Arroyo Grande Creek
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Arroyo Grande Creek | |
|---|---|
 Lopez Lake and Dam on Arroyo Grande Creek | |
  Location of Arroyo Grande Creek in California | |
| Location | |
| Country | United States |
| State | California |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Source | Santa Lucia Range |
| • location | North of Huasna |
| • coordinates | 35°11′55″N 120°23′00″W / 35.19861°N 120.38333°W[1] |
| • elevation | 1,307 ft (398 m) |
| Mouth | Pacific Ocean |
• location | Pismo State Beach |
• coordinates | 35°06′03″N 120°37′52″W / 35.10083°N 120.63111°W[1] |
• elevation | 0 ft (0 m) |
| Length | 22 mi (35 km)[2] |
| Basin size | 153 sq mi (400 km2)[3] |
| Discharge | |
| • location | above Arroyo Grande[4] |
| • average | 19.7 cu ft/s (0.56 m3/s)[5] |
| • minimum | 0 cu ft/s (0 m3/s) |
| • maximum | 5,400 cu ft/s (150 m3/s) |
Arroyo Grande Creek is a major stream in San Luis Obispo County on the Central Coast of California. The creek flows 22 miles (35 km)[2] in a southwesterly direction, from the Santa Lucia Range to the Pacific Ocean. It is a major source of water supply for southern San Luis Obispo County.
The creek's name is derived from the Spanish for "large watercourse", and was sometimes called the "Roaring Grande" in the 19th century due to its propensity for flooding. The city of Arroyo Grande, established in 1867, was named after the stream.[6]
Arroyo Grande Creek begins in the southern foothills of the Santa Lucia Range, just outside the Los Padres National Forest.[7] It flows west through ranches and farms, and is joined by Saucelito Creek and Phoenix Creek from the left. The creek then flows into Lopez Lake, impounded by Lopez Dam about 13 miles (21 km) upstream from the mouth. Wittenberg and Lopez Canyon Creeks both originate in the Los Padres National Forest and flow into the lake from the north.[8]
The creek turns southwest below Lopez Dam, where it enters the Arroyo Grande Valley. It flows through Biddle Regional Park and is joined from the left by Tar Springs Creek, just above the city of Arroyo Grande.[9] Los Berros Creek joins from the left just downstream of Arroyo Grande. After flowing through Arroyo Grande and Oceano the creek empties into the Pacific Ocean at Pismo State Beach, just north of the Pismo Dunes.[10]
Watershed
The Arroyo Grande Creek watershed drains 153 square miles (400 km2) and is located wholly within San Luis Obispo County.[3]: 5 Most of the watershed is hilly or mountainous, with wider valleys near the coast used for agriculture. Elevations range from sea level to 3,100 feet (940 m) in the upper reaches of Lopez Canyon.[11] Principal vegetation communities are grassland, buckbrush and chamise chaparral; oak woodland occurs along streams and valleys.[11] The average annual rainfall is 15 to 28 inches (380 to 710 mm).[11]
