Rio Hondo (California)
Encyclopedia
The Rio Hondo is a tributary of the Los Angeles River
in Los Angeles County, California
, approximately 16.4 miles (26.4 km) long. As a named river, it begins in Irwindale
and flows southwest to its confluence in South Gate
, passing through several cities (though not the city of Los Angeles
). Above Irwindale its main stem is known as Santa Anita Creek
, which extends another 10 miles (16.1 km) northwards into the San Gabriel Mountains
where the source, or headwaters, of the river are found.
The Rio Hondo has sometimes been described as a second channel of the San Gabriel River
. For much of its length, the rivers flow parallel to each other about two miles (3 km) apart. Both rivers pass through the Whittier Narrows
, a natural gap in the hills which form the southern boundary of the San Gabriel Valley
. Here, both rivers are impounded by the Whittier Narrows Dam
, which the Army Corps of Engineers describes as, "the central element of the Los Angeles County Drainage Area (LACDA) flood control system". During major storms, the outlet works at Whittier Narrows Dam can direct water to either channel, or runoff can be stored.
The Rio Hondo and San Gabriel River have both been part of a revitalization program called the Emerald Necklace. The goal of this program is to create a "necklace" of parks and reclaimed wild spaces with the two rivers. They are connected by a narrow strip in Irwindale and by Whittier Narrows to give them the appearance of a necklace if viewed from above. The project garnered broad support from organizations such as the Sierra Club along with the governments of the many cities the rivers pass through.
Most of the Rio Hondo is a concrete-lined channel to serve its primary flood control function, but in two places the river flows over open ground: the Peck Road Water Conservation Park, and the Whittier Narrows Recreation Area. Large spreading grounds for water conservation surround much of the river, and its bike paths are very popular.
The river passes through the location of the Battle of Rio San Gabriel
, fought on January 8, 1847, and which resulted in a U.S. victory. Although the battle was actually fought on west bank of the present-day Rio Hondo near where it is crossed by Washington Blvd, the battle is named after the San Gabriel, which at that time flowed along these banks. A flood in 1867 caused the San Gabriel to change course, which it retains at present. The old San Gabriel was renamed the Rio Hondo after this flood. In Downey, California
, the Rio Hondo was once known as the "Old River", because it was the old course of the San Gabriel River. The Old River School was named for it, and Old River School Road was named for the school. The "New River" is the present course of the San Gabriel River.
The Rio Hondo College
and Rio Hondo Preparatory School were named after the 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 Los Angeles County, California
Los Angeles County, California
Los Angeles County is a county in the U.S. state of California. As of 2010 U.S. Census, the county had a population of 9,818,605, making it the most populous county in the United States. Los Angeles County alone is more populous than 42 individual U.S. states...
, approximately 16.4 miles (26.4 km) long. As a named river, it begins in Irwindale
Irwindale, California
Irwindale is a city in the San Gabriel Valley, in Los Angeles County, California, United States. The population was 1,422 at the 2010 census, down from 1,446 at the 2000 census....
and flows southwest to its confluence in South Gate
South Gate, California
South Gate is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. The sixteenth largest city in Los Angeles County, it encompasses . South Gate is located just southeast of downtown Los Angeles It is part of the Gateway Cities region of southeastern Los Angeles County...
, passing through several cities (though not the city of Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
). Above Irwindale its main stem is known as Santa Anita Creek
Santa Anita Canyon
Santa Anita Canyon is a canyon in the San Gabriel Mountains, within the Angeles National Forest in Los Angeles County, California.-Geography:...
, which extends another 10 miles (16.1 km) northwards into the San Gabriel Mountains
San Gabriel Mountains
The San Gabriel Mountains Range is located in northern Los Angeles County and western San Bernardino County, California, United States. The mountain range lies between the Los Angeles Basin and the Mojave Desert, with Interstate 5 to the west and Interstate 15 to the east...
where the source, or headwaters, of the river are found.
The Rio Hondo has sometimes been described as a second channel of the San Gabriel River
San Gabriel River (California)
The San Gabriel River flows through southern Los Angeles County, California in the United States. Its main stem is about long, while its farthest tributaries extend almost altogether...
. For much of its length, the rivers flow parallel to each other about two miles (3 km) apart. Both rivers pass through the Whittier Narrows
Whittier Narrows
The Whittier Narrows is located at the southern boundary of the San Gabriel Valley, in Los Angeles County, California. It is a gap in the Puente Hills where the Rio Hondo and the San Gabriel River diverge....
, a natural gap in the hills which form the southern boundary of the San Gabriel Valley
San Gabriel Valley
The San Gabriel Valley is one of the principal valleys of Southern California, United States. It lies to the east of Los Angeles, to the north of the Puente Hills, to the south of the San Gabriel Mountains, and west of the Inland Empire. It derives its name from the San Gabriel River that flows...
. Here, both rivers are impounded by the Whittier Narrows Dam
Whittier Narrows Dam
Whittier Narrows Dam is a dam on the San Gabriel River in Montebello, California. Built by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for flood control, it is a 17 m tall earth dam. Construction of the dam was completed in 1957. Its reservoir has a capacity of .-External links:*...
, which the Army Corps of Engineers describes as, "the central element of the Los Angeles County Drainage Area (LACDA) flood control system". During major storms, the outlet works at Whittier Narrows Dam can direct water to either channel, or runoff can be stored.
The Rio Hondo and San Gabriel River have both been part of a revitalization program called the Emerald Necklace. The goal of this program is to create a "necklace" of parks and reclaimed wild spaces with the two rivers. They are connected by a narrow strip in Irwindale and by Whittier Narrows to give them the appearance of a necklace if viewed from above. The project garnered broad support from organizations such as the Sierra Club along with the governments of the many cities the rivers pass through.
Most of the Rio Hondo is a concrete-lined channel to serve its primary flood control function, but in two places the river flows over open ground: the Peck Road Water Conservation Park, and the Whittier Narrows Recreation Area. Large spreading grounds for water conservation surround much of the river, and its bike paths are very popular.
The river passes through the location of the Battle of Rio San Gabriel
Battle of Rio San Gabriel
The Battle of Rio San Gabriel fought on January 8, 1847 was a decisive action of the California campaign of the Mexican-American War and occurred at a ford of the San Gabriel River, at what are today parts of the cities of Whittier, Pico Rivera and Montebello, about ten miles south-east of downtown...
, fought on January 8, 1847, and which resulted in a U.S. victory. Although the battle was actually fought on west bank of the present-day Rio Hondo near where it is crossed by Washington Blvd, the battle is named after the San Gabriel, which at that time flowed along these banks. A flood in 1867 caused the San Gabriel to change course, which it retains at present. The old San Gabriel was renamed the Rio Hondo after this flood. In Downey, California
Downey, California
Downey is a city located in southeast Los Angeles County, California, United States, southeast of downtown Los Angeles. The city is best known as the birthplace of the Apollo space program, and is the city where folk singer Karen Carpenter lived and died...
, the Rio Hondo was once known as the "Old River", because it was the old course of the San Gabriel River. The Old River School was named for it, and Old River School Road was named for the school. The "New River" is the present course of the San Gabriel River.
The Rio Hondo College
Rio Hondo College
Rio Hondo College is a community college located in the city of Whittier, California, United States, named after the Rio Hondo. It was founded in 1960 and mainly serves the cities of Whittier, Pico Rivera, Santa Fe Springs, El Monte, and South El Monte...
and Rio Hondo Preparatory School were named after the river.
Crossings
From mouth to source (year built in parentheses):- Railroad
- Garfield Avenue (1957)
- Southern Avenue (1951)
- Firestone Boulevard (1933)
- Railroad
- Rio Hondo Bicycle Path
- Florence AvenueFlorence AvenueFlorence Avenue is a west-east street in Los Angeles County that starts off as Mills Road at Janine Drive in Whittier. At Telegraph Road, it changes to Florence...
(1953) - Suva Street (1954)
- Interstate 5Interstate 5 in CaliforniaInterstate 5 is a major north–south route of the Interstate Highway System in the U.S. state of California. It begins at the Mexico – United States border at the San Ysidro crossing, goes north across the length of California and crosses into Oregon south of the Medford-Ashland metropolitan...
- Santa Ana FreewaySanta Ana FreewayThe Santa Ana Freeway is one of the principal freeways in Southern California, connecting Los Angeles and its southeastern suburbs including the freeway's namesake, the city of Santa Ana. The freeway begins at the Four Level Interchange in downtown Los Angeles, signed as U.S. Route 101...
(1953) - Telegraph Road (1951)
- Railroad
- East Slauson AvenueSlauson AvenueSlauson Avenue is a major east-west thoroughfare for southern Los Angeles County, California, named for the land developer and Los Angeles Board of Education member J. S. Slauson. It passes through Culver City, Ladera Heights, View Park-Windsor Hills, Baldwin Hills, Inglewood, South Los Angeles,...
(1954) - Railroad: AmtrakAmtrakThe National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
/ MetrolinkMetrolink (Southern California)Metrolink is a commuter rail system serving Los Angeles and the surrounding area of Southern California; it currently consists of six lines and 55 stations using of track....
Orange County Line, 91 Line - Washington BoulevardWashington Boulevard (Los Angeles)Washington Boulevard is the longest continuous east-west arterial road in Los Angeles, California. It starts by the Pacific Ocean just west of Pacific Avenue in Marina del Rey, and ends far to the east in the city of Whittier, on Whittier Boulevard. It is south of Venice Boulevard for most of its...
(1941) - Bridge to Rio Hondo Bicycle Path
- Railroad: Amtrak / Metrolink Riverside Line
- Whittier Boulevard (1921)
- East Beverly Boulevard (1952)
- Whittier Narrows Dam
- San Gabriel Boulevard (1982)
- State Route 60California State Route 60State Route 60 is a state highway in the U.S. state of California. It runs from Interstate 10 near the Los Angeles River in Los Angeles east to I-10 in Riverside County, with overlaps at State Route 57 and Interstate 215.-Route description:...
/ Pomona Freeway (1966) - Garvey Avenue (1936)
- Rosemead Boulevard / CA-164 (1937)
- Interstate 10Interstate 10 in CaliforniaInterstate 10 , the major east–west Interstate Highway in the Southern United States, runs in the U.S. state of California east from Santa Monica, on the Pacific Ocean, through Los Angeles and San Bernardino to the border with Arizona...
/ San Bernardino FreewaySan Bernardino FreewayThe San Bernardino Freeway, formerly known as the Ramona Freeway is a freeway in Los Angeles and Orange Counties in the southern part of the U.S. state of California. It refers to the following two segments:...
(1956) - Rio Hondo Busway (1972)
- Railroad
- Valley Mall
- Valley BoulevardValley BoulevardValley Boulevard is a street in Southern California, running east from Los Angeles to Pomona, where it becomes Holt Boulevard, and a continuation from Fontana to Colton. It generally parallels Interstate 10 and State Route 60, and is the original alignment of U.S. Route 60...
(1956) - Railroad
- Lower Azusa Road (1959)
- Santa Anita Avenue (1959)
- Rio Hondo Bicycle Path at Peck Road Park Lak