Tujunga Wash

Slithering through the San Fernando Valley, the Tujunga Wash whispers stories of a bygone era. This 13-mile-long wash, a key tributary to the Los Angeles River, isn’t your typical babbling brook. The Tujunga Wash is a vital part of Los Angeles. It contributes about a fifth of the Los Angeles River’s flow. This wash, usually dry, comes alive during Southern California’s rainy season, between November and April. The name “Tujunga” itself echoes the voices of the Tongva people, the original inhabitants of this land. It translates to “old woman’s place,” a name rooted in a poignant Tongva legend. The story speaks of a grieving mother, heartbroken by the loss of her daughter, who retreated into the mountains and transformed into stone. Some say a large, uniquely shaped rock in Little Tujunga Canyon resembles this grieving figure, forever watching over the wash. The Tujunga Wash is formed by two main forks: Big Tujunga Creek and Little Tujunga Creek. Big Tujunga Creek begins its journey high in the San Gabriel Mountains. It flows westward, eventually reaching the Big Tujunga Reservoir, held back by the impressive Big Tujunga Dam. After the dam, the creek becomes Big Tujunga Wash, continuing its westward course into the San Fernando Valley. It eventually meets Little Tujunga Wash just before Hansen Reservoir, created by the Hansen Dam. Little Tujunga Wash flows from the north, draining the mountains north of Hansen Reservoir. Below the dam, the Tujunga Wash flows south, meeting the Pacoima Wash midway before joining the Los Angeles River near Studio City. The dams, Big Tujunga and Hansen, stand as silent sentinels against flooding, built for protection after the devastating Los Angeles Flood of 1938. They also contribute to groundwater recharge, although urbanization limits the amount of water that can percolate into the ground. In 1969, the Tujunga Wash roared to life during a flood, carving a new path and revealing the power of nature. The floodwaters surged into a deep gravel pit, causing the channel bed to erode and resulting in the collapse of three highway bridges and the loss of seven homes. The Tujunga Wash reminds us of the delicate balance between nature’s force and human intervention, a story etched into the landscape.