San Juan Creek about 5 miles (8.0 km) east of

5673-401: The most pressing challenge to the restoration of waterbodies and aquatic ecosystems nationwide." The runoff also increases temperatures in streams, harming fish and other organisms. (A sudden burst of runoff from a rainstorm can cause a fish-killing shock of hot water.) Also, road salt used to melt snow on sidewalks and roadways can contaminate streams and groundwater aquifers . One of

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5766-407: The most pronounced effects of urban runoff is on watercourses that historically contained little or no water during dry weather periods (often called ephemeral streams ). When an area around such a stream is urbanized , the resultant runoff creates an unnatural year-round streamflow that hurts the vegetation, wildlife and stream bed of the waterway. Containing little or no sediment relative to

5859-700: The mouth of Aliso Creek. The Spanish referred to the Acjachemen as the Juaneño, and to the Tongva as the Gabrielino, after the further away Mission San Gabriel Arcángel . The Aliso Creek watershed was part of the vast land holdings of Mission San Juan Capistrano. The El Camino Real ("King's Highway"), connecting the coastal missions in California, crossed Aliso Creek in the vicinity of El Toro (today's Lake Forest). The Spanish established Rancheria Niguel in what

5952-535: The needs and differences of the community. Factors such as a city's mean temperature, precipitation levels, geographical location, and airborne pollutant levels can all affect rates of pollution in urban runoff and present unique challenges for management. Human factors such as urbanization rates, land use trends, and chosen building materials for impervious surfaces often exacerbate these issues. The implementation of citywide maintenance strategies such as street sweeping programs can also be an effective method in improving

6045-399: The north, San Diego Creek to the west, Laguna Canyon to the southwest, Salt Creek to the southeast, and San Juan Creek to the east. As of 2018, the Aliso Creek watershed had a population of 144,000 divided among seven incorporated cities, or a population density of 4,100 persons per square mile (1,600 persons per km ). Nine communities were established in the creek's watershed as it

6138-528: The only indigenous turtle species to Orange County, is also found in the creek. Although many fish species were once found in Aliso Creek, the only remaining one is the introduced common carp , which can tolerate the low oxygen levels and high temperatures typical of the creek water. Aside from carp, several other native and introduced fish species were found in the creek until the 1980s, including mosquito fish , bluegill , bass , and channel catfish . After flooding exacerbated by urban runoff destroyed much of

6231-464: The path of Aliso Creek. Occasionally swollen by wetter climates during glacial periods , the creek carved the deep water gap known today as Aliso Canyon , the main feature of Aliso and Wood Canyons Wilderness Park . Historically, Aliso Creek served as the boundary between the Acjachemem (Juaneño) and Tongva (Gabrieleño) Native Americans. Spanish explorers and missionaries reached the area in

6324-494: The property to 26,000 acres (11,000 ha). The ranch remained under their ownership for approximately thirty-eight years, and the Moulton family continued to own it until the 1960s. Cattle and sheep ranching and dryland farming continued on Rancho Niguel until the mid-20th century. In 1927 Laguna Beach became the first city to be incorporated in the Aliso Creek watershed and the second in Orange County. Wells were drilled into

6417-432: The quality of urban runoff. Street sweeping vacuums collect particles of dust and suspended solids often found in public parking lots and roads that often end up in runoff. Educational programs can also be an effective tool for managing urban runoff. Local businesses and individuals can have an integral role in reducing pollution in urban runoff simply through their practices, but often are unaware of regulations. Creating

6510-421: The quality of water recreational areas. Runoff can also induce bioaccumulation and biomagnification of toxins in ocean life. Small amounts of heavy metals are carried by runoff into the oceans, which can accumulate within aquatic animals to cause metal poisoning . This heavy metal poisoning can also affect humans, since ingesting a poisoned animal increases the risk of heavy metal poisoning. As stormwater

6603-451: The rancho was derived from the original Rancheria Niguel, which in turn received its name from the Acjachemen village that once stood nearby. Rancho Niguel included the portion of the Aliso Creek watershed stretching from what is now I-5 nearly to the Pacific, as well as significant areas of land on either side. Don Juan became known as "El Rico" for his wealth and hospitality; he made a fortune driving beef cattle up to Northern California after

6696-431: The rate of development in the past two decades, the watershed was roughly 60 percent urbanized. The cities of Mission Viejo and Laguna Niguel were incorporated in 1988 and 1989, respectively. In 1991 El Toro incorporated as the city of Lake Forest; Laguna Hills also incorporated in 1991, and Laguna Woods in 1999. By the early 21st century, more than 70 percent of the watershed was urbanized. The newest city in

6789-505: The remaining riparian habitat, these species were reported to have disappeared from the area. The historical presence of endangered steelhead trout ( Oncorhynchus mykiss ) in Aliso Creek has been debated. Until 2006 the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) stated that there was "no evidence of historical or extant of O. mykiss in anadromous waters" in Aliso Creek. However, a 1998 study co-authored by

6882-409: The riparian zones, native grassland and shrublands have been heavily impacted by invasive species. A 2009 survey conducted in the Aliso Creek watershed found non-native grass coverage of between 66 and 100 percent, and non-native shrub coverage of between 0 and 50 percent, across fourteen sample sites. Mountain lions, bobcats, mule deer, gray fox and other large mammals once ranged throughout

6975-478: The sandbar re-forms. Aliso Creek was historically a seasonal stream with a few sections containing water year round, including the headwaters and lower Aliso Canyon. Significant flow only occurred in the rainy months of November through March. As recently as 1982, the creek was observed to be dry in the summer. As of 2012, urban runoff contributed a dry season flow of 5 million gallons (20,000 m ) per day, or approximately 8 cubic feet per second (0.23 m /s), at

7068-550: The soil. These high levels of nutrients can reduce oxygen and boost algae growth while limiting native vegetation growth, which can disrupt aquatic ecosystem Excessive levels of sediment and suspended solids have the potential to damage existing infrastructure as well. Sedimentation can increase surface runoff by plugging underground injection systems. Increased sedimentation levels can also reduce storage behind reservoir . This reduction of reservoir capacities can lead to increased expenses for public land agencies while also impacting

7161-506: The state of California include the Coastal Range newt , orange-throated whiptail , coastal western whiptail, coast horned lizard , California legless lizard , and two-striped garter snake . Native frogs and the arroyo toad once inhabited the creek, but they were extirpated by damage to the channel following floods in 1983. Non-native bullfrogs have been introduced to parts of the creek. The threatened south western pond turtle ,

7254-410: The stream bed near its mouth and water was piped to homes in Laguna Beach. However, in 1928 the Aliso Creek supply was discontinued due to "the undesirable quality of the water" caused by high chloride levels. The idea of using uncontaminated surface water from Aliso Creek was also considered, but this would require the construction of a large storage reservoir. In 1934, an A. J. Stead proposed to build

7347-462: The stream gradient and thus its erosive force. These factors led to Aliso Creek carving out a much larger series of valleys than would appear possible with its present-day volume. As sea levels rose after the Wisconsinian glaciation, Aliso Canyon became a long narrow bay. Over thousands of years Aliso Creek filled in the bay with sediment, creating the flat alluvial valley floor seen today, while

7440-603: The streams through construction of hardened embankments and similar control structures using concrete and masonry materials. Use of these hard materials destroys habitat for fish and other animals. Such a project may stabilize the immediate area where flood damage occurred, but often it simply shifts the problem to an upstream or downstream segment of the stream. See River engineering . There are many different ways that polluted urban runoff could harm humans, such as by contaminating drinking water, disrupting food sources and even causing parts of beaches to be closed off due to

7533-480: The title Aliso Creek . If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Aliso_Creek&oldid=932682026 " Category : Disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages Aliso Creek (Orange County) Aliso Creek

7626-413: The total area. Other urban land uses are commercial (10.7 percent), miscellaneous (4.9 percent), agriculture (3.7 percent) and industrial (1.6 percent). Public lands, including national forest and county parks, comprised 26.4 percent of the watershed, and another 13.1 percent was unincorporated. Much of the terrain in the watershed has been regraded to build homes and roads, and

7719-599: The valley widens at the northernmost tip of Aliso and Wood Canyons Wilderness Park , the beginning of a greenbelt that stretches from here nearly to the Pacific Ocean. Soon after entering the park, Aliso Creek is joined by the Dairy Fork from the right then the Aliso Hills Channel from the left, before passing under the 73 toll road . Below this point, the creek flows past Journey School, Aliso Niguel High School and Wood Canyon Elementary School as well as

7812-428: The watershed remained largely unpopulated into the 1950s. In the 1950s, Rancho Niguel was sold off to real estate developers to build the planned cities of Laguna Niguel, Aliso Viejo , and Laguna Hills , with an undeveloped portion to the south that would later become Aliso and Wood Canyons Wilderness Park. Up until the 1960s and 1970s, barely 15 percent of the watershed was urbanized, but by 1990, after doubling

7905-438: The watershed, Aliso Viejo, was incorporated in 2001. In the early 1900s, several significant floods wreaked havoc in southern California. The Orange County Flood Control District was created by Orange County Flood Control Act of 1927 in response to some of these flooding events. Over the following decades most streams in Orange County were channelized, with Aliso Creek being channelized to facilitate urban development starting in

7998-503: The watershed. These species are mostly found in undeveloped areas of Aliso and Wood Canyons, the upper reaches of Aliso Creek, and some parts of English Canyon Creek. Aliso Canyon is one of the most diverse bird habitats in Orange County, with some 122 nesting and migratory species found there. The canyon also has raptors including northern harrier , Cooper's hawk , golden eagle and peregrine falcon . The creek has several species of amphibians and reptiles. Species of concern listed by

8091-683: The waterway is relatively high compared with natural levels, spurring growth of algae blooms that soon consume most of the oxygen . Once the naturally occurring oxygen in the water is depleted, the algae blooms die, and their decomposition causes further eutrophication. These algae blooms mostly occur in areas with still water, such as stream pools and the pools behind dams , weirs , and some drop structures . Eutrophication usually comes with deadly consequences for fish and other aquatic organisms. Excessive stream bank erosion may cause flooding and property damage. For many years governments have often responded to urban stream erosion problems by modifying

8184-618: Was 19.2 cubic feet per second (0.54 m /s), with a high of 50 cubic feet per second (1.4 m /s) in March and a low of 4.5 cubic feet per second (0.13 m /s) in June. The largest flow recorded at the Laguna Beach gauge was 5,400 cubic feet per second (150 m /s) during the El Niño event on March 1, 1983. Urbanization is the main cause of increased winter flooding, due to the covering of land with impervious surfaces. From 1931 to 1960,

8277-453: Was developed in the 20th century. By 2001 seven of them had become cities (from mouth to source, Laguna Beach , Laguna Niguel , Aliso Viejo , Laguna Hills , Laguna Woods , Lake Forest (formerly El Toro), and Mission Viejo ), and the last two, Foothill Ranch and Portola Hills , were incorporated into the city of Lake Forest in 2000. The largest land use in the watershed is residential, which as of 2009 accounted for 39.6 percent of

8370-454: Was in 1972. In the 1970s, a large population of the threatened tidewater goby (10,000–15,000) was documented in the Aliso Creek estuary. The species has declined significantly since then due to pollution and reduction of its habitat. In 2011 the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service designated the Aliso Creek estuary and several other coastal Southern California streams as critical habitat for the tidewater goby. Aliso Creek historically served as

8463-589: Was named Niguili, possibly meaning "a large spring" in the Luiseño language . The placement of the tribal boundary at Aliso Creek has been disputed, as the usual practice among indigenous peoples of this region was to claim watershed divides rather than stream channels as boundaries. Constance Cameron challenged this view in the paper Aliso Creek: The Great Divide? (1974) presented to the Southern California Academy of Sciences , arguing that

8556-722: Was part of the Pacific Ocean until about 10 million years ago (MYA) when regional uplift began. The Santa Ana Mountains, where the creek originates, began to rise about 5.5 million years ago along the Elsinore Fault. Most of the Aliso Creek watershed sits on several layers of marine sedimentary strata , the oldest dating from the Eocene (55.8–33.9 MYA) and the most recent, the Pliocene (5.33–2.59 MYA). These alluvial sediments range from 13 to 36 feet (4.0 to 11.0 m) in depth. The watershed includes outcrops of

8649-725: Was the largest on record. It inundated the Aliso Creek Inn and Golf Course, destroyed six footbridges across Aliso Creek and caused severe bank erosion in many places along the creek. Urban runoff Urban runoff can be a major source of urban flooding and water pollution in urban communities worldwide. Water running off impervious surfaces in urban areas tends to pick up gasoline , motor oil , heavy metals , trash , and other pollutants from roadways and parking lots, as well as fertilizers and pesticides from lawns. Roads and parking lots are major sources of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), which are created as

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