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It's just been converted into a concrete channel for most of its 100 mile long route which eventually empties into the Pacific Ocean near New Port Beach. And even though it is now mostly concrete it is still one the longest river systems in Southern California.

Due to the long dry summer months, most of the time the lower 60 miles is dry, but down to Pardo Dam, it is still free flowing. And during the late winter months and early spring when the snow melt increase from upper Mountains from where it originates, the river is prone to flooding. But most of the local communities have allowed the river to retain its course so there is usually no danger of it leaving its extremely wide banks.

Over the pat 150 years devisating floods have occurred along the water ways when the IE experiences extremely wet winters. The river has produced floods in 1862 and 1938, which killed over 1200 people in the Anaheim Area and 1969, the one I witnessed which caused over $500,000 in damage and killed several people. As a result of the 1938 flood the Prado Dam was built near Corona in 1941. In 1999, fearing more future floods, along its ever increasing populated flood plain, the Seven Oaks Dam was built just north of Redlands just as the river comes out of the Mountains.

Today only the first 20 miles of the river is still free flowing and totally in a natural undisturbed state of nature. From its headwaters at the 9500 foot level on Mt Gorgonio, it flows through Redwoods, two hundred foot tall Pine Trees, Ponderosa, Elm and Oakes down to the valley floor.

In 2005 when over 125 inches of rain fell on the mountains and 70 inches fell here in the Rancho Cucamonga area, all of the creeks and rivers flowing into the Prado Dam nearly breached the dam. Several small communities downstream had to be evacuated, especially in Corona, Yorba Linda and the Anaheim Hills area.

In the Anaheim Hills area along the 91 freeway will see several lakes and catch basins. these are met to catch as much water as possible that does flow down the river during the summer months. Further downstream in Orange and just north of Costa Mesa more catch basins along the 55 freeway filter more water into giant underground aquafilters. All of these basins and small lakes are used to supply water to Orange county.

Needless to say the Santa Ana River is one of the most unique rivers in all of the US. And while its natural beauty is only evident in the high mountains where it is born, it provides water to a ever increasing population, waters the forest it flows through and provides an escape for those who tire of the heat and traffic in the valleys.