Arroyo Seco (Los Angeles County)

Arroyo Seco
The Devil's Gate at the Arroyo Seco River before its 1920 damming. Note the "devil's profile" in the rock to the right.
Location of the mouth of Arroyo Seco in California
Location
CountryUnited States
StateCalifornia
Physical characteristics
SourceSan Gabriel Mountains
  locationnear Red Box Gap, Angeles National Forest
  coordinates34°16′10″N 118°06′19″W / 34.26944°N 118.10528°W / 34.26944; -118.10528
  elevation5,200 ft (1,600 m)
MouthLos Angeles River
  location
Glendale Narrows, near Lincoln Heights, United States of America
  coordinates
34°04′44″N 118°13′33″W / 34.07889°N 118.22583°W / 34.07889; -118.22583
  elevation
302 ft (92 m)
Length24.9 mi (40.1 km)
Basin size46.7 sq mi (121 km2)
Discharge 
  locationnear Pasadena
  average10.1 cu ft/s (0.29 m3/s)
  minimum0 cu ft/s (0 m3/s)
  maximum8,620 cu ft/s (244 m3/s)
Basin features
Tributaries 
  leftBear Creek, Los Angeles, Millard Creek, Los Angeles

The Arroyo Seco, meaning "dry stream" in Spanish, is a 24.9-mile-long (40.1 km) seasonal river, canyon, watershed, and cultural area in Los Angeles County, California. The area was explored by Gaspar de Portolà, who named the stream Arroyo Seco because its canyon had the least water of any he had seen. During this exploration, he met the Chief Hahamog-na (Hahamonga) of the Tongva Indians.