Walnut Creek Watershed Council
"The Walnut Creek Watershed Council is a voluntary, non-regulatory stakeholder group that supports a healthy and sustainable Walnut Creek watershed."
Council Meets on the 1st Thursday of Even Month from 9:30am to 11:30am at the County Public Works Building on 255 Glacier Drive in Martinez
The Council hosts Guest Speakers that discuss topics relative to the
stewardship of the Walnut Creek Watershed.
For more information please contact Elissa Robinson.
Learn about ARRT in the Watershed
The Arundo Removal and Replacement Team began in 2018 mapping the invasive plant Arundo donax in the Walnut Creek watershed. Check out the interactive map to see where to find Arundo in your neighborhood, and to report any new stands.
The Walnut Creek Watershed Tributaries:
Arroyo del Cerro, Bolinger Creek, Dan Cook Canyon, Galindo Creek, Grayson Creek, Green Valley Creek, Grizzly Creek, Happy Valley Creek, Hidden Valley Creek, Indian Creek, Lafayette Creek, Lafayette Reservoir, Las Trampas Creek, Little Pine Creek, Murderer's Creek, Old Jonas Creek, Pacheco Creek, Pine Creek, Reliez Creek, San Catanio Creek, San Ramon Creek, Sans Crainte Creek, Sycamore Creek, Tice Creek, Vine Hill Creek & Walker Canyon
Events and Reports
The 2017 Achievements Report is now available!
You can learn about what council members are doing throughout the watershed.
October 12th, 2016
Living Creeks -Native Fish in Urban Waterways
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The Walnut Creek Watershed Inventory Report
This 54 page report prepared by the Restoration Design Group provides a broad overview of the conditions and the natural resources in Walnut Creek watershed. It contains many useful maps, and a summary of recommendations made in prior scientific reports. It includes a brief history of the watershed, flood management issues, an overview of the status of water quality, and fish and wildlife habitat. |
Walnut Creek Watershed Geography
SIZE: Walnut Creek Watershed is the largest in Contra Costa County. At 93,556 acres (about 146 square miles) it occupies the central part of Contra Costa County, draining the Diablo Valley and the west side of Mount Diablo. The combined length of all creek channels (Walnut Creek, and its network of tributaries) is 310 miles. Walnut Creek flows northward emptying into Pacheco Slough and then into the San Francisco Estuary at Suisun Bay. In normal conditions, Walnut Creek flows at a rate of about 82 cubic feet of water per second, but in a major serious flood (a “100-year” flood) it would convey about 25,600 cubic feet of water per second past any given point.
CITIES: Danville, Lafayette, Pleasant Hill, and Walnut Creek lie completely within the watershed boundaries, while Concord, Martinez, Moraga and San Ramon are partly within Walnut Creek watershed.
SUB-WATERSHEDS: Five major drainage basins direct water into Walnut Creek. These subwatersheds are named for their tributary creeks. The San Ramon Creek watershed drains the southeastern part of Walnut Creek Watershed, Las Trampas Creek watershed drains the Lafayette area, Grayson Creek watershed collects water from the Pleasant Hill area in the northwest, Pine Creek watershed drains the eastern area from Mt. Diablo and southern Concord, while a small un-named creek takes water from north Concord near Olivera Road and empties into Walnut Creek near Highway 4. At its mouth, Walnut Creek empties into Peyton Slough before entering the Bay.
SOME WATERSHED CHANGES THROUGH TIME:
- A Timeline of Walnut Creek History - by the WC Historical Society
- Historical Changes to lower Walnut Creek Channel - by the County Public Works Dept.
- Engineered changes for flood protection leads to creek group formation - by Friends of the Creeks
- Recent measures to maintain flood protection - by LSA Associates
Learn More: Explore or download the Contra Costa County Watershed Atlas to learn more about the geography of Walnut Creek Watershed and the other watersheds in Contra Costa County.
