Whitewater River (California)

The Whitewater River is a small permanent stream in western Riverside County, California, with some upstream tributaries in southwestern San Bernardino County. The river's headwaters are in the San Bernardino Mountains, and it terminates at the Salton Sea in the Colorado Sonoran Desert. The area drained by the Whitewater River is part of the larger endorheic Salton Sea drainage basin.

Initially called Agua Blanco by early Spanish explorers, and later translated into English as white water, the river received its name for its milky appearance created by the silicate and lime sediments it carries. The community of Whitewater was named after the river, and became a key stop on the Bradshaw Trail stagecoach runs.

Sections of the river are federally protected as part of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System; the river was designated in 2019. From the headwaters downstream to the San Gorgonio Wilderness, 23.5 miles, is classed as wild and administered by the U.S. Forest Service, and from the wilderness boundary downstream to the Sand to Snow National Monument boundary, 4.6 miles, is classed as recreational and administered by the Bureau of Land Management. The river canyon is an important collecting and gathering area for the Wanakik lineage of Cahuilla. It is also home to federally protected species like the southwestern willow flycatcher and the arroyo toad