The development of SDSU Mission Valley will provide San Diego with access to approximately 80 acres of community parks and open space, including an expansive 34-acre River Park.

Environmental Benefits

• Areas in the Murphy Canyon Creek and San Diego River floodplain will be exclusively park and open space, designed to serve as a buffer, and occasionally filter flood and stormwater draining to the San Diego River.
• SDSU Mission Valley's grading plan and storm drain system will collect and treat runoff and direct drainage to retention basins before traveling to the San Diego River. This is a significant improvement over existing conditions which allows runoff to travel across the concrete parking lot and directly enter the San Diego River without treatment.

Biodiversity & Native Plants

• In addition to protecting the native vegetation already on-site, SDSU has integrated drought-tolerant and native plants prominently into the park design. Below are just a few that will be planted across SDSU Mission Valley and Snapdragon Stadium:
  • California Poppy, California Sycamore, California Wild Rose, Coastal Agave, Coast Live Oak, Mohave Yucca, San Diego Sunflower, and White Sage. 

Active Recreation

• The site will include six multi-use fields, including two adjacent to the new stadium, suitable for soccer, rugby, flag football, and a variety of youth and intramural sports.
• Along the property’s south side beneath the shade of the elevated trolley line, there will be picnic areas, fitness equipment, basketball courts, a skate area, and other hard court activities.
• The park will include play structures for kids and a designated area for an off-leash dog park.

Passive Recreation

• An approximately 2-mile pedestrian and bike trail will be located throughout the River Park connecting to the regional San Diego River Trail system.
• A section of the bike and hike trail includes the Ben and Nikki Clay River Trail.

A River Park Design Workshop was held in Dec. 2019. Take a look at the Mission Valley River Park presentation from that workshop to see how community input helped shape the design for our parks and open space.

Farming & Agriculture

KUMEYAAY STEWARDSHIP

TRADITIONAL WATER MANAGEMENT PRACTICES

A traditional Kumeyaay method of water management is to create rock drops in intermittent creek and stream beds. These small structures slow the water flow down and allow for more soil percolation and absorption after rain events. This practice can elevate the water table which creates greater moisture for plant growth and habitat. Traditional rock drops can establish multiple benefits in enhancing localized ecosystems and opportunities for hunting and gathering.

Post contact, significant land areas were adversely affected by cattle grazing. Through these traditional water management practices, the Kumeyaay were able to restore many natural landscapes and encourage the replenishment of water tables. 

HISTORY OF FAMILY FARMS AT THIS SITE

Before WWII and a subsequent boom in urban development, the Mission Valley landscape was predominantly occupied by farmland. Farmers represented many cultural backgrounds and this site has a rich history of family-run farming businesses.

The first dairy was built in Mission Valley in the 1880s. By the 1950s, dairy goods were the thirdlargest agricultural product in San Diego County. At one point, there were 20 dairy farms in the area. The Guglielmetti Dairy Farm, the last dairy farm in Mission Valley, was located on this site. Owned by the Swiss-Italian Guglielmetti family, the farm was successfully operated until around 1969.

Mission Valley’s agricultural heritage also includes several Japanese American families, many of whom operated vegetable farms. They seasonally harvested celery, corn, tomatoes, lettuce and other vegetables to sell at farm stands as well as local markets near the present-day Gaslamp District. The Segawa Family leased farmland here from the Old Mission Ranch in 1947 and were the last commercial vegetable farmers at this site before the land was sold to the City of San Diego in 1966.

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BIRDS

OF THE SAN DIEGO RIVER

The San Diego River is home to a wide variety of birds that use the river and surrounding habitats to hunt, breed and build their nests. Each of these birds thrives off of a unique diet and nesting habit. This panel provides a few examples of birds commonly found throughout the San Diego River and estuary. 

KUMEYAAY CONNECTION

Bird songs are one of the many song cycles the Kumeyaay people have, also known as Takuuk (small bird who narrates life lessons). Used in ceremonies and celebrations, the stories in the songs have meaning and purpose with multiple teachings and philosophies. Men sing the songs while women dance to mimic the graceful movement of birds.

STORMWATER MANAGEMENT

AT SDSU MISSION VALLEY

For nearly 40 years, this 160-acre site was mostly parking and paved surfaces. During rain events, stormwater fell onto the pavement with no filtration or potential for groundwater recharge. When rain falls onto paved surfaces it picks up and transports bacteria, chemicals, microplastics, trash and synthetic fluids from vehicles, industry and the surrounding environment before eventually depositing them into the San Diego River. The new design of this site provides a better outcome for the river and its downstream coastal ecosystems.

REDUCING SAN DIEGO RIVER POLLUTION

Now, rain falls onto approximately 80 acres of open space, native landscape and park land. These landscapes act like a “Green Sponge” to naturally absorb and filter runoff. Additional water that falls onto impervious areas is captured and sent through a network of pipes that lead into bioretention basins and engineered wetlands. An engineered wetland is an in-ground concrete structure filled with sand and clay that naturally filters pollutants. These are utilized in few locations, while bioretention basins, the largest of which is in front of you, provide the bulk of the water quality improvements on the site. This basin, and others like it, will capture high volumes of stormwater runoff that will be filtered before slowly releasing into the San Diego River.

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THE MANY COLORS

OF THE SAN DIEGO RIVER

Color is an important part of the experience and rich history of Mission Valley. From the golden sycamore trees and red toyon berries harvested by the Kumeyaay (the native people of this region) to the beautiful pure white of the snowy egret. We celebrate color as an important part of the natural and human history of Mission Valley.

A KUMEYAAY TRADITION OF COLORS

Colors are meaningful for the Kumeyaay, who have and still inhabit this land since time immemorial. For example, Kumeyaay people identify the four directions (north, south, east and west) with colors. Nyemshaap (white) represents ‘enyaak (east) which is symbolic of the sunrise, a day’s new beginnings. Nyill(y) (black) represents ‘ewik (west) which is symbolic of the sunset. It is the men’s color, also that of the beginning of ceremonies and song cycles, which is a very spiritual and powerful time. ‘Ehwatt (red) represents ketull(y) (north) which is symbolic of the mountains. Red is the woman’s color and represents life, creation and the blood of the people. Hepshiiw (blue/green) represents kewaak (south) which is symbolic of the forest, the plant life and water, which sustains all life from the ocean to the Colorado River.

COLORS OF THE NATURAL & BUILT ENVIRONMENTS

Nature brings a year-round display of colors to Mission Valley, from the subtle to the bold. Most notably during the fall, California sycamore leaves turn a golden brown before falling to the ground. A small sample of other colors to look for in Mission Valley include the bright red berries of the native toyon shrub, the dark black feathers of the common raven and the magenta face of Anna’s hummingbird. Other interesting colors you may find are the fluorescent colors of the spectacular flame skimmer dragonfly or the yellow and black wings of the western tiger swallowtail butterfly. As you enjoy the River Park, remember to take your time to pause and enjoy the many natural colors around you.

From the early 1800s to the 1960s, Mission Valley was rich in the seasonal cycle of agricultural fields and green pastures. Those fields yielded crops such as alfalfa, corn, cabbage and beans, along with hog and dairy farms, which created a varied and often verdant experience for visitors. The addition of buildings, shopping centers, office buildings, roadways and more has been a consistent part of the Mission Valley character and history, especially since the early 1960s.

Human-initiated colors can also be appreciated. One clear example is the bright red cars of the San Diego trolley as it passes over SDSU Mission Valley every few minutes. The trolley provides an important transportation link to our community with 62 stations covering 65 miles.

KUMEYAAY

THE ORIGINAL NATIVES OF THIS REGION

Kumeyaay existence extends back to the beginning of time, which is accounted for through their creation story and oral history.

The people of the Kumeyaay Nation are the original inhabitants of this region, extending from the San Luis Rey River to Baja Mexico and from the Pacific Ocean to the Colorado River. The Kumeyaay Nation consists of twelve federally recognized bands within the United States and four Kumiai Bands across the Mexican border. The Nation is comprised of a complex and diverse culture, spiritual leaders, spiritual practitioners, clans, family connections with oral stories, history and philosophies as well as different language dialects that have evolved and grown over many centuries. Historically and presently, the Kumeyaay have been referred to as Diegueño, Mission Indians, Kumeyaay, Kumiai and Iipaay or Tipaay. They are one and the same—Mat Tipaay-Iipaay, which means people of the land.

The Kumeyaay people live, work and play freely from the coast to the mountains into the desert. Guided by the teachings of their Creation Story and the oral traditions passed down from Kumeyaay ancestors who had a highly sophisticated and respectful relationship with the land, and advanced knowledge of the stars, solstices, equinoxes, seasons and waterways. The Kumeyaay intelligently managed and understood the importance of caring for the land, water, flora and fauna that are all a part of this intricate ecological system that relates and sustains all life in balance and harmony

The Kumeyaay philosophy of community-based living was and still is the heartbeat of the Nation. Although the Kumeyaay people have been forced off much of their ancestral lands and onto small reservations or separated by borders and colonial laws, the Kumeyaay Nation continues to thrive and live by the wisdom passed down from their ancestors and elders, which is to care for one another and all of life because we are all equals and infinitely connected spiritually beyond the measure of words.

ETHNOBOTANY

KUMEYAAY USE OF NATIVE PLANTS

Ethnobotany is the study of how people of a particular culture and region make use of native plants.

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SAN DIEGO RIVER

HABITATS AND CONSERVATION

Mission Valley is home to the beautiful San Diego River. With its headwaters in the Cuyamaca Mountains, the San Diego River winds its way west where it flows into the Pacific Ocean. The river crosses through a variety of ecologically significant habitat types and serves as a vital water source for countless flora and fauna critical to our regions’ biodiversity. Several distinct habitats are found along the River and on this site.

NATIVE PLANT COMMUNITIES AT SDSU MISSION VALLEY

Diegan Coastal Sage Scrub

This community is the most widespread coastal sage scrub in southern California. The community consists predominantly of low drought-deciduous shrubs such as coastal sagebrush, California buckwheat, white sage, laurel sumac and black sage.

Southern Willow Scrub

This scrub community is typically a dense, broad-leafed, winter-deciduous riparian thicket dominated by several willow species and occasionally scattered with Fremont cottonwood and California sycamore. This community can be found on this site near storm drain outflows.

Southern Cottonwood-Willow Riparian Forest

This forest type generally consists of tall, open, broad-leaved forests that are winter-deciduous. This community is typically dominated by cottonwood, with several tree willows as well as shrubby willows that dominate the understory. Plants in this community require moist, bare mineral soils and are located close to rivers and streams.

Southern Riparian Forest

This forest type is typically dominated by California sycamore and cottonwoods. This community occurs along streams and rivers.

THE DAY THE SAN DIEGO RIVER WAS SAVED!

The San Diego River valley is a natural floodplain, which has created challenges for farmers and developers since people first established permanent settlements here. After World War II, Mission Valley transitioned from farmland to a hub for business, housing and hotel development, which increased negative impacts of frequent floods.

In the early 1960’s, the US Army Corps of Engineers drew up flood mitigation plans, which proposed transforming the San Diego River into a concrete channel similar to the Los Angeles River. During the first community meeting to discuss a flood management plan in 1961, the San Diego community resisted the idea of a concrete channel—expressing that it would fragment habitats, destroy riparian zones and prevent groundwater replenishment. Still, the Army Corps continued to refine plans for channelization for a number of years.

A momentous public hearing was held in 1971, during which most of the 1,000 attendees stood in opposition to the concrete channel. As a result, the project was finally re-examined and plans to build the concrete channel were brought to a halt—the San Diego River was saved!

In 1982 the City Council approved the First San Diego River Improvement Project (FSDRIP)—a collaboration between landscape architects, biologists, public agencies and engineers—pronounced: fizz-drip. FSDRIP created a natural-bottom channel with raised walls, elevated flood-prone roads and added new open spaces along the river. FSDRIP, along with other river restoration and protection projects, has reduced and controlled flooding around the river while restoring habitats and creating spaces for humans to enjoy the river.

The history of the San Diego River reveals over 200 years of challenges to its ecological and hydraulic integrity. By reducing impervious areas on this site and adding 80 acres of open space, SDSU Mission Valley continues the legacy of positive improvements along the San Diego River.

ANIMALS

OF THE SAN DIEGO RIVER

Many native species that rely on the San Diego River and its connected creeks have adapted to living in the urban environment. Keep an eye out, and you may catch sight of one. Please remember to always be respectful and keep your distance. Visit the nearby undercrossing to view engravings of these species and others—all important to the Kumeyaay people.

WATERWAYS AS WILDLIFE CORRIDORS

Creeks and rivers can serve as “highways” for wildlife across the urban environment. Creeks and rivers, along with the vegetated buffers that surround them, support food supplies, breeding grounds and nesting sites. Where you stand is near the confluence of two of these corridors, Murphy Canyon Creek and the San Diego River.

MURPHY CANYON CREEK

Directly to the east is Murphy Canyon Creek, which supports wildlife movement from the northeast and southeast corners of this site. The creek connects to the San Diego River at the southeast corner of the park.

SAN DIEGO RIVER

Directly to the south is the San Diego River, the largest river in San Diego County with a watershed of 440 square miles. The river corridor provides mobility for wildlife traveling between the Pacific Ocean and Cuyamaca Mountains.

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TRADITIONAL GAMES

AND PLAY OF THE KUMEYAAY

Games are an integral part of Kumeyaay culture.

KUMEYAAY DOLLS

Kumeyaay children also played with dolls made of the materials they had readily available to them, such as clay for the body and head, willow bark for skirts, juncus for hats, as well as feathers, seeds and sea shells.

SYNAAW KWETUM

APAL UUMARR

PEON (HOMARP)

ii

Counting sticks (ii) can have painted ends and are used to score the game.

The importance of song

Songs are central to Kumeyaay ceremonies and often incorporated into games. During games such as Peon, both the players and bystanders sing songs. Different songs are sung at different points during the game—some serving to tell a story and others to intimidate the opposing team.

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POLLINATORS

OF THE SAN DIEGO RIVER

San Diego is the most biologically rich county in the United States. The county’s diversity of plants and animals depends on the work of pollinators. Pollinating insects and animals help plants reproduce by sharing genetic material between flowers—often over large distances. Pollinators move genetic information in the form of pollen from the male anther to the female stigma, which fertilizes the flower’s ovules. The pollinators mutually benefit from this process by enjoying nectar and pollen as a source of nutrition.

Native plants support pollinators

In the San Diego region, hundreds of plants have evolved special traits to attract sometimes just one or only a few species of butterflies, bees, birds and even bats! The design of this park supports pollinator habitat by incorporating many San Diego native flowering plants.

CARING FOR POLLINATORS

You can plant your own pollinator garden, ideally using California natives like the two species pictured above. Aim for a variety of plants that bloom at different times of the year. Consult local nursery professionals or the link provided by the QR code below to find out which plants will grow best in your area while supporting a variety of pollinators. Make sure the plants you are buying are grown without the use of harmful pesticides. If you don’t have space for plants, you can leave a bowl of water full of marbles or pebbles so pollinators can simply stop for a drink. Another way to help pollinators is to buy produce and products grown without the use of pesticides.

THE WATERSHED

AND SAN DIEGO RIVER DEVELOPMENT

The San Diego River’s hydrology has changed its path over history, most  significantly during human existence. For centuries the river did not empty into the ocean as it does today, but rather into San Diego Bay and Mission Bay (historically called False Bay). As an essential element of survival, the Kumeyaay managed the river’s precious resources carefully. The river’s many benefits also caught the eyes of the Spanish colonists who settled in Mission Valley in the 18th century—displacing the Kumeyaay. Needing a stable water supply, the Spanish constructed the Old Mission Dam and flume with Kumeyaay forced labor to capture and transport water to the San Diego Mission de Alcala. As the City of San Diego grew, and development increased in the river’s floodplain, engineering interventions were imposed. For example, a channel was dredged to direct the San Diego River into the Pacific Ocean at Ocean Beach in 1953. Today we celebrate the San Diego River and its watershed for providing critical benefits to San Diego’s health and well-being. The River Park at SDSU Mission Valley where you now stand, is an important piece of the long term vision to deliver a park and river trail along the entire length of the San Diego River; providing social, economic and environmental benefits to all of San Diego. 

WHAT IS A WATERSHED?

A watershed is the landscape area from which all precipitation drains to a single outflow. Watershed boundaries are determined by elevation and topography. The San Diego River originates in the headlands near Julian, flows through Mission Valley and releases into the ocean between Mission Beach and Ocean Beach. However, prior to modern development and flood control, the river flowed freely between Mission Bay and San Diego Bay. The San Diego River watershed is the second largest watershed management area in San Diego, encompassing about 440 square miles!

TIMELINE OF DEVELOPMENT IN THE SAN DIEGO RIVER

• 1813

  The Old Mission Dam is constructed by Kumeyaay forced labor under harsh conditions at the direction of Spanish missionaries. The dam’s purpose is to serve water to the San Diego Mission Basilica de Alcala.

• 1853

  The Derby Dike is constructed by the US Army Corps of Engineers in an attempt to permanently divert the river water, sediment and debris away from San Diego Bay.

• 1948

  The Mission Beach and Ocean Beach jetties are constructed and later connected to existing levees to create the modern day river mouth hydrology.

• 1935

  El Capitan Dam is constructed, creating the El Capitan Reservoir, which displaced many Kumeyaay people. The dam reduces downstream flooding and deposits of sediment and the reservoir still provides City residents with drinking water today.

• 1982

  The First San Diego River Improvement Project (FSDRIP) is approved by the City Council. FSDRIP is a multi-million-dollar project that creates a 1.3-mile-long natural-bottom flood-control channel between Highway 163 and Qualcomm Way.

• 2022

  SDSU Mission Valley Snapdragon Stadium opened and groundbreaking began at the River Park.