The Santa Ana River at the River Road bridge at the Eastvale/Norco border in Riverside County, California. Eastvale is an Unincorporated area in northwestern Riverside County, California, United States, in a region of Southern California Norco is a city in Riverside County, California, in the United States. Riverside County is a County located in the southeastern part of the U Image is looking upstream.

The Santa Ana River begins in San Bernardino County, California, in the San Bernardino National Forest. San Bernardino County is a county in the US state of California. San Bernardino National Forest has two main divisions which are the San Bernardino Mountains on the easternmost of the Transverse Range, and the San Jacinto Its highest source lakes are Dollar Lake (9,220') and Dry Lake (9,065'), both on the northern flank of San Gorgonio Mountain (11,499') in the San Gorgonio Wilderness. San Gorgonio Mountain (or Mount San Gorgonio, or Old Greyback) is the highest peak in Southern California at 11499 feet (3505 m above San Gorgonio Wilderness is the home of some great hiking backpacking and several 10000+ feet peaks including the highest peak in Southern California — Mount San Gorgonio Its watershed areas above an elevation of 8,500', which occupy a substantial portion of the watershed, receive the majority of precipitation in the form of snow. After traveling nearly 100 miles through San Bernardino, Riverside, and Orange Counties, it eventually reaches its terminus between Newport Beach and Huntington Beach where it spills into the Pacific Ocean. A mile is a unit of Length, usually used to measure Distance, in a number of different systems including Imperial units United States Riverside County is a County located in the southeastern part of the U Orange County is a county in Southern California, United States. Huntington Beach is a seaside city in Orange County in Southern California, United States. The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth 's Oceanic divisions Despite much of the river being channelized in recent times, it still represents one of the largest river systems in Southern California. Southern California, or So Cal, is defined as the southern portion of the U ^[1]

Due to Southern California's dry climate, dam control, and confiscation by local water agencies, very little water flows throughout the year. However, the Santa Ana River is prone to flooding in wet seasons. A flood is an overflow of an expanse of water that submerges land a deluge The Army Corps of Engineers considers it to be the greatest flood hazard west of the Mississippi River. The United States Army Corps of Engineers ( USACE) is a federal agency and a major Army command made up of some 34600 Civilian and 650 Military personnel The Mississippi River is the second longest River in the United States, with a length of from its source in Lake Itasca in Minnesota to It produced devastating floods in 1862, 1938, and 1969. Year 1862 was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year starting on Monday Year 1938 ( MCMXXXVIII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Year 1969 ( MCMLXIX) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.

The 1938 flood was caused by heavy rains in the area that started on February 27, 1938. The river spilled over its banks on March 3, sweeping away cars, homes, and bridges, including Pacific Coast Highway. State Route 1, often called Highway 1, is a State highway that runs along much of the Pacific coast of the U A total of 2000 people were left homeless and 19 people perished ^[2]. As a result of this flood, the Prado Dam was built near Corona in 1941. The Prado Dam is a rock-fill Dam on the Santa Ana River near Corona California in Riverside County. Corona is a city in Riverside County, California, United States. Year 1941 ( MCMXLI) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (the link will display 1941 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Officials in Orange County felt further protection was needed. Orange County is a county in Southern California, United States. The Seven Oaks Dam was completed in 1999, located a few miles north of Redlands. The Seven Oaks Dam is located on the Santa Ana River, 4 Miles (6 km northeast of Redlands California. Year 1999 ( MCMXCIX) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1999 Gregorian calendar) Redlands is a city in San Bernardino County, California, United States.

In early 2005, Southern California experienced one of its wettest periods in recent history, which placed unusual stress on the Santa Ana River system. Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Prado Dam, which was under construction for expansion at the time, seeped water, and residents of the local communities of Corona and Yorba Linda were evacuated as a precaution. Yorba Linda is an affluent suburban community in Orange County, California, approximately northeast of Downtown Santa Ana, and southeast of The dam was damaged, but there was no major flooding as a result, and evacuated people were soon allowed to return.

A recreational path along the Santa Ana River in Eastvale, California. Eastvale is an Unincorporated area in northwestern Riverside County, California, United States, in a region of Southern California

A recreational bicycle trail runs along the river some 30 miles, from Prado Dam near Corona to the Pacific Ocean. Segregated cycle facilities are Roads tracks paths or marked lanes designated for use by Cyclists from which motorised traffic is generally excluded Other partial trails exist along the river. In Riverside County, a 4. 5 mile recreational path runs through the Hidden Valley Wildlife Area.

References

1. ^ Water Resources Institute, California State University, San Bernardino (2004), The Santa Ana River and Watershed Bibliography, Redlands: Redlands Institute, University of Redlands, <http://wri.csusb.edu/web-pages/archives/saw-biblio/draftFinalSantaAnaRiverWatershedBibliography.pdf>. California State University San Bernardino is a state-funded university in San Bernardino California, part of the California State University System Redlands is a city in San Bernardino County, California, United States. The University of Redlands is a private liberal arts and sciences university located in Redlands California. Retrieved on 17 December 2007 
2. ^ Hallan-Gibson, Pamela. (2002). Orange County - The Golden Promise. American Heritage Press, pp. 212.  

See also

• List of California rivers