This area is part of the San Diego Creek Watershed. Its main tributary, San Diego Creek, drains into Upper Newport Bay. Smaller tributaries include Serrano Creek (this cache area in particular), Borrego Canyon Wash, Agua Chinon Wash, Bee Canyon Wash, Peters Canyon Wash, Sand Canyon Wash, Bonita Canyon Creek, and the Santa Ana Delhi Channel.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers completed a Watershed Reconnaissance Study in 1998 and initiated the Feasibility Study phase in 1999. In addition, the San Diego Creek watershed is the only one in Orange County with TMDL limits adopted or in development. These regulations will limit the "Total Maximum Daily Load" of sediments, nutrients, pathogens and toxics entering waters of the creek and bay.

With that said, the creek, to which the cache spot flows is more of a storm drain than it is a creek. However, after the very rainy El-Nino year a few years back, this area suffered massive errosion since the relatively new Foothill Ranch now drains into this channel and overwhelmed it. It has been said that the county was going to concrete the whole area in like many other flood channels, but because of the work of some fine individuals and organizations, this idea was adverted. Instead, the channel was lined with boulders and covered with soil and plants. The new growth is still maturing, but is much more impressive to look at than concrete.

I'll update this listing as I get more references. For now, you can learn all about your watershed system at intro_wetlands

Additional Hints Hints

9/10/2006 by Tissa1020 & Foxhound
Cachin' w/Cepheus7. We tried a different approach and we DID see a tick. And tiny sticky seeds... Finally got back with Cepheus7. He showed us the spider. Tried to take a picture which he might post - but my eplh didn't want to focus very well.

9/10/2006 by Cepheus7
I didn't find any ticks either but I did see BM82s garden spider. I like the camo I'll need to get some myself. Left Navy coin TB. TFTC

8/27/2006 by Boilermaker_82
Coordinates were dead on. A little bouncing, but not bad. Nice camo. Appreciate the effort that went into the hide. I was really impressed with the "HUGE" spider that you had guarding the cache. How you made the spider move as I moved in for the cache was really something. I'm sure he was more afraid of me then I was of him, but not by much. TNSL.

8/25/2006 by Pacholik
Found it. I didn't get any ticks but watch out of Bees in the area. They are all over the place.

8/23/2006 by jshults (Rally Dude, Square D Team)
Saw this one pop up after work so I took the dog and off we went.
You are roght, GPS was hard to zero but GeoSences kicked in.
I'm not sure if the dog stumbled upon this or actually helped.

Opened the cache and was surprised to be 2nd.
The area looked trampled and we thought there would have been many finds ahead of us.

Thanks, Took TB left Flat Marble

8/23/2006 by cache_in_pocket
Sorry about the tick. I didn't have any travel bugs, so that was the next best thing. Seriously, I was in the area twice today with no ticks on me...that I know of, so proceed with caution. After talking with Ycats, you'll be ok if you stay out of the brush. Cache page is updated to get you there more easily.

[This entry was edited by cache_in_pocket on Wednesday, August 23, 2006 at 10:11:15 PM.]

8/23/2006 by ycats&ekard
FTFFTF..... Our first to find prize was a tick, and lots of seed things stuck all over my pants. I even found a very cool bird feather. But this was a difficult area. The GPS was bouncing all over the place. I had flashbacks of looking for Needle in a Haystack. We read all the clues and Ekard found it. Fun Camo and I was so happy this was not a puzzle. SL. TFTC. Ycats.

Final count (I hope it's the final count) three ticks!!!! How yucky is that? But I don't think it's your fault, CIP! Everyone should just be sure to do a tic check. It is a good location.

[This entry was edited by ycats&ekard on Wednesday, August 23, 2006 at 9:30:21 PM.]

[This entry was edited by ycats&ekard on Wednesday, August 23, 2006 at 9:33:37 PM.]

8/23/2006 by Marko Ramius
Published

Hints
Upslope a step or two (over ground-cover). Between tree and bush.