Coyote "Creek" Flood Control Channel

I'm baffled as to why it is called a creek. It could be that it really was a creek a very, VERY long time ago but now it is a flood channel. (That's what happend to the San Gabriel River, will take pictures of it eventually.) I know it helps protect us from flooding (you should see how high the water level gets when it rains!) but still, it is sad to see what we have to do in order to build and survive in places where it normally wouldn't be safe.

It would be neat if it was a real creek. Still, it is surprising how much life there is even if it is all concrete. In the summer there are even cattails growing. Unfortunately the county comes by and mows everything down every once in a while since it starts to clog things up. I'll try to get some pictures when summer comes around.

There are also a lot of ducks and some other birds (don't know what kind they are) that like to feed around there. I know the ducks are probably eating algae and stuff but what the other birds find in the small stream of water, I don't know.