Santa Maria River
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Santa Maria River is a river on the Central Coast of California. The river is formed at the confluence of the Sisquoc River and Cuyama River, about 20 miles from the coast. The river defines part of the border between Santa Barbara County and San Luis Obispo County, California. It empties into the Pacific Ocean. There are no lakes or dams on the Santa Maria River, although Twitchell Reservoir is formed by a dam on the Cuyama River. Built by the United States Bureau of Reclamation, Twitchell Dam provides flood control and groundwater recharge. The Sisquoc River is also free-flowing. During much of the year, the Santa Maria River has very little water, but it can swell greatly during a winter storm.
