Santa Clara River
Ventura County, California

Looking West down the Santa Clara Valley from above Piru Photo courtesy of Friends of the Santa Clara River

The Santa Clara is a big river. From its headwaters near Acton, it flows west almost 100 miles to the Pacific Ocean south of Ventura. Unlike its neighbors to the south, the Santa Clara has not been channelized and bound in concrete; it is considered to be one of only two "natural river systems" remaining in Southern California. The Santa Clara is an excellent recreational resource during the winter months, as well as an important habitat for waterfowl and other riparian creatures year-round.

Throughout its length, the Santa Clara is fed by tributaries flowing from the Santa Susanna Mountains, the San Gabriel Range, and Oak Ridge. Major contributers include Piru and Sespe Creeks.

During storms the water runs thick with sediment. In fact the Santa Clara is a major source of sand for beaches in Oxnard and points south.

Broad and open as it is, the Santa Clara could probably be enjoyed by competent boaters at any flows above 500 cfs or so. Be advised there are occasional hazards though. Trees, floating logs, and other debris could be found anywhere. A twelve-foot-high diversion dam is the most significant danger by far. This is located halfway down the run and is easily seen from upstream; clouds of mist rise from a river-wide horizon line, and a large control structure, topped with a blinking blue light, is clearly visible on river left.

On a high-water run, Keith Beck and I portaged the dam on river left, through the dam's diversion control structure. This portage is of dubious legality; it would have been preferable to carry on river right.

Though Keith and I have both run much harder rivers, we throroughly enjoyed our trip down the Santa Clara. The scenery, citrus groves bounded by mountains on either side, is relaxing. We found many excellent spots to surf big, dynamic sand waves. Floating out into the Pacific, where the silty river crashes into the incoming surf in a spectacular mix of brown water and white foam, was a grand finale.

Our run also cleared up a long-standing mystery for me. Walking the beach after winter storms, I'd always been puzzled at the sight of numerous oranges. Where did they come from? While floating the Santa Clara, the answer became clear. Hundreds if not thousands of oranges, and the odd grapefruit and lemon, bobbed down the river with us. Flushed into the river from the adjoining orchards, they made for a colorful sight against the Santa Clara's chocolate brown water.

While all of the Santa Clara can be run, the section described here is the most likely to have enough water. Note that the large storms that are required to bring it up to a really good level will probably also have the Ventura County rescue organizations running at full tilt. The last thing they'll need is a 911 call to rescue a boater. Be prepared, be responsible, and stay away from that diversion dam.

The takeout is McGrath Beach State Park, just south of the river's mouth.

To get to the put in, head east to Highway 126. At the western edge of Fillmore, just east of the point where Highway 126 crosses the Sespe Creek overflow, parking is available in a residential neighborhood

This document was last updated on Monday, March 09, 1998

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