San Diego River Seasons
Photos of the ever-changing San Diego River.
Oct 2009, normal summer-fall conditions...
Old Padre Dam on the San Diego River near Santee. This is normal water level in summer and autumn.
Old Padre Dam in Mission Trails Regional Park in October 2009.
The dam was built in 1815 to supply water to a mission located about 10 miles downstream.
Constructed of stone and cement, it is about 244 feet long and 13 feet wide.
The water was sent down a wooden flume built on the side of the canyon.
Ordinance caution sign near the footbridge and the San Diego River in Mission Trails Regional Park.
Note, in a later photo the water is up to the bottom of the sign.
There's a footbridge in there...somewhere.
Footbridge across San Diego River, October 2009.
In a later photo, the water flows over the pipe, and this end of the bridge is under water .
January 2010 normal conditions after a mild storm...
Old Padre Dam after a mild winter storm.
The source of the San Diego River is near Julian, about 40 miles upstream.
January 2010, after a storm. The water under the footbridge is a little higher than normal.
February 2005, a major storm came through...
Old Padre Dam is completely inundated, almost invisible.
Several days of rain, and melting snow in the mountains have caused the river to swell several times its normal size.
Only the highest part of the dam is visible.
The spillway is not visible.
The San Diego River, usually only a trickle, is about 200 yards wide.
The far end of the footbridge is under water.
Needless to say, the trail is closed at the point.
The ordinance caution sign is now in fast moving water.
Cameron is checking out the fast moving, and very deep water.
The water is about 14 inches below the footbridge and flows over the pipe under the bridge.
February 2010, scenes in Oak Canyon in Mission Trails Regional Park ...
Looks like a typical calm stream...but wait!
There are miniature waterfalls...
...and huge boulders...
...and larger waterfalls...
...and deep pools. Several years ago one of our Girl Scouts fell into this pool.
It was much deeper then. Fortunately, the leader had extra clothes.
View of the stream from a nearby mountain.
City of Santee from the same nearby mountain.
This nine-square mile (5800 acres) park is actually on the outskirts of the City of San Diego.
It has over 40 miles of hiking and riding (bicycle & horse) trails and is one of the
largest urban parks in the United States.
February 2010, scenes in the mountains near Julian...
Our permanent campsite near Julian. A few days before there was about a foot of snow on the ground.
It melts fast because the daytime temperatures are almost always above freezing, even in winter.
Thought this was funny. Froggie the Trumpeter was blown over and covered in snow,
except for his head and trumpet.
