Watershed
The Upper Penitencia Creek watershed drains an area of 24 square miles (62 km2) and runs approximately 11 miles (18 km) from to its confluence with Coyote Creek, the latter being about 10 miles (16 km) from San Francisco Bay. The source of Upper Penitencia Creek is on Poverty Ridge in the Diablo Range. It plunges into Cherry Flat Reservoir and then flows through Alum Rock Park, where it is joined by Arroyo Aguague. Arroyo Aguague discharges to Penitencia Creek from the south, but summer inflow is very low; however, the stream flows in the Calaveras Fault zone and does not go completely dry, even in severe droughts. Lower down it forms the rough boundary between the Berryessa and Alum Rock districts of San Jose.
Unlike most creeks in the Santa Clara Valley, it follows a mostly natural course and does not have concrete or gabion embankments.
Read more about this topic: Penitencia Creek