Category: Santa Ana River Watershed

From the Mountains to Your Tap: Where the Santa Ana River Watershed Flows

March 3, 2026

Your drinking water flows through thousands of miles of mountains and land before reaching your faucet. Southern California drinking water comes from several water sources, and the Santa Ana River Watershed is a key player in delivering water to these sources. Watersheds are fundamental to several water systems. It’s an area of land that captures, … More From the Mountains to Your Tap: Where the Santa Ana River Watershed Flows

The Santa Ana River and its Historic Bridge

March 28, 2020

Originally built in 1923 as a single-lane bridge connecting Riverside with West Riverside, over the Santa Ana River, is a historic Riverside gem. It was known as the Rubidoux Bridge, the Santa Ana River Bridge and the Mission Bridge, constructed with Mission style towers at each end and featuring the Raincross symbol across its length. … More The Santa Ana River and its Historic Bridge

Improving Water Quality in the Middle Santa Ana River Watershed

February 26, 2020

The Santa Ana River travels from the top of the San Bernardino Mountains, through Riverside and San Bernardino Counties, cuts into the northern Santa Ana Mountains, and eventually drains into the Pacific Ocean. At over 96 miles long, the Santa Ana River is the largest coastal stream system in Southern California. The drainage area surrounding … More Improving Water Quality in the Middle Santa Ana River Watershed

Enhanced Recharge Project: Putting Stormwater to Good Use

November 27, 2019

The San Bernardino Valley Municipal Water District (Valley District) provides roughly 25% of the region’s water needs from Yucaipa to Fontana. Businesses and residential customers alike depend on them for water. With a limited water supply, unknown annual precipitation amounts and a growing population, water districts in Southern California need to plan to ensure water … More Enhanced Recharge Project: Putting Stormwater to Good Use

SAWPA’s Basin Monitoring Program Task Force Celebrates 15 Years of Success

August 31, 2019

When it comes to water news in Southern California, the drought dominated headlines for several years. But having enough water for everyone who lives and works here isn’t the only water concern we face. Our water needs to be clean, too. We expect that when we turn on our kitchen sinks, the water that flows … More SAWPA’s Basin Monitoring Program Task Force Celebrates 15 Years of Success

Proactive and Voluntary Water Quality Testing: Emerging Constituents Program Task Force

June 18, 2019

A task force encourages collaboration among multiple agencies to tackle challenges in a cooperative manner. The Santa Ana Watershed Project Association (SAWPA) facilitates several task forces in order to take on complex matters that are more effectively handled collectively. In 2008, SAWPA organized the Emerging Constituents Task Force in an effort to work with the … More Proactive and Voluntary Water Quality Testing: Emerging Constituents Program Task Force

Santa Ana River Commemorates 50 Years of Collaboration

April 27, 2019

This month commemorates the 50th anniversary of a momentous water rights and management agreement between four water agencies in the Santa Ana River Watershed, which was made possible thanks to two 1969 court judgements for the water rights of the Santa Ana River. “These two judgements have had a positive and lasting effect for all … More Santa Ana River Commemorates 50 Years of Collaboration

Healthy Watersheds: Preventing Pollution

December 27, 2018

A watershed is defined as an area of land that separates waters flowing to different rivers, basins, or seas. However, an easier way to think of a watershed is by picturing it as all the land where rainfall that lands drains off of and into other streams of waters. According to the USGS Water Science … More Healthy Watersheds: Preventing Pollution

Recreation and Drinking Water Along the Santa Ana River

May 31, 2017

The Santa Ana River connects the San Bernardino Mountains, from Big Bear Lake to Huntington Beach. Streams that feed the rivers flow from high in the mountains down to the beach. In fact, the Santa Ana River is the largest coastal stream system in Southern California. Collectively, the drainage area surrounding the river form the … More Recreation and Drinking Water Along the Santa Ana River