Mill Creek (San Bernardino County)

Mill Creek is a 17.8-mile-long (28.6 km)[3] stream, originating in the San Bernardino Mountains, in San Bernardino County, California. It is a major tributary of the Santa Ana River. Their confluence occurs just downstream of the upper Santa Ana Canyon mouth. Part of the upper creek flows through San Bernardino National Forest, with the headwaters (High Creek and Mill Creek Jumpoff), being in the San Gorgonio Wilderness.

Mill Creek
Location of Mill Creek in California
Location
CountryUnited States
StateCalifornia
CityForest Falls
Physical characteristics
SourceSan Bernardino Mountains
 • locationSan Bernardino National Forest
 • coordinates34°04′36″N 116°50′38″W[1]
 • elevation8,207 ft (2,501 m)
MouthSanta Ana River
 • location
Near Mentone
 • coordinates
34°05′27″N 117°07′11″W[2]
 • elevation
1,686 ft (514 m)
Length17.8 mi (28.6 km)[3]
Discharge 
 • locationNear Yucaipa[4]
 • average38.3 cu ft/s (1.08 m3/s)[5]
 • minimum8.04 cu ft/s (0.228 m3/s)
 • maximum20,000 cu ft/s (570 m3/s)

Mill Creek is in much better condition than the lower portions of the Santa Ana watershed, as its drainage area is less urbanized. However, the creek has three hydroelectric plants owned by Southern California Edison. The first commercial power plant in the United States using three-phase alternating current was the 250 kilowatt Mill Creek No. 1 Hydroelectric Plant, near Redlands, California, in 1893 designed by Almarian Decker.[6]

The streambed is completely dewatered in some places. Also, a levee system was built by the United States Army Corps of Engineers after a severe flood, which degraded the riparian habitat. In addition, the poor conditions downstream interfere with fish migration to the creek.

See also

References
  1. "Mill Creek Canyon". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey. 1981-01-19. Retrieved 2016-12-07.
  2. "Mill Creek". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey. 1981-01-19. Retrieved 2016-12-07.
  3. U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline data. The National Map Archived 2012-04-05 at WebCite, accessed March 16, 2011
  4. "USGS Gage #11054001 Mill Creek + Canals near Yucaipa, CA". National Water Information System. U.S. Geological Survey. 1919–1986. Retrieved 2016-12-07.
  5. "USGS Gage #11054001 Mill Creek + Canals near Yucaipa, CA". National Water Information System. U.S. Geological Survey. 1919–1986. Retrieved 2016-12-07.
  6. http://www.ieeeghn.org/wiki/index.php/Milestones:Mill_Creek_No._1_Hydroelectric_Plant,_1893 IEEE Milestones, Mill Creek No. 1 Hydroelectric Plant, retrieved 2012 Jan 4


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