Coyote Creek (San Gabriel River)

Coyote Creek
River
North Fork of Coyote Creek in La Mirada
Name origin: Unknown
Country	United States
State	California
Counties	Orange County, Riverside County, Los Angeles, San Bernardino
Tributaries
- left	Brea Creek, Fullerton Creek, Carbon Creek
- right	La Canada Verde Creek
Cities	Brea, Buena Park, Fullerton, La Habra, La Palma
Source
- location	Riverside County, Orange County, California
- elevation	2,300 ft (701 m)
- coordinates	33°56′49″N 117°57′31″W / 33.94694°N 117.95861°W / 33.94694; -117.95861
Mouth	San Gabriel River
- elevation	0 ft (0 m)
- coordinates	33°47′41″N 118°05′24″W / 33.79472°N 118.09000°W / 33.79472; -118.09000Coordinates: 33°47′41″N 118°05′24″W / 33.79472°N 118.09000°W / 33.79472; -118.09000
Length	13.7 mi (22 km)
Basin	41.3 sq mi (107 km2)
Discharge	for Los Alamitos
- average	43.5 cu ft/s (1.2 m3/s)
- max	14,300 cu ft/s (404.9 m3/s)
- min	24 cu ft/s (0.7 m3/s)
Map of the Coyote Creek watershed

Coyote Creek is a principal tributary of the San Gabriel River in northwest Orange County, southeast Los Angeles County, and southwest Riverside County in the U.S. state of California. It drains a land area of roughly 41.3 square miles (107 km²) covering five major cities, including Brea, Buena Park, Fullerton, La Habra, and La Palma. Some major tributaries of the creek in the highly urbanizedwatershed include Brea Creek, Fullerton Creek and Carbon Creek. The mostly flat creek basin is separated by a series of low mountains, and is bounded by several small mountain ranges, including the Chino Hills, Puente Hills and West Coyote Hills.

Coyote Creek is roughly 13.7 miles (22.0 km) long and flows generally southwest, while its North Fork, shown on federal maps as La Canada Verde Creek, measures 9.1 miles (14.6 km). The longest single tributary is Carbon Creek, which flows 13.6 miles (21.9 km), followed closely by Fullerton Creek, which measures 13.0 miles (20.9 km). Two major flood control reservoirs, Brea Reservoir and Fullerton Reservoir, are located in the watershed and feed into Brea Creek and Fullerton Creek, respectively. Brea Creek and Tonner Canyon form the uppermost reaches of the watershed. Coyote Creek joins the San Gabriel very near its mouth in Long Beach.

Beginning at the border of Los Angeles and Orange County, Coyote Creek rises in two forks in the northwesternmost corner of the latter county. Continuing south, it turns west and immediately receives a number of south-flowing tributaries on the right bank. The creek is soon joined by Imperial Creek as it begins to flow southwest through a series of flood control channels, alternatively earth and concrete lined. The somewhat haphazardly constructed channel is described as being either concrete lined, "composite", trapezoidal, or riprap. After having crossed the Los Angeles-Orange County border three times, Coyote Creek receives its first major tributary, 9.8-mile (15.8 km) Brea Creek, on the right bank.