Watersheds

Have you ever seen a river, creek or stream flow in a park, alongside a street, under a bridge, behind a building, or in your backyard? Chances are, you have. Each river, creek or stream you see is part of a huge national network of approximately three million that ultimately sends water from inland areas to an ocean. Each lake, lagoon, wetland, river, creek or stream is part of what is called a watershed. Everyone lives in a watershed, because watersheds are everywhere.

Watersheds are drainage areas for water to flow to the nearest lake or ocean. Typically, watersheds are surrounded by land areas of higher elevation that drain rainwater to areas of lower elevation. When water draining from higher elevations flows downhill, it cuts into the earth creating a river, creek, or stream (depending on the amount of water). These rivers, creeks and streams connect together to form a network that channels water into a lake or ocean.

Watersheds do not follow political boundaries; therefore, many cities or other jurisdictions are part of multiple watersheds. The City of Oceanside has four watersheds in our City limits: the San Luis Rey Watershed, Loma Alta Watershed, Buena Vista Watershed and Agua Hedionda Watershed. Attached is a map (1.6 MB) which shows the different watersheds and waterbodies in Oceanside.

Because watersheds are all around us, many of the activities we do at home and work can affect the water quality of our watersheds. For instance, washing your car in the street allows soaps, grit, grime, metals, and bacteria to enter a storm drain and eventually flow into a river, creek, or stream untreated. Additionally, commercial businesses that store oil-leaking equipment outside can pollute our waterbodies when rain washes that oil into the nearest waterbody. Everyone can help or hurt the quality of our watersheds by our chosen activities. To find out more about how to prevent water pollution, visit the Residential/General link on this website. It is up to all of us to help protect the water quality of Oceanside’s watersheds for our families and our community. Everyone impacts a watershed, because watersheds are everywhere.

The City of Oceanside is home to a variety of waterbodies, such as creeks, rivers, lakes, lagoons, and the Pacific Ocean. Our picturesque climate and proximity to the ocean makes Oceanside an important harbor for aquatic habitat. Oceanside waterbodies have become popular destinations for fishing enthusiasts, boaters, skiers, bathers, and birdwatchers.

Listed below are the major waterbodies within the City of Oceanside. You can learn more about each waterbody by simply clicking on the link.

San Luis Rey River
Loma Alta Creek/Slough
Buena Vista Creek/Lagoon
Calavera Creek/Agua Hedionda Creek
Guajome Lake
Talone Lake
Foss Lake
Whelan Lake

For quick reference of the information provided in the links above, a Guide to Oceanside Waterbodies booklet has been developed. Copies of the booklet are available at the Water Utilities Counter of City Hall or by downloading it here. (325 KB)

For more information about water quality programs and regulations in Oceanside, click on a link below:

Surface Water Quality in Oceanside

Water Quality Monitoring Programs