Santa Fe Dam Nature Center tells the story of plants and wildlife that have lived historically to the present on the alluvial fan of the San Gabriel River. The plant community of the river fan, Alluvial Fan Sage Scrub (afss), is among the rarest and last of its kind in Los Angeles County. Only two afss vestiges are left on the San Gabriel River: here at Santa Fe Dam and downstream at Whittier Narrows. Rare and endangered plants, birds, and other wildlife species inhabit these unusual habitat areas. Examples include: cactus wrens, California gnatcatchers, scissor-tail flycatchers, horned lizards, kangaroo rats, and more. It should also be pointed out that the Santa Fe Dam has one of the longest bird listings for inland lakes and flyways in the County.
