San Francisquito Canyon lies within the Angeles National Forest and is known for its unique geology, a perennial creek that supports sensitive plant and animal species, and important water infrastructure. The Los Angeles Aqueduct carries water through the canyon, and two hydroelectric power plants operated by the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power have produced electricity for Los Angeles since 1917. The canyon was also the site of the 1928 St. Francis Dam disaster, which claimed hundreds of lives. San Francisquito Canyon Road links Green Valley and Santa Clarita, and the canyon’s roads and trails are popular with hikers, cyclists, and off-highway vehicle enthusiasts. In 2002, the Copper Fire, started by sparks from a welding torch, burned about 20,000 acres of National Forest System lands, including much of the canyon watershed, destroyed the historic Hazel Dell Mining Camp, damaged homes, the aqueduct, and transmission lines, and was followed by flooding severe enough to require a major reroute of San Francisquito Canyon Road. The fire and flooding harmed cultural resources, plant communities, and endangered animal species found only in Southern California, and afterward the U.S. Forest Service and its partners worked to restore habitats by planting shrubs and trees, removing invasive plants and animals, creating pools, and removing barriers so fish could move freely through the stream.
