Further downstream, the creek waterfalls 100 feet (30 m) over the Rindge Dam, then carves its final path into Malibu Lagoon.
The Rindge Dam becomes a 100-foot (30 m) waterfall in Malibu Creek State Park, emptying into a perennial deep pool.
The association is a private entity that oversees the operation of the lake that is surrounded by homes and businesses within the watershed of Malibu Creek.
[8] Malibu Creek and its surrounding area is home to a wide range of flora and fauna endemic to the region.
[12] The dam, originally built for water storage and flood control in 1926, no longer functions as the reservoir is completely filled with sediment.
Over the past decade several government agencies and non-profit organizations have been trying to remove the dam to restore access to upstream spawning habitat.
In 1997, the southern Evolutionarily Significant Unit (ESU) of steelhead trout was added to the federal list of endangered species, with Malibu Creek as the southernmost boundary.
In summer, 2006, there was a massive die off of native and exotic fish and invertebrates in Malibu Creek, thought to be due to a combination of pollution, high temperatures and low oxygen.
[13] Introduced crayfish are a problem as they devour the native fish, aquatic insects, and newts along with eggs and tadpoles of frogs and toads.