Santa Ana River Area History

Santa Ana River Area History. Welcome to the Santa Ana River Trail. The Santa Ana River stretches over a distance of 110 miles before reaching the Pacific Ocean at Huntington Beach. It is the largest river entirely within Southern California. , From Dollar Lake and Dry Lake on to Big Bear Lake in the San Bernardino Mountains the river extends 96 miles to the ocean at Huntington Beach. , Constructed in 1941, the Prado Dam and its flood control reservoir diverted the river into groundwater recharge areas to provide about a third of the Orange County municipal water. The river now mainly services as flood control and drainage discharge. , The watershed supports up to 200 bird species, fifty mammal species, 13 reptile species, seven amphibian species, and 15 fish species, including the steelhead trout. , The first Native Americans to live in the area were nomadic tribes. About 8,000 years ago, the climate experienced a change, becoming more arid, and the original nomadic tribes began to stay in individual places longer. , The river was first crossed by Europeans in 1769, and it received the name from members of the Spanish Portola expedition. Difficult working and living conditions and European diseases killed much of the native population during the roughly fifty year long Mission Period. Eventually, the tribes were forced into the surrounding desert or the high mountains. , Following the Mission Period came the Rancho Period, when the land holdings of the missions were subdivided into ranchos and owned by individuals. When the California Republic was assimilated into the United States in 1848, American settlers began to move into the Santa Ana River region in great numbers and irrigated agriculture began on a large scale. , In 1860, a gold rush occurred in the San Bernardino Mountains and the Santa Ana River served as a conduit for miners traveling to the region. Through the late 19th century, citrus fields covered much of the costal area. Thus the name "Orange County". , In 1862, 1934, and 1938, devastating floods poured down the Santa Ana River, leading to much of the river being channelized and dammed. With the elimination of the threat of floods, the focus shifted from agricultural to urban development during the 1950's and 1960's.