Temecula Creek
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Temecula Creek Temecula River, Aguanga Creek[1] | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Location | |
| Country | United States |
| State | California |
| Region | San Diego County, Riverside County |
| City | Temecula |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Source | |
| • location | Aguanga Mountain in the Cleveland National Forest, San Diego County |
| • coordinates | 33°19′52″N 116°45′27″W / 33.33111°N 116.75750°W[1] |
| • elevation | 4,200 ft (1,300 m) |
| Mouth | Confluence with Murrieta Creek, forming Santa Margarita River |
• location | 0.5 miles southeast of Temecula, Riverside County |
• coordinates | 33°28′27″N 117°08′27″W / 33.47417°N 117.14083°W[1] |
• elevation | 951 ft (290 m)[1] |
| Basin features | |
| Tributaries | |
| • left | Kohler Canyon, Rattlesnake Creek, Cottonwood Creek, Long Canyon, Kolb Creek, Pechanga Creek |
| • right | Chihuahua Creek, Tule Creek, Wilson Creek |
Temecula Creek, formerly known as the Temecula River,[2] runs 32.6 miles (52.5 km)[3] through southern Riverside County, California, United States, past the rural communities of Radec and Aguanga, and ending 0.5 miles (0.80 km) southeast of the original city center of Temecula. The creek is filled with boulders and is typically dry and sandy. It is a relatively undeveloped coastal-draining watershed.[4] Until the 1920s, water flowed in Temecula Creek year-round.[5]
A Luiseño Indian rancheria named Temeca or Temeko was named as early as 1785. In 1828 Temecula became the name of a rancho of Mission San Luis Rey. Alfred Kroeber noted that the name may be derived from the Luiseño word temet meaning "sun".[6] The village of Temecula originated on a bluff on the south bank of Temecula Creek opposite the old Wolf's Store according to an 1853 survey.[7]
In 1948, the owners of the Vail Ranch built a 132-foot-high (40 m) dam on Temecula Creek, Vail Lake Dam, approximately 10 miles (16 km) above the confluence with the Santa Margarita River. Today the lake is a public recreational use area.
Watershed
Temecula Creek originates on the north slope of Aguanga Mountain, flows northeast 1 mile (1.6 km) to Dodge Valley, where it continues northwest through Dodge Valley, Oak Grove Valley, Dameron Valley, Aguanga Valley, Radec Valley, Butterfield Valley, into Vail Lake Reservoir, after which it flows southwest through Pauba Valley to Temecula Valley where it joins Murrieta Creek.[1] Temecula Creek has a slightly larger drainage area than Murrieta Creek. The Santa Margarita River begins at the confluence of the two creeks at the head of Temecula Canyon.[8]
With the encroachment of homes on both sides of Temecula Creek, portions may be channelized.[citation needed]
