The Tongva village of Wa’aachnga was located along Lytle Creek.

At the lower end of the wash 34°06′28″N 117°20′00″W / 34.10778°N 117.33333°W / 34.10778; -117.33333, there is the old Lower Lytle Creek channel, that has been artificially canalized which splits off to the east, while an additional artificial diversion channel, the smaller Lytle Creek Channel 34°05′39″N 117°19′29″W / 34.09417°N 117.32472°W / 34.09417; -117.32472, continues southeastward to rejoin the waters of Lytle Creek in the reach of Warm Creek near its mouth at Knoll Park 34°4′27″N 117°18′13″W / 34.07417°N 117.30361°W / 34.07417; -117.30361.

Several moderate-to-large-sized cities (Fontana, Rialto, Colton, and San Bernardino-the largest) are built on the ancient alluvial fan sediments left behind by Lytle Creek.

[3][4] Southern California Edison has a 600-kW hydroelectric plant on the stream at Miller Narrows at an elevation of 2795 feet34°13′56″N 117°29′11″W / 34.23222°N 117.48639°W / 34.23222; -117.48639.

A diversion dam sends the water through a turbine, which is returned to the streambed further downstream.