Arroyo Seco (Salinas River)
Encyclopedia
The Arroyo Seco is a major tributary
of the Salinas River
in central California
. 40 miles (64.4 km) long, it drains a rugged, semi-arid area of the Coast Ranges and a portion of the agricultural Salinas Valley
.
. The river probably got its name because it disappears into the ground more than 10 miles (16.1 km) above its mouth for most of the year, however, it reaches the Salinas during the rainy season. The river above the Salinas Valley is actually a fairly large perennial stream. The common name, Arroyo Seco River or Arroyo Seco Creek, is actually a tautology
because the name contains two mentions of "watercourse", thus "Arroyo Seco River" literally translates to "dry streambed river".
of the Coast Ranges near the Pacific Ocean
. It flows generally north, cutting into a steep gorge, receiving Lost Valley Creek and Tassajara Creek both from the left. After the confluence with Rocky Creek, the Arroyo Seco swings abruptly east, passing a pair of intermittent natural lakes simply known as "The Lakes". Here, the valley begins to widen and the stream lazes out onto a shallower, sandier bed, passing the unincorporated communities of Millers Ranch
and Sycamore Flat
. Another major tributary, Piney Creek, enters just downstream of the former.
Meandering east between low bluffs, the river receives Vaqueros Creek and Reliz Creek from the right, emerging from the mountains about 3 miles (4.8 km) southwest of Greenfield
. The river flows north into the Salinas Valley
, where much of its water is diverted for irrigation. Turning northwest, it begins to parallel U.S. Highway 101 as a seasonally dry wash. It joins the Salinas just south of the city of Soledad
. The source, mouth and entire course of the river are entirely within Monterey County
. There are no dams on the Arroyo Seco, making it prone to flash flood
ing.
to the northeast. Although the mountains are not particularly high, with the highest point just 5853 feet (1,784 m) above sea level at Junipero Serra Peak
, most of the basin nonetheless has great topographical relief, dissected by numerous canyons and ridges. Watersheds bordering the Arroyo Seco drainage are those of the Carmel River
and Big Sur River
to the northwest, multiple small creeks flowing into the Pacific on the west, the San Antonio River
to the south, and other smaller tributaries of the Salinas on the east.
habitat that is home to such sensitive species as the Southwestern pond turtle
and California Spotted Owl
. The only perennial Salinas River tributary without dams, the river also supports a respectable run of steelhead trout, one of the last remnant populations along the Central California coast. Tributaries such as Tassajara Creek, Church Creek and Roosevelt Creek also maintain sizable populations of steelhead. The Arroyo Seco is considered a potential candidate for inclusion in the National Wild and Scenic River
s system.
Tributary
A tributary or affluent is a stream or river that flows into a main stem river or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean...
of the Salinas River
Salinas River (California)
The Salinas River is the largest river of the central coast of California, running and draining 4,160 square miles. It flows north-northwest and drains the Salinas Valley that slices through the Coast Range south from Monterey Bay...
in central California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. 40 miles (64.4 km) long, it drains a rugged, semi-arid area of the Coast Ranges and a portion of the agricultural Salinas Valley
Salinas Valley
The Salinas Valley lies south of San Francisco, California.The word "salina" is spanish for salt marsh, salt lake or salt pan.-Geography:The Salinas Valley runs approximately south-east from Salinas towards King City. The valley lends its name to the geologic province in which it's located, the...
.
Name
"Arroyo Seco" means "dry streambed" or "dry creek" in SpanishSpanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
. The river probably got its name because it disappears into the ground more than 10 miles (16.1 km) above its mouth for most of the year, however, it reaches the Salinas during the rainy season. The river above the Salinas Valley is actually a fairly large perennial stream. The common name, Arroyo Seco River or Arroyo Seco Creek, is actually a tautology
Tautology
Tautology may refer to:*Tautology , using different words to say the same thing even if the repetition does not provide clarity. Tautology also means a series of self-reinforcing statements that cannot be disproved because the statements depend on the assumption that they are already...
because the name contains two mentions of "watercourse", thus "Arroyo Seco River" literally translates to "dry streambed river".
Course
The river rises in several unnamed forks in the Santa Lucia MountainsSanta Lucia Mountains
The Santa Lucia Mountains or Santa Lucia Range is a mountain range in coastal California, running from Monterey southeast for 105 miles to San Luis Obispo. The highest summit is Junipero Serra Peak, in Monterey County...
of the Coast Ranges near the Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
. It flows generally north, cutting into a steep gorge, receiving Lost Valley Creek and Tassajara Creek both from the left. After the confluence with Rocky Creek, the Arroyo Seco swings abruptly east, passing a pair of intermittent natural lakes simply known as "The Lakes". Here, the valley begins to widen and the stream lazes out onto a shallower, sandier bed, passing the unincorporated communities of Millers Ranch
Millers Ranch, California
Millers Ranch is a former settlement in Butte County, California, United States. It was located northeast of Bangor. A post office operated at Millers Ranch from 1862 to 1865.Miller's Ranch is so named after Jessica Miller of Paradise, CA. -References:...
and Sycamore Flat
Sycamore Flat, California
Sycamore Flat is an unincorporated community in Monterey County, California. It is located on Arroyo Seco west-southwest of Greenfield, at an elevation of 617 feet ....
. Another major tributary, Piney Creek, enters just downstream of the former.
Meandering east between low bluffs, the river receives Vaqueros Creek and Reliz Creek from the right, emerging from the mountains about 3 miles (4.8 km) southwest of Greenfield
Greenfield, California
Greenfield is a city in Monterey County, California, United States. Greenfield is located southeast of Salinas, at an elevation of 289 feet . The city was the fastest growing in the county during the 2000s, the population was 12,583 in 2000, increasing to 16,330 in the 2010 census. Its most...
. The river flows north into the Salinas Valley
Salinas Valley
The Salinas Valley lies south of San Francisco, California.The word "salina" is spanish for salt marsh, salt lake or salt pan.-Geography:The Salinas Valley runs approximately south-east from Salinas towards King City. The valley lends its name to the geologic province in which it's located, the...
, where much of its water is diverted for irrigation. Turning northwest, it begins to parallel U.S. Highway 101 as a seasonally dry wash. It joins the Salinas just south of the city of Soledad
Soledad, California
Soledad, meaning "solitude" and "loneliness" in Spanish, is a city in Monterey County, California, United States. Soledad is located southeast of Salinas, at an elevation of 190 feet...
. The source, mouth and entire course of the river are entirely within Monterey County
Monterey County, California
Monterey County is a county located on the Pacific coast of the U.S. state of California, its northwestern section forming the southern half of Monterey Bay. The northern half of the bay is in Santa Cruz County. As of 2010, the population was 415,057. The county seat and largest city is Salinas...
. There are no dams on the Arroyo Seco, making it prone to flash flood
Flash flood
A flash flood is a rapid flooding of geomorphic low-lying areas—washes, rivers, dry lakes and basins. It may be caused by heavy rain associated with a storm, hurricane, or tropical storm or meltwater from ice or snow flowing over ice sheets or snowfields...
ing.
Watershed
Draining 275 mi2, the Arroyo Seco River is the last major tributary of the Salinas River that enters before it reaches the Pacific. Most of the watershed lies in the rugged coastal range areas southwest of Greenfield and Soledad, and the drainage divide runs along the crest of the Santa Lucia Mountains to the west and the lower Sierra de SalinasSierra de Salinas
Sierra de Salinas is a mountain range in the California Coast Ranges, located in central Monterey County, California. The range is a part of the Salinian Block and lies between the Santa Lucia Range to the west and the Salinas Valley. Salinas River, and Gabilan Range to the east....
to the northeast. Although the mountains are not particularly high, with the highest point just 5853 feet (1,784 m) above sea level at Junipero Serra Peak
Junipero Serra Peak
Junipero Serra Peak is the highest mountain in the Santa Lucia Mountains of California. It is also the highest peak in Monterey County. It is named after Franciscan Friar Junípero Serra, founder of the California Missions.- Toponymy :...
, most of the basin nonetheless has great topographical relief, dissected by numerous canyons and ridges. Watersheds bordering the Arroyo Seco drainage are those of the Carmel River
Carmel River
The Carmel River is a river on the Central Coast of California in Monterey County that originates in the Santa Lucia Mountains. The river flows northwest through the Carmel Valley with its mouth at the Pacific Ocean south of Carmel-by-the-Sea. It is often considered the northern boundary of Big Sur...
and Big Sur River
Big Sur River
The Big Sur River is a river on the Central Coast of California. The river drains a portion of the Big Sur area, a thinly settled region of the Central California coast where the Santa Lucia Mountains rise abruptly from the Pacific Ocean...
to the northwest, multiple small creeks flowing into the Pacific on the west, the San Antonio River
San Antonio River (California)
The San Antonio River is a river in southern Monterey County, California.-Geography:The river travels southeast from its headwaters in the Santa Lucia Range in the Los Padres National Forest and into Lake San Antonio. This is a reservoir behind the San Antonio Dam, an earth-fill dam on the river...
to the south, and other smaller tributaries of the Salinas on the east.
Ecology
Because of its relatively pristine condition, the Arroyo Seco River in the foothills and mountains supports a rich riparian zoneRiparian zone
A riparian zone or riparian area is the interface between land and a river or stream. Riparian is also the proper nomenclature for one of the fifteen terrestrial biomes of the earth. Plant habitats and communities along the river margins and banks are called riparian vegetation, characterized by...
habitat that is home to such sensitive species as the Southwestern pond turtle
Pond turtle
Pond turtle may refer to:* Emydidae, a family of pond turtles** Emys, a genus of Emydidae*** European pond turtle *** Sicilian pond turtle *** Western pond turtle...
and California Spotted Owl
Spotted Owl
The Spotted Owl, Strix occidentalis, is a species of true owl. It is a resident species of forests in western North America, where it nests in tree holes, old bird of prey nests, or rock crevices. Nests can be between 13 and 66 yards high and usually contain two eggs...
. The only perennial Salinas River tributary without dams, the river also supports a respectable run of steelhead trout, one of the last remnant populations along the Central California coast. Tributaries such as Tassajara Creek, Church Creek and Roosevelt Creek also maintain sizable populations of steelhead. The Arroyo Seco is considered a potential candidate for inclusion in the National Wild and Scenic River
National Wild and Scenic River
National Wild and Scenic River is a designation for certain protected areas in the United States.The National Wild and Scenic Rivers Act was an outgrowth of the recommendations of a Presidential commission, the Outdoor Recreation Resources Review Commission...
s system.
Works cited
- Gudde, Erwin G.; Bright, William (2004). California Place Names: The Origin and Etymology of Current Geographical Names. University of California Press. ISBN 0-52024-217-3.