Bull Creek (Los Angeles County)
Encyclopedia
Bull Creek is a 9.6 miles (15.4 km) tributary
of the Los Angeles River
in the San Fernando Valley
of Los Angeles County, California
.
The stream begins in the eastern Santa Susana Mountains
and enters a debris basin adjacent to the Los Angeles Reservoir. Encased in a concrete
flood control channel
, Bull Creek travels south from Granada Hills though North Hills
, Van Nuys
(including its airport), and Lake Balboa
. South of Victory Boulevard
, the river reverts to a free-flowing stream and joins the Los Angeles River
inside the Sepulveda Dam
Recreation Area. This section has recently been restored under a federally-funded ecosystem restoration project, in part to protect the important riparian habitat.
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 Los Angeles River
Los Angeles River
The Los Angeles River is a river that starts in the San Fernando Valley, in the Simi Hills and Santa Susana Mountains, and flows through Los Angeles County, California, from Canoga Park in the western end of the San Fernando Valley, nearly southeast to its mouth in Long Beach...
in the San Fernando Valley
San Fernando Valley
The San Fernando Valley is an urbanized valley located in the Los Angeles metropolitan area of southern California, United States, defined by the dramatic mountains of the Transverse Ranges circling it...
of Los Angeles County, 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...
.
The stream begins in the eastern Santa Susana Mountains
Santa Susana Mountains
The Santa Susana Mountains are a transverse range of mountains in southern California, north of the city of Los Angeles, in the United States. The range runs east-west separating the San Fernando Valley and Simi Valley on its south, from Santa Clara River Valley to the north, and Santa Clarita...
and enters a debris basin adjacent to the Los Angeles Reservoir. Encased in a concrete
Concrete
Concrete is a composite construction material, composed of cement and other cementitious materials such as fly ash and slag cement, aggregate , water and chemical admixtures.The word concrete comes from the Latin word...
flood control channel
Flood control channel
Flood control channels are a series of large and empty open-air channels that extend a ways below the street levels of some larger cities, so that if and when a flood occurs, the flood will run into the channels, and proceed to be drained to the proper body of water...
, Bull Creek travels south from Granada Hills though North Hills
North Hills, Los Angeles, California
North Hills is a district in the San Fernando Valley region of the city of Los Angeles, California.North Hills is one of the oldest communities in the San Fernando Valley. Formerly known as Sepulveda, the community was renamed North Hills in 1992. Northridge is to the west, Panorama City is to the...
, Van Nuys
Van Nuys, Los Angeles, California
Van Nuys is a neighborhood in the San Fernando Valley region of Los Angeles, California.-History:Look at the two photos of Van Nuys' first year—and then listen to what the Los Angeles Times wrote on February 23, 1911, the day after the Van Nuys town lot auction--"Between dawn and dusk, in the...
(including its airport), and Lake Balboa
Lake Balboa, Los Angeles, California
Lake Balboa is a district in the San Fernando Valley region of the city of Los Angeles, California.It is bordered by the following Los Angeles communities: Encino to the south, Van Nuys to the east, Reseda to the west, and Northridge and North Hills to the north.There was debate about the official...
. South of Victory Boulevard
Victory Boulevard (Los Angeles)
Victory Boulevard is a major east-west arterial road that runs traversing the entire length of the San Fernando Valley in Los Angeles County. Through much of the San Fernando Valley, Victory Boulevard divides the affluent communities at the southern end of the Valley , from the less affluent...
, the river reverts to a free-flowing stream and joins the Los Angeles River
Los Angeles River
The Los Angeles River is a river that starts in the San Fernando Valley, in the Simi Hills and Santa Susana Mountains, and flows through Los Angeles County, California, from Canoga Park in the western end of the San Fernando Valley, nearly southeast to its mouth in Long Beach...
inside the Sepulveda Dam
Sepulveda Dam
Located in Los Angeles, California, the Sepulveda Dam is a project of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, built in 1941 to withhold winter flood waters along the Los Angeles River...
Recreation Area. This section has recently been restored under a federally-funded ecosystem restoration project, in part to protect the important riparian habitat.
Crossings and tributaries
From mouth to source (year built in parentheses):- Road in Lake Balboa Park
- Metro Orange Line
- Bicycle path
- Victory BoulevardVictory Boulevard (Los Angeles)Victory Boulevard is a major east-west arterial road that runs traversing the entire length of the San Fernando Valley in Los Angeles County. Through much of the San Fernando Valley, Victory Boulevard divides the affluent communities at the southern end of the Valley , from the less affluent...
(1955) - Haynes Street [Pedestrian Bridge]
- Vanowen Street (1954)
- Sherman Way (1954)
- Saticoy Street (1954)
- Stagg Street (1955)
- Road in Van Nuys AirportVan Nuys AirportVan Nuys Airport is a public airport located in Van Nuys in the San Fernando Valley section of the city limits of Los Angeles, California, United States. No major commercial airlines fly into this airport; it is used by private, chartered, and small commercial aircraft...
- Taxiway in Van Nuys Airport
- Roscoe Boulevard (1955)
- Railroad: Union Pacific Coast LineCoast Line (UP)The Coast Line is a railroad line from Burbank, California north to the San Francisco Bay Area, roughly along the Pacific Coast.The first version of the Coast line, via Saugus and Santa Paula, was completed by the Southern Pacific Railroad on December 31, 1900; the line via Santa Susana opened in...
- Parthenia Street (1955)
- Nordhoff Street (1955)
- Hayvenhurst Avenue & Plummer Street (1974)
- Grenada Channel enters
- Lassen Street (1973)
- Mayall Street [Pedestrian Bridge]
- Devonshire Street (1956)
- Chatsworth Street (1956)
- Celtic Street (1976)
- Bull Creek Canyon Channel Bridge carrying State Route 118California State Route 118State Route 118 is a state highway in the U.S. state of California that begins running west to east through Ventura and Los Angeles counties in southern California. It travels from Saticoy in Ventura County east to Lake View Terrace in Los Angeles...
Ronald Reagan Freeway - twin bridges (1994) - San Fernando Mission Road (1962)
- John F. Kennedy High School
- Simonds Street (1978)
- Rinaldi Street & Woodley Avenue (1962)
- Stranwood Avenue