After leaving its canyon, it is encased in a concrete flood control channel, wherein it runs south from Granada Hills though North Hills, Van Nuys (including its airport), and Lake Balboa.

South of Victory Boulevard, the river reverts to a free-flowing stream and joins the Los Angeles River inside the Sepulveda Dam Recreation Area.

[2][3] In 1971, on the morning of the Sylmar earthquake, residents of Granada Hills, Northridge, North Hills, and Van Nuys who were living between Balboa Boulevard and the San Diego Freeway were evacuated after the Lower Van Norman Dam nearly broke.

However, a great flood down the banks of Bull Creek was averted.

In 1991, part of the truck chase scenes from Terminator 2: Judgment Day were filmed in Bull Creek, starting at the Hayvenhurst Avenue/Plummer Street crossing.