Pinole Creek Watershed
Planned steps to improve
fish passage in Pinole Creek
Pinole Creek is an historical Steelhead/Rainbow Trout stream. Steelhead, now a threatened species, have occasionally been observed in recent years struggling to swim upstream in search of spawning habitat. However, the 360 foot long double box culverts under Highway I-80, located 1 ½ miles upstream from San Pablo Bay, have been identified as a depth and flow barrier to migration. Since these culverts present the only total fish barrier in Pinole Creek, improving fish passage through these large cement structures would allow steelhead to reach good habitat in the upper watershed and improve the potential for successful spawning.
The CCRCD has received several grants to fund fish habitat assessments, and the design and implementation of techniques such as backwatering and constructing a small notch in the concrete culvert floor to enable fish migration through the I-80 culverts. To date, funding has been provided through the California Coastal Conservancy, the US Fish and Wildlife Service, the Contra Costa County Fish and Wildlife Committee and Conoco Phillips as part of the settlement of an enforcement action by the Region Water Board. The CCRCD is seeking additional funding to complete the construction of the fish passage improvements.
Several organizations including EBMUD, Caltrans, the Contra Costa County Flood Control District, the City of Pinole, Department of Fish and Game, Friends of Pinole Creek Watershed and consultants are supporting this project. Many experts believe that Pinole Creek has the best potential in our county for re-establishing a sustainable population of native steelhead trout which would help to restore the genetic diversity and viability of the species.
Lower Pinole Creek Steelhead Habitat Assessment (Completed July 2009)
The CCRCD obtained funding from the Contra Costa County Fish and Wildlife Committee
and contracted with Hagar Environmental Science and Pacific Biology to conduct a
Lower Pinole Creek Steelhead Habitat and Mapping project through the incorporated
portion of Pinole Creek (Lower Pinole Creek).This study measured the quantity and
quality of steelhead habitat present in Pinole Creek in the lower watershed and
was in partnership with the East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD) which completed
an identical habitat mapping protocol on Pinole Creek through their property in
the upper watershed as part of their East Bay Habitat Conservation Plan (Upper Pinole Creek WatershedSalmonid Habitat Assessment. These two analogous surveys provide
the scientific data which is key to obtaining funding for construction of a fish
passage improvement project at the I-80 culverts which are the only total fish barrier
in Pinole Creek.
Results - Pinole Creek is Fish Friendly
The biologists reported that all survey parameters in the Lower Pinole Creek were within a range suitable for steelhead and included extensive pool habitat. This suggests that the lower part of Pinole Creek has the potential to support steelhead if passage issues at the I-80 culvert are remedied. Results of the habitat assessment in Upper Pinole Creek indicate that significant steelhead/rainbow trout habitat exists here.
The Pinole Creek Watershed
Sediment Source Analysis
and Baseline Water Quality Study
The RCD and NRCS partnered with
The San Francisco Estuary Institute to produce The Pinole Creek Watershed Sediment
Source Analysis and Baseline Water Quality Study - The final report is now available
online in PDF format at http://www.sfei.org/sites/default/files/PinoleCreekFinal.pdf. A poster summarizing the study and its recommendations was produced for the State
of the Estuary Conference. This poster can be viewed at http://www.sfei.org/sites/default/files/05SOE_Poster_Pearce_MedRes_0.pdf. Contact Carol Arnold at carol.arnold@ca.nacdnet.net for more information on this study.
Pavon Creeks Assessment
As a follow up to the Pinole Creek Sediment Study, the San Francisco
Estuary Institute (SFEI) worked with the Contra Costa RCD,
NRCS, and the East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD) during the 2005-2006 wet
season to complete an assessment of the Pavon Creeks
sub-basin, a tributary to Pinole Creek to determine the causes of erosion in this sub-basin.
These tributaries to Pinole Creek have been identified as the single largest point
source of sediment in the watershed. The purpose of the assessment is to gain a
better understanding of the processes and rates occurring within the sub-basin so
that the stakeholders and land managers can make more informed decisions regarding
current and future management of this area. The final report is now available online
in PDF format at http://www.sfei.org/sites/default/files/WS515_PavonCreek_FinalReport.pdf .
Pinole Creek Watershed
Vision Plan
A collaborative
vision-planning process was conducted in 2003-2004 that resulted in the PinoleCreek Watershed Vision Plan.
See it at http://www.urbancreeks.org/PinoleCreek.pdf
The Pinole Creek Watershed Vision Plan was developed with help of the Urban Creeks Councils and the Restoration Design Group, through a grant from the State Coastal Conservancy. The process emphasized local control, consensus-based decision-making, and voluntary implementation. The Planning Group met from June 2002 through 2003. A planning group comprised of stakeholders in the watershed collectively determined the contents of the plan.
Friends of Pinole Creek Watershed
People who wish to learn
more about Pinole Creek Watershed, and people who are interested in the maintaining
and restoring the health of the watershed may wish to join the Friends of Pinole
Creek Watershed. Please visit their website at http://www.pinolecreek.org//
About Pinole Creek
Watershed
The Pinole Creek Watershed
covers approximately 15 square miles in the north-west part of Contra Costa County. The watershed includes portions of the cities of Pinole and Hercules
as well unincorporated areas such as the EBMUD Pinole Valley property and
sections of El Sobrante and the Briones Agricultural Preserve. View the Pinole Creek Watershed Map
GPS Creek Surveys
Creek and Coastal Cleanups
Bioassessment using benthic macroinvertebrates
Native Plant Demonstration Garden
Environmental Education and Outreach