Geology of a Portion of Piru and Santa Susana Quadrangles

Abstract

This area is situated adjoining the town of Piru, California, the area extending to the north and east of the town, in the northeast corner of the Piru quadrangle and the northwest corner of the Santa Susanna quadrangle. Piru is located on State highway 126 connecting the Ridge Route highway (U.S. 99) with the Coast (Roosevelt) Highway (U.S. 101) at Ventura. To reach Piru, travel from Los Angeles out Highway 99 to Castaic Junction, fifteen miles beyond San Fernando. Turn left on highway 126 and travel twelve miles to Piru. The southern extremity of the area borders on highway 126 and extends approximately from the Los Angeles-Ventura County border to Piru. All roads to Piru are well paved, except for one stretch just outside of Piru where a flood has washed out some two hundred yards of pavement. The area is shaped roughly like a trapezoid and contains approximately sixteen square miles. The boundary, beginning at Piru, extends east along highway 126 for approximately five miles, turns north for another four and one-half miles, turns west along Leckler and Santa Felicia canyons to Piru Creek, extends about one-half mile farther west, and then parallels Piru Creek down to Piru. The hills are sufficiently covered with grass to warrant several large ranches with quite a few live stock. Several bee colonies are cultivated here. All of the area is leased by the Pacific Western Oil Company, and written permission must be obtained before anyone is permitted to trespass in the area. There is one road running along the bank of Piru Creek that originally had several offshoots to different parts of the area and to ranches in the canyons, but now the flood of March, 1938, has washed out all the side roads and nearly demolished the main road up the canyon.