Arroyo Trabuco

Arroyo Trabuco is the largest tributary of San Juan Creek, located in Orange County, California. The creek is a popular recreation spot in its upper reaches, and although it has no waterfalls its tributaries Falls Canyon Creek and Holy Jim Creek have 30 and 18 foot waterfalls, respectively. The creek contains some pollutants and its water level fluctuates greatly between the rainy and dry seasons.

Physical characteristics

The creek originates in the Cleveland National Forest and like San Juan Creek, its headwaters are remarkably preserved. However, as Arroyo Trabuco passes through the cities of Tustin, Irvine, Mission Viejo, and San Juan Capistrano, it picks up pollutants, mostly from sewers and storm drains and from increased urban runoff due to paving over of potentially water-absorbing soil. Tributaries include Oso Creek, Live Oak Canyon Creek, Hickey Canyon Creek, Falls Canyon Creek and Holy Jim Creek.

Human impact

Humans have made a substantial impact on the geography and the ecology of the creek. Changes include channelization in some areas, either completely or partly encased by concrete, solid and liquid trash and refuse, and construction of drop structures as high as 30 feet that maintain the channel grade but prevent migration by steelhead trout.

External links

* [http://www.maps.google.com/ Google Maps]
* [http://64.233.167.104/search?q=cache:N4U-8qBZOP8J:www.ocwatersheds.com/watersheds/pdfs/San_Juan_Engineering_Design_Appendix.pdf+trabuco+creek+drop+structure&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=4&gl=us/ Drop Structures on Trabuco Creek]
* [http://www.goodtime.net/mvi/lomvi082.htm/ Trabuco Creek Nature Trail]
* [http://www.ocparks.com/Arroyotrabuco/ O'Neill Regional Park]
* [http://www.canyonlife.com/O'NeillPark.folder/KERRYWEB/falls.htm/ Trabuco Canyon waterfalls]