Big Tujunga Creek
| Big Tujunga Creek | |
| Tujunga Creek, Tujunga River, Tujunga Wash | |
| River | |
 The wash in lower Big Tujunga Canyon
|
|
| Country | United States |
|---|---|
| State | California |
| Tributaries | |
| - left | Lucas Creek, Clear Creek |
| - right | Alder Creek, Mill Creek, Fox Creek, Trail Canyon Creek |
| Cities | Sunland, Shadow Hills |
| Source | About 1.6 miles (2.6 km) south-southeast of Mount Mooney |
| - location | San Gabriel Mountains |
| - elevation | 5,768 ft (1,758 m) |
| - coordinates | 34°17′52″N 118°00′11″W / 34.29778°N 118.00306°W |
| Mouth | Tujunga Wash |
| - location | Upstream of Hansen Dam |
| - elevation | 1,070 ft (326 m) |
| - coordinates | 34°16′05″N 118°21′50″W / 34.26806°N 118.36389°WCoordinates: 34°16′05″N 118°21′50″W / 34.26806°N 118.36389°W |
| Length | 22 mi (35 km) |
| Basin | 130 sq mi (337 km2) |
| Discharge | for near Sunland |
| - average | 28.1 cu ft/s (1 m3/s) |
| - max | 50,000 cu ft/s (1,416 m3/s) |
| - min | 0.29 cu ft/s (0 m3/s) |
Big Tujunga Creek is a major stream in Los Angeles County in the U.S. state of California. From its headwaters high in the San Gabriel Mountains, it flows generally southwest for 28.8 miles (46.3 km), joining Little Tujunga Creek to form the Tujunga Wash near Pacoima. The stream is sometimes considered as one with the Tujunga Wash, which is the continuation of Big Tujunga to the Los Angeles River, bringing the total length to more than 40 miles (64 km).
The creek rises near the Angeles Crest Highway in Upper Big Tujunga Canyon, deep within the Angeles National Forest. Its upper course is steep and rocky, and sprinkled with rapids, riffles and small waterfalls. It flows west then northwest, receiving Alder Creek and Lynx Gulch from the right and Wildcat Gulch and Wickiup Creek from the left. As the stream cuts deeper into its gorge, it receives a major tributary, Mill Creek, from the right, and Fall Creek also from the right just before emptying into Big Tujunga Reservoir, formed by the Big Tujunga Dam. While part of the reservoir, it receives Fox Creek from the right.
Below the dam, the stream flows through a steep rocky gorge, receiving Clear Creek from the left, before turning northwest into a broader valley. It flows through this valley for several miles before receiving Trail Canyon Creek from the right, and swinging southwards around a few ridges spills out of the mountains near Sunland. Part of the stream is diverted at Sunland into spreading grounds in order to recharge the local aquifer. The rest of Big Tujunga Creek continues west into the usually dry Hansen Flood Control Basin, formed by the Hansen Dam. Here it receives Little Tujunga Creek also from the right, and becomes the Tujunga Wash, which runs south about 8.5 miles (13.7 km) to the Los Angeles River near Studio City.
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Wikipedia