Sweetwater River (California)

Sweetwater River Agua Dulce
The river's upper reaches near State Route 79
Map of the river basin
Etymology	Kumeyaay; "Ah-ha Ooo-mulk" meaning "water sweet" Spanish; "Agua Dulce" meaning "sweet water"
Location
Country	United States
State	California
Region	San Diego County
Cities	Descanso, La Presa, Bonita, National City, Chula Vista
Physical characteristics
Source	Upper Green Valley
• location	Cuyamaca Mountains
• coordinates	32°59′03″N 116°32′04″W / 32.98417°N 116.53444°W / 32.98417; -116.53444[1]
• elevation	4,809 ft (1,466 m)
Mouth	Sweetwater Marsh
• location	Between National City and Chula Vista
• coordinates	32°38′34″N 117°06′53″W / 32.64278°N 117.11472°W / 32.64278; -117.11472[1]
• elevation	13 ft (4.0 m)
Length	55 mi (89 km)
Basin size	230 sq mi (600 km2)
Discharge
• location	mouth
• average	14.7 cu ft/s (0.42 m3/s)
• minimum	0 cu ft/s (0 m3/s)
• maximum	45,500 cu ft/s (1,290 m3/s)
Basin features
Tributaries
• right	North Fork Sweetwater River

The Sweetwater River is a 55-mile (89 km) long stream in San Diego County, California. From its headwaters high in the Cuyamaca Mountains, the river flows generally southwest, first through rugged hinterlands but then into the urban areas surrounding its mouth at San Diego Bay. Its drainage basin covers more than 230 square miles (600 km²), all of it within San Diego County.

Towns on the river include Descanso, La Presa and Chula Vista. The term "Sweetwater" is a name often given to freshwater which tastes good in regions where much of the water is bitter to the taste.^[2] The Spanish called the river "Agua Dulce", a name they applied to good clear water anywhere they lived.^[3]