Groundwater seepage from the operations of the open-pit
gravel mine could easily pollute the Santa Margarita River.
The Santa Margarita River is a major source
of drinking water for Camp Pendleton--don't let their water
be jeopardized by contamination.
Formed by the confluence of Temecula and Murrieta creeks in
southwestern Riverside County, the Santa Margarita River
immediately flows into spectacular Temecula Gorge and crosses
the San Diego County line just northeast of the town of
Fallbrook. From there, the river flows through the U.S. Marine
Corps base at Camp Pendleton and thence to the Pacific Ocean.
One of the last free flowing rivers in Southern California,
the Santa Margarita River is widely recognized by various local,
state and federal agencies to be an irreplaceable scenic and
ecological treasure. The river's 27 miles of lush riparian
vegetation is a singular natural resource in this rapidly
urbanizing region. Its diversity of vegetative and aquatic
habitats are home to numerous plants and animals, including 500
plant species, 236 bird species, 52 mammal species, 43 reptile
species, 26 fish species and 24 species of aquatic
invertebrates.
The riparian corridor contains the highest density and
overall diversity of bird species of any natural area in the
south coastal river basin. The Santa Margarita's lush riparian
growth supports a substantial percentage of the nation's entire
population of the endangered Least Bell's Vireo. This small
migratory song bird has been extirpated from 95 percent of its
historic breeding range, but has found a home in the Santa
Margarita River canyon. The lower portion of the river supports
extensive coastal wetlands which provide important habitat for
other sensitive and endangered bird species, including the
Light-footed Clapper Rail, Belding's Savannah Sparrow and
California Least Tern.
The Santa Margarita River also supports the largest remaining
native population of Arroyo Chub, a small fish which was
formerly abundant throughout Southern California. Large runs of
coastal steelhead trout have been extirpated from the Santa
Margarita, but the river remains one of the few nearly pristine
coastal watersheds in which to reintroduce this biologically
unique species.
In recognition of the river's outstanding ecological values,
the Bureau of Land Management has determined that a small
segment of the river flowing through scattered public lands is
eligible for National Wild & Scenic River status. Connecting the
BLM parcels is the 4,000 acre Santa Margarita Ecological Reserve
which encompasses state land administered by San Diego State
University. In addition, the Nature Conservancy has recently
purchased river frontage just downstream of Temecula and is
considering further acquisitions along the river. Altogether,
nearly six miles of the river downstream of Temecula to the
Riverside and San Diego county line is in public ownership. The
remainder of the river is largely owned by the Fallbrook Public
Utilities District and the Marine Corps.
Thanks to the Friends of the River for this information.
http://www.friendsoftheriver.org/site/PageServer?pagename=FORCalRiversSantaMargarita
