Creeks - Sausal Creek Restoration Project Complete!
| Sausal Creek Restoration Project |
| COMPLETED, November 2001 |
THE SAUSAL CREEK restoration project has been completed. After three years of preparation and planning, and thousands of hours in labor and construction, the Sausal Creek Restoration Project in Dimond Canyon has been completed. Sponsored by the City of Oakland, the California Coastal Conservancy, and the Alameda County Flood Control and Water Conservation District, and with the support of the Friends of Sausal Creek (FOSC), the project removed concrete structures and check dams from a 600 linear-foot reach of the creek above El Centro Avenue in Dimond Park. Click here to see the original project schematic. 
Changes made to the creek will improve water quality, hydrology, and flood control, and will improve habitat for rainbow trout and other riparian (creekside) species. Decaying concrete structures, such as spillways (pictured left), were replaced using bio-engineering techniques. For example, willow poles, brush layering (pictured below), and other biodegradable materials were used to stabilize creek banks. The new meanders will return to a more natural state and will help prevent flooding.
In the canyon, thousands of square feet of creek slope are being reestablished with California native plants to foster rich plant diversity and encourage native animal species who depend on this habitat for survival. FOSC members have propagated over 20,000 native plants for the restoration effort over the last two years and will work weekly through Winter 2001-2 to plant them in the canyon. Trail access has also been improved by raising the height and widening the trail to improve walk-ability.
City staff and volunteers will continue to monitor the project over the next few years to make sure that creek and canyon habitat is improving as the creek finds a settled path and the plants mature. Monitoring will ensure that the project has met its goals, to:
- Improve water quality
- Enhance plant diversity and wildlife habitat
- Improve creek access
- Improve trail linkages between the City of Oakland and the East Bay Regional Park District trail systems
For more pictures of the restoration project in progress, see our Picture Gallery. To assist with revegetation efforts, contact the Friends of Sausal Creek. Make sure to go to Dimond Park and check out the improvements. Feel free to email Watershed Program staff with questions about the project. |