http://www.rssboard.org/rss-specification 720 https://escholarship.org/uc/wrca_hydrology/rss Recent eScholarship items from Hydrology Fri, 15 May 2026 06:36:17 +0000 https://escholarship.org/uc/item/6dm5j6gm Short-term geomorphic impacts of culvert removal following Best Management Practices in streams of northern California https://escholarship.org/uc/item/6dm5j6gm Mon, 21 Jul 2014 00:00:00 +0000 Lawrence, Justin E https://escholarship.org/uc/item/82c9j37t A short-term assessment of spatial and temporal variations in water quality of the San Lorenzo River https://escholarship.org/uc/item/82c9j37t Tue, 17 Sep 2013 00:00:00 +0000 Richardson, Christina https://escholarship.org/uc/item/9pw7g42s C(re)ek-storation Community Collaboration Site: North Fork of Strawberry Creek by La Loma and Le Conte Avenues https://escholarship.org/uc/item/9pw7g42s Fri, 5 Oct 2012 00:00:00 +0000 Tannenbaum, Sara Rose https://escholarship.org/uc/item/8b5146kj Preservation of a Pristine Lake for Future Generations: Llanquihue Lake, X Region, Chile https://escholarship.org/uc/item/8b5146kj Fri, 5 Oct 2012 00:00:00 +0000 Delorenzo, Angela Colibri, Mariana https://escholarship.org/uc/item/88m805qt Hydrologic Analysis and Restoration considerations for the Upper Klamath Lake Sub-Basin, Klamath County, Oregon https://escholarship.org/uc/item/88m805qt Fri, 5 Oct 2012 00:00:00 +0000 Doehring, Carolyn https://escholarship.org/uc/item/7xp4d962 A Sustainable Stormwater Management Proposal for a Bayfront Military Brownfield https://escholarship.org/uc/item/7xp4d962 Fri, 5 Oct 2012 00:00:00 +0000 Doyle, John https://escholarship.org/uc/item/7506d5z4 <p>The Alameda County Water District (ACWD) supplies water to the cities of Fremont, Newark and Union City. Approximately 40% of this supply requirement is met using water pumped from the Niles Cone Groundwater Basin. Since 1920s, the ACWD has managed recharge operations at Niles Cone and today the water for recharge is obtained from the State Water Project, run off from Alameda Creek Watershed or from direct rain that falls on the Niles Cone region. This paper examines the dependence of recharge operations on precipitation in the Alameda Creek Watershed. Using data from the past 20 years, the paper demonstrates the dependence of Niles Cone Basin on the outlier wet year of 1997-98 to maintain a net positive water balance with respect to levels in 1988-89. Further research using longer time series data of groundwater recharge should be able to provide more evidence of the extent of this dependence on heavy rainfall years to maintain net positive groundwater levels. Such research... https://escholarship.org/uc/item/7506d5z4 Fri, 5 Oct 2012 00:00:00 +0000 Balakrishnan, Krishnachandran https://escholarship.org/uc/item/6vx1v8gv This thesis focuses on the issue of biodiversity corridors along the creek in the city and uses Alamo Creek, in Vacaville, California, as our site to assess the existing creek situations from different typical sections in urban development and agricultural areas. https://escholarship.org/uc/item/6vx1v8gv Fri, 5 Oct 2012 00:00:00 +0000 Urrechaga, Jose Wei, Xinghan https://escholarship.org/uc/item/6tc4r4fv Relationship between juvenile steelhead survival and winter habitat availability https://escholarship.org/uc/item/6tc4r4fv Fri, 5 Oct 2012 00:00:00 +0000 Huber, Eric Kayed, Sammy Post, Charles https://escholarship.org/uc/item/68p0p00d Redwood Creek is located in Sonoma County, California.  Redwood Creek is a tributary of Maacama Creek, a tributary to the Russian River.  The reach of Redwood Creek addressed in this study is on an alluvial fan.  In summer of 2001 the California Department of Fish and Game conducted a stream inventory to determine the presence of anadromous fish in the watershed and recommended Redwood Creek be managed as an anadromous, natural production stream.  Two restoration projects have been completed in recent years, the first in 2005 and the second in 2010.  In this study we investigated the newly constructed reach to determine how the channel morphology has responded after the first water year.  We conducted cross-sectional surveys  at 4 locations along the restoration project.  Survey results show that vertical channel adjustment is occurring, and that the channel is still in the process of finding geomorphic equilibrium.  It is likely that the channel will continue to adjust in future... https://escholarship.org/uc/item/68p0p00d Fri, 5 Oct 2012 00:00:00 +0000 Docto, Mia Corvillon, Daniela Pena https://escholarship.org/uc/item/64b4k3v0 I developed a hydrological rating curve for Strawberry Creek on the University of California campus, so that estimated flow rates cold be calculated from stage records.  Since 2007, water stage levels have been automatically recorded every 15 minutes based on pressure transducers that are located on the North Fork, the South Fork and on the Main Stem just below the confluence.  I used current meters to collect flow measurements six times on the Main Stem, five times on the North Fork, and four times on the South Fork and used this data along with recorded stage data to develop a rating curve for each location.  The rating curves developed for the Main Stem, South Fork and North Fork are:  y = 9.5668x^2.7479, y = 34.061x - 273.35 and y = 15.498x² -19.768x + 6.2605, where y is streamflow in cubic feet per second (ft3/s) and x is stage in feet.  All these rating curves have very good overall correlations for the relationship between stage and flow (r2 greater... https://escholarship.org/uc/item/64b4k3v0 Fri, 5 Oct 2012 00:00:00 +0000 Hunt, Lisa https://escholarship.org/uc/item/60t8x2jv Bristol Bay, Alaska is one of the last ecosystems left on earth that haqs gone unaltered by human impacts.  Bristol Bay watershed supports the largest wild sockeye salmon runs on the planet with nearly 42 million salmon migrating to the watersheds headwaters every year.  The proposed Pebble Mine, containing gold, copper, and molybdenum has threatened the health of this watershed.  This project asks what effects the proposed Pebble Mine will have on water quality and quantity, and more specifically, how the withdrawal of groundwater and surface water will alter the regions most pristine anadromous salmonid spawning grounds.  Though comprehensive studies have been done, the groundwater of this region remains a comples topic.  This research formulates unanswered questions related to groundwater that need to be answered before mining advances.  Due to the unknown properties of the region's groundwater and hydrologic regime, mining poses significant risk to water quality, quantity,... https://escholarship.org/uc/item/60t8x2jv Fri, 5 Oct 2012 00:00:00 +0000 Cundy, Fiona https://escholarship.org/uc/item/5kt9j5k7 Initial Hydrologic Feasibility Analysis of the Proposed Ship Channel Bypass (lower Sacramento River, California https://escholarship.org/uc/item/5kt9j5k7 Fri, 5 Oct 2012 00:00:00 +0000 Church, Tami C. https://escholarship.org/uc/item/59t9f14m Soil Characteristics and their Hydrologic Implications; A study on the Memorial Glade microwatershed, University of California, Berkeley campus https://escholarship.org/uc/item/59t9f14m Fri, 5 Oct 2012 00:00:00 +0000 Javier, Alexander https://escholarship.org/uc/item/5915z1xc Protecting Solar Rights in California Through an Exploration of the California Water Doctrine https://escholarship.org/uc/item/5915z1xc Fri, 5 Oct 2012 00:00:00 +0000 Fedman, Anna https://escholarship.org/uc/item/56s58126 The scope of this paper was to compare the hydrology of the East Bay Municipal District's Wastewater Treatment Plant in West Oakland with the adjacent stream watershed, Temescal Creek Watershed.  These two systems vary greatly in scale and water usage.  TThis project aims to look at the imported and piped water system in a similar way as one would approach a stream and watershed hydrology.  Using stream flow data for the creek, it was scaled to the size of the whole watershed.  The data was compared with precipitation to put perspective on a limited number of years of stream flow.  The latest year of outflows from the WWTP was obtained.  The data was compared via seasonal distribution, mean daily flow, and annual volume.  The Temescal Creek Watershed flow was scaled to the same size of the WWTP service (from 7.11 sq. mi. to 88 sq. mi.) to estimate local flow through the system versus imported flow.  Peak flows for the stream gauge were scaled to the watershed and compared with... https://escholarship.org/uc/item/56s58126 Fri, 5 Oct 2012 00:00:00 +0000 Lather, Alaska Wozniak, Monika https://escholarship.org/uc/item/4pb7m8pw Ecological Implications of Impounding Fluvial Systems in Suisun Marsh https://escholarship.org/uc/item/4pb7m8pw Fri, 5 Oct 2012 00:00:00 +0000 Olson, Jessica J. https://escholarship.org/uc/item/4gh3s88f Best Management Practices for the Los Angeles River: Taylor Yard Case Study https://escholarship.org/uc/item/4gh3s88f Fri, 5 Oct 2012 00:00:00 +0000 Sousa, Ricardo C. Cook, Michael https://escholarship.org/uc/item/3zq906fq <p>Since 2009, one in eight San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD) elementary schools has received a rainwater cistern or barrels and increased garden space under the Tap the Sky initiative.  A quarter of San Francisco elementary schools and two of the city's nine alternative configured schools are planned to have received a cistern system by the end of next year.</p><p>This report seeks to identify the impacts and key components of this rainwater capture initiative, both in terms of sustainable water management and environmental education goals, while also suggesting recommendations for the ongoing implementation and expansion of this practice in San Francisco elementary schools.</p> https://escholarship.org/uc/item/3zq906fq Fri, 5 Oct 2012 00:00:00 +0000 Bintliff, Jacob M. https://escholarship.org/uc/item/3mf6k4d5 Holistic Approach for Water Management Planning of Nong Chok District in Bangkok, Thailand https://escholarship.org/uc/item/3mf6k4d5 Fri, 5 Oct 2012 00:00:00 +0000 Suksawang, Wilasinee https://escholarship.org/uc/item/36h4362s Taking LID to the Streets: A Case Study of Stormwater Management on Leland Avenue in San Francisco, California https://escholarship.org/uc/item/36h4362s Fri, 5 Oct 2012 00:00:00 +0000 Thong, Michelle https://escholarship.org/uc/item/33j0h1pc Urban Retrofit: A Whole-Watershed Approach to Urban Stormwater Management https://escholarship.org/uc/item/33j0h1pc Fri, 5 Oct 2012 00:00:00 +0000 Lithander, Becky https://escholarship.org/uc/item/1zb2j2cv Quantifying stream flow loss to groundwater on alluvial valley streams in Sonoma County https://escholarship.org/uc/item/1zb2j2cv Fri, 5 Oct 2012 00:00:00 +0000 Janes, Kelly Carrasco, Jose https://escholarship.org/uc/item/1vk614rw China Camp's race against the tides: Predicting tidal marsh survival through comparison of project sea level rise elevations and sediment accretion rates https://escholarship.org/uc/item/1vk614rw Fri, 5 Oct 2012 00:00:00 +0000 Hannah, Whitney Kuhn, Marlene https://escholarship.org/uc/item/0h38239x Planning for Climate Change in Low-Impact Development Projects: A Case Study of the Sunset Swales Parking Lot Retrofit in San Francisco https://escholarship.org/uc/item/0h38239x Fri, 5 Oct 2012 00:00:00 +0000 Conrad, Esther https://escholarship.org/uc/item/0bb9m2dd Evidence of Ecologically Relevant Degradation of Summer Base-flows in the Navarro River, California https://escholarship.org/uc/item/0bb9m2dd Fri, 5 Oct 2012 00:00:00 +0000 Hines, David Kohlsmith, Emma https://escholarship.org/uc/item/058829t7 Hydrologic diversity in Santa Cruz mountain creeks and implications for steelhead population survival https://escholarship.org/uc/item/058829t7 Fri, 5 Oct 2012 00:00:00 +0000 Peterson, Michael https://escholarship.org/uc/item/271336ss <p>Urbanization increases stormwater run-off volumes through the widespread use of impervious surfaces. This leads to localized flooding, water pollution and morphologically degraded water bodies. Rain gardens – a shallow, vegetated form of bioretention – are one strategy for mitigating these hydrologic consequences of urbanization. Rain gardens in highly urban areas typically require greater infiltration rates due to their smaller volumes. The application of urban rain gardens in a Mediterranean climate is further challenged by contrasting wet and dry seasons. These have significant implications for run-off, infiltration, treatment and plant survival. Soil selection is critical to all of these, because it performs the necessary and competing functions of drainage and plant-available water retention. An appropriate soil mix will sufficiently infiltrate stormwater to reduce run-off, while also holding some plant-available water to reduce irrigation needs during dry periods. Similarly,... https://escholarship.org/uc/item/271336ss Tue, 3 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0000 Anglin, Bojana https://escholarship.org/uc/item/33j1d812 <p>The omission of groundwater from California’s Water Commission Act of 1914 was a strategic political maneuver that ultimately favored the growth of a labyrinthine administrative network and led to an unsustainable system of resource management. While groundwater was excluded ostensibly to protect constitutional property rights, it was also exempted in order to facilitate unregulated groundwater extraction and unrestrained agricultural productivity. In this longitudinal casestudy of Salinas Valley groundwater management, I examine how administrative systems have developed under California Water Law in a sitespecific context. The Monterey County Water Resources Agency has been forced to reconcile its task of combating saltwater intrusion with its constituents’ resistance to restraints on groundwater pumping. Though the Agency has made significant progress in its understanding of the basin’s hydrogeologic dynamics, its initiatives have been confined to supply augmentation measures... https://escholarship.org/uc/item/33j1d812 Wed, 15 Jul 2009 00:00:00 +0000 Sarna-Wojcicki, Daniel https://escholarship.org/uc/item/8z4732qk <p>Lagunitas Creek and San Geronimo Creek in Marin County, California provide some of the best habitat for endangered coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) in the southern part of their range, making it a priority for local and federal agencies to collect habitat and biological data throughout the watershed. For this paper, we synthesized numerous years of existing data, including flow, sediment conditions, endangered coho salmon densities, and one year (2001) of macroinvertebrate biological assessment data to investigate biotic and abiotic interactions among physical habitat, juvenile coho, and macroinvertebrates. We found that summer juvenile coho densities in Lagunitas Creek were negatively correlated with annual peak mean daily flow, whereas in San Geronimo Creek, variation in peak mean daily flow did not significantly impact juvenile density. Although macroinvertebrate prey were not limiting factors for juvenile coho in 2001, increased coho density was correlated with significant... https://escholarship.org/uc/item/8z4732qk Wed, 1 Jul 2009 00:00:00 +0000 Ball, Joanie Diver, Sibyl Hwan, Jason https://escholarship.org/uc/item/88f2t1st <p>How can stormwater management design be incorporated into public school campuses to provide ecological and educational benefits while reducing the impacts on San Francisco’s combined sanitary/storm sewer system?</p><p>Schools in San Francisco have a large percentage of impervious surfaces on their campuses, and the City’s combined sanitary storm sewer system has aged to a point of necessary upgrade. These two issues converge on the subject of stormwater management, where a potential synergy exists. Schools are landscapes for education, so why not provide an educative landscape for the school that addresses the City’s infrastructure issue? Demonstration projects for innovative stormwater management can address not only flooding issues but also educate students and communities about water pollution, water conservation, habitat value, micro-climate value, and benefit the overall aesthetics of a community.</p><p>This paper specifically discusses green stormwater infrastructure... https://escholarship.org/uc/item/88f2t1st Wed, 1 Jul 2009 00:00:00 +0000 Diamond, Hayley Gaffney, Andrea https://escholarship.org/uc/item/7jj319ws <p>In drought-prone northern California, homeowners can collect rainwater to irrigate their waterintensive summer vegetable gardens. Rainwater harvesting requires a three-part system: a method of collection (commonly the roof), a form of storage (cistern) and a method of distribution (a pump, filter and soaker hose are proposed here). To optimize and properly size a rainwater harvesting system, homeowners should consider both their rainwater supply and their garden’s water demand. Gardeners can reduce demand by planting early to take advantage of spring rains and by grouping crops according to irrigation needs. The authors analyze the water use of a sample garden, which they adapt to both Berkeley and Sacramento. In both of these cities, one can collect more than enough rainwater to support a small vegetable garden: an individual homeowner’s water supply is more likely to be limited by storage capacity than rainfall. Ultimately, although rainwater harvesting can supply adequate... https://escholarship.org/uc/item/7jj319ws Wed, 1 Jul 2009 00:00:00 +0000 Smith, Adrienne Esterer-Vogel, Elisabeth https://escholarship.org/uc/item/66z191pd <p>Alameda Creek is one of the few remaining streams in the San Francisco Bay Estuary that has the potential to regain a viable steelhead trout population (Oncorhynchus mykiss). While great effort is underway to remove large barriers throughout the watershed, lesser known are the impacts of smaller structures in the lower reaches. The objective of my study was to determine if a decommissioned rubber dam, a check dam, and a temporary sewage pipe crossing impeded movement and/or created conditions that were unfavorable for outmigrating steelhead smolt during low flow periods. For the study I gathered data on temperature, depth, and channel form. The results showed that the rubber dam created inhospitable conditions of &lt; 0.1 ft depth and water temperature of 20C in April across a 54 ft flat cement surface. Although the check dam and the sewage pipe crossing were less restrictive for smolt passage, all of the structures created environments that increased the risk of smolt predation.... https://escholarship.org/uc/item/66z191pd Wed, 1 Jul 2009 00:00:00 +0000 Cervantes-Yoshida, Kristina https://escholarship.org/uc/item/5kt93100 <p>While the problem of sedimentation slowly filling dams and reservoirs is innate to the structures, it is especially significant in Mediterranean climates that rely on reservoir storage to mitigate out-of-phase water availability and demand. Reservoirs and their impounding structures have significant impacts on in-stream and riparian ecosystems. Several preventative and mitigation measures have been designed by engineers to limit sediment accumulation and the ecological impacts of reservoirs. Dam removal has been documented to have significant environmental benefits for restoration of aquatic ecosystems and native fisheries but may also lead to eroded floodplains, impaired downstream habitat and loss of flood control capacity. The European Water Framework Directive (WFD) establishes goals and guidance designating “heavily modified water bodies” and achieving “good ecological potential,” but definitions of these terms are not clearly defined. In addition, sediment management... https://escholarship.org/uc/item/5kt93100 Wed, 1 Jul 2009 00:00:00 +0000 O'Reilly, Clare Silberblatt, Rafael https://escholarship.org/uc/item/55t3w69c <p>The recovery of populations of anadromous fish species such as coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch), a state and federally listed species, has been a major driver in both regulatory and voluntary efforts to protect and manage instream water quality and quantity in the coastal watersheds of Northern California. While prominent portions of California law (Public Trust Doctrine, California Water Code § 100, California Fish and Game Code § 1700, and California Public Resources Code § 10000-10005) state the need to protect water resources for environmental purposes, California’s legal requirements for obtaining and maintaining surface water rights largely inhibit the ability of individual water rights holders to contribute to this cause. In my review of California water law and current instream flow programs I found that regulatory-based methods for dedicating water rights to instream flows currently involve time and monetary costs that are prohibitive for most water rights holders.... https://escholarship.org/uc/item/55t3w69c Wed, 1 Jul 2009 00:00:00 +0000 Alford, Chris https://escholarship.org/uc/item/4kt879x0 <p>The Coliseum Complex and its associated parking lot create almost four million square feet of continuous impermeable surface. This vast expanse of pavement extends all the way to the edge of two adjacent drainage channels, Damon Slough and Arroyo Viejo Creek. Existing site conditions indicate that the stormwater that falls on this surface runs untreated directly into these adjacent waterbodies. This paper analyzes the site’s conditions based on available data and proposes strategic actions and a concept plan for stormwater management. The proposals incorporate both hydrologic and cultural constraints of the site, including the presence of underlying soil contaminants, a planned bicycle and pedestrian path to the north of the site, and the use of the parking lot as a major social gathering spot for cultural groups associated with the sports arena. In addition this paper discusses the regulatory context for this stormwater retrofit as well as mechanisms which could be used to... https://escholarship.org/uc/item/4kt879x0 Wed, 1 Jul 2009 00:00:00 +0000 Jones, Jesse Kraai, Rachel https://escholarship.org/uc/item/1xj9m7nv <p>This paper compares the cost per acre-foot to the East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD) of conservation versus an increase in size of Pardee Reservoir. The paper analyzes two components of the EBMUD’s 2009 Water Plan for meeting demands in 2040: promoting more rigorous conservation methods for its customers, and increasing the size of Pardee Reservoir by the construction of a new dam ¾ mile downstream from the existing location. Additionally, the paper analyzes five documents published by EMBUD over the last 12 years, for discussion of reservoir expansion, conservation targets, and climate change.</p> https://escholarship.org/uc/item/1xj9m7nv Wed, 1 Jul 2009 00:00:00 +0000 Mourad, Bessma https://escholarship.org/uc/item/16f4q4hp <p>Mapping channel geomorphology, riparian vegetation and the extent of anthropogenic disturbance of river corridors has traditionally been conducted laboriously in the field. With the implementation of the EU Water Framework Directive (WFD), member states are mandated to complete river basin management plans requiring such fieldwork in order to achieve good ecological status by 2015. Thus, deriving wider land cover information from remotely sensed data will be an integral addition to fieldwork in order to meet the requirements of the WFD. The objective of this study was to use two types of remote sensing data, LiDAR and ortho-imagery, to delineate channel morphologies and to field check the analysis in the field to test the accuracy of the remote sensing techniques and assess their applicability for the WFD. Using Carneros Creek, in Napa, CA as a testing ground because of the publicly available LiDAR and ortho-imagery datasets, I achieved 80% accuracy in identifying large terrace... https://escholarship.org/uc/item/16f4q4hp Wed, 1 Jul 2009 00:00:00 +0000 Beagle, Julie https://escholarship.org/uc/item/04f465nq <p>Flood management planning by the Army Corps of Engineers (Army Corps) on Pajaro River and Correlitos Creek changes from the first levee design in 1945 to the most recent planning actions in 2004 as reflected in flow calculation and project design. The scope of project objectives expanded from the initial flood control project to the more recent whole watershed management study. The Pajaro River experience reflects the trend in flood management from 1945 to current day from single objective engineering methods to regulate flood flows in specific reaches of the river to a more holistic watershed management approach with multiple objectives. The European Union’s Water Framework Directive and Flood Directive are models for multi objective planning, which work together to improve rivers and streams to good ecological status. By looking to the previous channel restoration occurring in the European Union, and the influence of the good ecological status requirement of the WFD and FD,... https://escholarship.org/uc/item/04f465nq Wed, 1 Jul 2009 00:00:00 +0000 Jagger, Stacie https://escholarship.org/uc/item/9cg8n96f <p>Water resource governance in California is characterized by complex jurisdictional relationships and overlap between agencies tasked with specific mandates. This is exemplified in the California Delta, where critical needs such as flood control do not fall exclusively within the purview of any one entity and therefore must be addressed through coordination and collaboration at multiple scales. Yet CALFED, recent effort to produce integrated, collaborative governance in the Delta, has had mixed results. In this paper, we examine accountability within the existing governance system in the Delta. As a thought experiment we ask how accountability would function in a hypothetical governance system that incorporates principles from the European Water Framework Directive (WFD) into the context of the Delta. Network-based governance approaches such as CALFED blur the lines between public and private authority. They challenge traditional notions of vertical, top-down / down-up accountability... https://escholarship.org/uc/item/9cg8n96f Tue, 29 Jul 2008 00:00:00 +0000 Di Vittorio, Sarah Cole, Noelle Cooper, Tamar https://escholarship.org/uc/item/96r2m2c6 <p>There are many sources of urban river degradation from channel straightening and culverting for flood control and development, to point and non-point source pollution, and altered flow regimes due to urbanization and increased impervious surfaces. In this study, we focus on the hydrologic impact of impervious surfaces in an urban watershed in the East Bay area. We used the Water Framework Directive (WFD), recent legislation in Europe, to understand how a watershed approach and systematic waterbody characterization can guide restoration efforts. Specifically, we applied the WFD to Sausal Creek Watershed and developed a conceptual restoration plan that incorporates watershed-scale low impact designs (LID) to restore a natural flow regime and in-stream restoration to enhance the physical habitat. We modeled the change in runoff due to urbanization, and calculated the total area required to mitigate for stormwater. Our results show a nearly two-fold increase in peak flow from... https://escholarship.org/uc/item/96r2m2c6 Tue, 29 Jul 2008 00:00:00 +0000 Ippolito, Teresa Podolak, Kristen https://escholarship.org/uc/item/8499s6xt <p>The eastern edge of San Ramon, California, close to the Dublin border, is undergoing considerable residential development. Work in this area began at a development called Windemere in 2001 with the first homes being available for sale in 2002. The population, along with the number of housing units, in San Ramon has increased. I suspect housing developments are impacting the volume of water in the streams which may increase the risk of flooding. I compared the impacts of urbanization on stream peak flow in two neighboring drainage basins, the Alamo Creek and Tassajara Creek. Using 28 meter six band Landsat Imagery (landsat.usgs.gov), I measured Alamo Creek drainage basin and found it consists of 32 percent developed land area while the Tassajara Creek drainage basin is 6 percent developed land area. I made this determination using a maximum likelihood classification algorithm to delineate developed areas from non-developed land. I used the Rantz Method, to calculate the... https://escholarship.org/uc/item/8499s6xt Tue, 29 Jul 2008 00:00:00 +0000 Dingman, John https://escholarship.org/uc/item/7bn8787n <p>Many dams built over the last century in California no longer provide their intended benefits and may pose ecological and safety risks. However, a lack of clear regulatory framework, further complicated by a lack of scientific understanding of the impacts of dam removal, has handicapped many efforts to remove such outmoded dams. We investigate these challenges through a case study of York Creek Dam in St. Helena, California and show the need for standard protocols to prioritize and monitor dam removals. As a thought experiment, we explore how dam removal would proceed under the European Union Water Framework Directive (WFD) and argue that California can learn from the WFD’s systematic, watershed approach to improve dam removal decision-making. However, the monitoring programs under the WFD are driven by ecology and therefore provide little guidance on monitoring channel changes to evaluate whether dam removal increases the risk of flooding for downstream property, a major... https://escholarship.org/uc/item/7bn8787n Tue, 29 Jul 2008 00:00:00 +0000 Lawrence, Justin E Pollak, Josh D Richmond, Sarah F https://escholarship.org/uc/item/6wx269zj <p>The European Union Water Framework Directive (WFD) provides a strategy for the protection, improvement and restoration of water bodies across Europe. However, in urbanized areas where the drainage network has been engineered for flood conveyance and floodplains have been densely developed, the cost of restoration is usually disproportionate to the ecological benefits such restoration would provide. This project applies the EU WFD to the densely urbanized Lower Sausal Creek Watershed in Oakland, California. While the WFD provides economic insight, recent popularity of stormwater intervention strategies in US urban areas offer alternatives to in-stream creek restoration with additional community benefits. Our Lower Sausal Creek Watershed Stormwater Management Plan addresses stormwater pollution and detention through small, cost-effective landscape features at the lot level. The strategies include retention/ conveyance swales with trees, neighborhood trees, large lot interventions... https://escholarship.org/uc/item/6wx269zj Tue, 29 Jul 2008 00:00:00 +0000 Li, Hong Wardani, Jane https://escholarship.org/uc/item/5sw858bf <p>In this study, I analyzed the impact of land-use on mercury and methylmercury in the San Francisco Bay area and I explored correlations of mercury and methylmercury with various water quality indicators using water and sediment quality data from the Regional Monitoring Program. To understand the relationships of land-use and water and sediment quality with mercury and methylmercury concentrations, I conducted a correlation coefficient analysis using Microsoft EXCEL 2007. In the San Joaquin Delta watershed and the Suisun Bay watershed, heavy metals showed strong relationship with methylmercury. Developed land uses such as industrial, commercial services and urban built-up had a strong relationship with methylmercury, while agricultural land uses generally had a negative relationship with methylmercury. Mercury and methylmercury had a strong positive relationship with clay, silt, and fine sand. Mercury had significant negative correlation with pH and significant positive... https://escholarship.org/uc/item/5sw858bf Tue, 29 Jul 2008 00:00:00 +0000 Kim, Hyojin https://escholarship.org/uc/item/5mv4g9v1 <p>A Decade of Changes in the Wildcat Creek Flood Control Channel, North Richmond Abstract: The lower Wildcat Creek flood control and riparian restoration project was one of the first of its kind and is commonly cited in literature on river restoration. The project was initially constructed in 1989 but was reworked in 2000. The project consists of small low flow channel which meanders through a riparian corridor which is adjacent to a larger flood plain. Contra Costa County conducted yearly cross-sectional surveys of the channel until the year 2005 when they abruptly stopped. These surveys were instrumental in determining morphological changes to the channel due to deposition of sediment and scouring of the channel. Survey data was crucial in determining whether sediment removal was necessary to keep the project functioning. I went out to the project site in early May 2008 to survey six cross-sections of the channel. These cross-sections were compared to cross-sections from previous... https://escholarship.org/uc/item/5mv4g9v1 Tue, 29 Jul 2008 00:00:00 +0000 Ginsberg, Ben https://escholarship.org/uc/item/4qt8v88d <p>The Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta is one of California’s most important geographic regions. It supports significant agricultural, urban, and ecological systems and delivers water to two-thirds of the state’s population, but faces extremely high risks of disaster. Largely below sea level and supported by 1,100 miles of aging dikes and levees, the Delta system is subject to frequent flooding. Jurisdictional and financial disincentives to better flood planning prevent coordination that might otherwise reduce both costs and damages. This study highlights one possible flood mitigation technique called a relief cut, which is an intentional break in a downslope levee to allow water that has overtopped or breached an upslope levee to drain back into the river. This flood management technique is "smart" when located in appropriate areas so that floodwaters can be managed most efficiently and safely after a levee break.</p><p>We identify four key constraints and make four recommendations... https://escholarship.org/uc/item/4qt8v88d Tue, 29 Jul 2008 00:00:00 +0000 Fransen, Lindsey Ludy, Jessica Matella, Mary https://escholarship.org/uc/item/11r5p44p <p>The Tijuana River Watershed is one of eight watersheds that encompass the urbanized area of San Diego and Tijuana. The San Diego - Tijuana cross border corridor lies along the 1,951 mile long international border dividing the United States and Mexico, known as the U.S. Mexican Border Region (San Diego Association of Governments). It is currently the fastest growing region in North America (US / Mexico Border Counties Coalition) and accounts for roughly a third of total population growth in the United States and Mexico over the last 15 years (United States Census Burea / Consejo Nacional de Poblacion). The Tijuana River Watershed straddles this international boundary revealing economic inequalities, ecological devastation and social disparities that exist between the two countries. Tijuana has always had a unique role in the region attracting tourism, providing a cheap labor pool and as a staging ground for those trying to pass North through the border to the United States.... https://escholarship.org/uc/item/11r5p44p Tue, 29 Jul 2008 00:00:00 +0000 Friedman, Noah https://escholarship.org/uc/item/4f91r04k <p>This research investigates how a new channel may be designed and integrated to improve the capacity and community connectivity of wastewater treatment wetlands at the Stockton Regional Water Control Facility. It is becoming more common for treatment facilities to integrate natural techniques into the conventional treatment processes. Currently, the wetlands at Stockton are used as one stage in the water treatment process. They are fed by pipeline which conveys the water from the previous treatment stage, the facultative algal ponds, to the west edge of the wetlands. The primary function of the wetlands is to provide treatment for suspended organic solids and nutrients. The current pipeline provides no treatment to the water and is only used to convey the water. As described by Greg White, manager at the facility, it is also their goal to build an educational path and platform system, which will allow visitors to experience the wetlands. By replacing the existing pipeline... https://escholarship.org/uc/item/4f91r04k Mon, 9 Oct 2006 00:00:00 +0000 Cubbison, Erin O. https://escholarship.org/uc/item/24t916q2 <p>Sausal Creek drains an urban watershed in the City of Oakland, California. In 2001, a portion of the creek was restored within Dimond Canyon, in part to create a stable channel profile, control erosion, and limit flood damage. Subsequent monitoring efforts to evaluate the effectiveness of the restoration project have been limited by inconsistent monitoring locations and methods. In this study, we investigated how channel morphology has changed within the creek since the 2001 as-built surveys and the fall 2005 post-project appraisal. We conducted cross-section surveys at eleven locations along the restoration project and found that channel morphology has not changed significantly since project implementation. However, we documented some channel scouring, which has decreased bed elevations and widened the channel along portions of the restored reach. To allow for repeatable future monitoring at the site, we installed durable markers at each of the surveyed cross-section locations.</p> https://escholarship.org/uc/item/24t916q2 Mon, 21 Aug 2006 00:00:00 +0000 Grantham, Ted Tollefson, Kate https://escholarship.org/uc/item/8nj7406z <p>During the current water year, the upper Klamath River basin has experienced higher than normal winter and spring flows. In addition, a landslide breached a diversion canal downstream of the J.C. Boyle dam and caused secondary erosion and sedimentation in the “bypass” reach of the Klamath River. The peak flows and landslide may have influenced fish habitat and river geomorphology.</p><p>I updated existing flood frequency analyses for four gauges in the upper Klamath River basin using new annual peak streamflow data. I determined that the new flood frequencies reduce the return interval for bed mobility threshold flows at three sites, and increase the return interval of flows over the mobility threshold at two sites, suggesting that existing interpretations about sediment mobility and disruption of fish habitat in parts of the upper Klamath River basin may need to be refined. I also identified differences in flood frequency estimates based on the method used to analyze annual... https://escholarship.org/uc/item/8nj7406z Fri, 14 Jul 2006 00:00:00 +0000 Fahey, Dan https://escholarship.org/uc/item/4v482926 <p>Stormwater can contaminate water supplies and cause biological impacts to streams, estuaries, and coastal zones due to excess sediment, nutrients, pesticides, or heavy metals. Best management practices (BMPs) for stormwater control are implemented with greater frequency now that municipalities are required to have a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit according to Clean Water Act revisions. After BMP construction, however, engineers and hydrologists rarely conduct follow-up assessments or evaluations. For this project, we evaluated the effectiveness of the Tule Ponds in Fremont, a constructed permanent wetland designed to simultaneously treat urban runoff and provide wildlife habitat. Using survey measurements of the pond dimensions and elevations, wildlife observations, and conversations with the site manager, we analyzed the success of the original wetland design. While our findings indicate the ponds did not function exactly as intended, they still... https://escholarship.org/uc/item/4v482926 Fri, 14 Jul 2006 00:00:00 +0000 Lunde, Kevin B Weinstein, Adam H https://escholarship.org/uc/item/4mz792cb <p>Vernal pools are unique ecosystems that are under great threat from urban and agricultural expansion. Many of the biological processes critical for successful construction and restoration of vernal pools, including those that allow fairy shrimp cysts to hatch, are not well understood. To further research on vernal pool functioning, we conducted a one-month study of two vernal pools on the Caltrans Mitigation site in Madera County, California. We placed data-logging temperature sensors along the long axis at the bottom of each vernal pool; over three site visits we also collected water quality data (temperature by a second method, pH, conductivity, and dissolved oxygen) at these same points. In addition, we collected data on aquatic community, pool morphology and hydrology, and rainfall on the site. Although other studies have recognized that direct precipitation infl uences the morphological characteristics of vernal pools in general, we found these two individual vernal pools... https://escholarship.org/uc/item/4mz792cb Fri, 14 Jul 2006 00:00:00 +0000 Renz, Wendy Higgins, Tanya https://escholarship.org/uc/item/1hp742bt <p>In 1999, Alameda County completed the restoration of a 1-mile stretch of Tassajara Creek in Dublin, California. The project created a compound channel with a low-flow channel capacity of Q5 in the upper and middle reaches, Q2 in the lower reach, and a natural floodplain terrace along all reaches to accommodate the design-estimated 100- year flood of 5,200 cfs. Downstream of the restoration reach is a trapezoidal concrete channel. On December 30th and 31st of 2005, a 20-year storm with a cumulative rainfall of 3.56 inches passed over the Tassajara Creek watershed, generating flows that overtopped the low-flow banks of Tassajara Creek, providing an opportunity to assess flow capacity of the compound channel configuration. We conducted long profile and cross-section surveys along the entire restoration reach, and the first 100 feet of the concrete channel. Using the Manning Equation in a HEC-RAS steady flow model, we used the geometry of the concrete channel and the elevation... https://escholarship.org/uc/item/1hp742bt Fri, 14 Jul 2006 00:00:00 +0000 Chan, Andre Heard, Sarah K https://escholarship.org/uc/item/89112146 <p>I propose a conceptual design for nonstructural stormwater treatment using vegetated swales for a contaminated industrial site informally called Piers 92, 94 and the Backlands, on the southern waterfront in San Francisco. The site was created from landfill and remains in active industrial uses. The Port of San Francisco plans to redevelop the site with an access road and several more industrial lots, and needs to provide treatment for the ensuing contaminated runoff. To design the appropriate dimensions of the swales, I determined drainage areas, assigned runoff coefficients, calculated runoff volumes, and proposed sizing and planting pallet for vegetated swales. I also discuss the maintenance needs and suggest methods for monitoring the treatment performance.</p> https://escholarship.org/uc/item/89112146 Wed, 13 Jul 2005 00:00:00 +0000 Jencks, Rosey https://escholarship.org/uc/item/5rx8f758 <p>The Natural Heritage Institute, in collaboration with Friends of Deer Creek, is preparing a stream restoration proposal for Deer Creek in Nevada County, California. The restoration plan focuses on the mainstem of Deer Creek between Scotts Flat Reservoir and Lake Wildwood. Establishing a clear picture of the hydrology of the creek and its tributaries is essential for drafting a restoration plan.</p><p>For the mainstem of Deer Creek, I developed a flood frequency curve from USGS gauge data on Deer Creek itself and on the nearby Oregon Creek. Oregon Creek’s topography, elevation, orientation, and size are similar to that of Deer Creek, so Oregon Creek is an appropriate instrument for Deer Creek. I use Oregon Creek gauge data to estimate ‘natural’ flows on Deer Creek, because Oregon Creek is a free flowing stream. I use the gauge data on Deer Creek itself to calculate current flows.</p><p>Deer Creek’s tributaries are ungauged, so there are no flow records that can be analyzed... https://escholarship.org/uc/item/5rx8f758 Thu, 30 Jun 2005 00:00:00 +0000 Skrtic, Lana https://escholarship.org/uc/item/44s1k9pm <p>After being classified as eutrophic by the Environmental Protection Agency in 1975, Crowley Lake has been the subject of studies and restoration efforts to manage the nutrient load and subsequent cyanobacterial blooms. Our research project used data from the Landsat satellite images to evaluate the restoration effort implemented in 2000 along Owens River to reduce nutrient loading to Crowley Lake. We focused on the presence of cyanobacteria blooms as an indicator of the eutrophic status and nutrient concentrations in the lake. The results showed strong evidence for continued algal growth on the lake’s surface in 2002, two years after the remediation was completed, however the reflectance from the satellite data is not specific and could reflect the presence of macrophytes rather than surface algae. The size of the algal bloom in 2002 however was reduced from that observed via satellite in 2000. Additional data from other years is necessary to determine whether this is actually... https://escholarship.org/uc/item/44s1k9pm Thu, 30 Jun 2005 00:00:00 +0000 Mackie, Trina Zhang, Eric https://escholarship.org/uc/item/08144286 <p>Saeltzer Dam was removed from Clear Creek in October 2000 to restore ten miles of upstream habitat access to spring run chinook salmon and steelhead trout. Since the dam removal, an estimated 50,000 cubic yards of sediment has eroded from the banks and channel at the former dam site. Some of the eroded sediment has been deposited downstream on Renshaw’s Riffle, a stretch formerly known for its spawning habitat, aggrading the bed up to 2.5 ft. To evaluate characteristics of the sediment deposition, we performed roughly 60 pebble counts and created a facies map for a 1.43 mi stretch downstream of the former dam site. We created maps in ArcMap GIS using the data to depict changes in gravel bar location, the d50 (the size at which 50% of the pebbles are finer) and the composition of percent-finer-than-8 mm material for each pebble count along the length of our study area. Five pebble counts were performed at transects in Renshaw’s Riffle, at sites with existing cross-sectional... https://escholarship.org/uc/item/08144286 Thu, 30 Jun 2005 00:00:00 +0000 Clayton-Niederman, Z Gilbreath, Alicia https://escholarship.org/uc/item/33f8q3tm <p>Rheem Creek is a three mile long urban stream, located in California’s western Contra Costa County. Since 1960, Rheem Creek has been impacted by humans in a number of ways, including channelization for flood control purposes and residential development. Due to the deteriorated state of Rheem Creek, local community groups have partnered with stream restoration organizations to clean-up and rehabilitate the Creek. Little field data exists on the conditions of the Creek itself, or on the geomorphic, hydrologic, water quality and ecological conditions at specific sites. To overcome this barrier, and serve as a resource for local restoration efforts, this study aimed to: 1) Offer an additional qualitative overview of the human impacts on Rheem Creek and 2) Quantify the hydrologic and channel form conditions at the Contra Costa College immediately downstream from a proposed restoration project.</p><p>This study reveals that variable conditions exist along Rheem Creek, including the... https://escholarship.org/uc/item/33f8q3tm Mon, 27 Jun 2005 00:00:00 +0000 Balazs, Carolina Lang, Micah https://escholarship.org/uc/item/3tz1153d <p>Scientists predict that future climate change will effect both human and natural systems. Using two rainfall-runoff modeling methods, this analysis predicts the effects of climate change on the hydrology of upper Alameda Creek, a small drainage area in California’s Coast Range. I analyzed daily rainfall, temperature, and stream flow data collected from field gages for 8 years to develop a numerical predictive model. Using the Army Corps of Engineers Hec-HMS model and autoregressive statistical techniques, I minimized the difference between the predicted and the observed creek discharge. I then generated an altered temperature and precipitation regime based on a high-end climate change prediction downscaled to a 60 square mile grid. For upper Alameda Creek, annual precipitation is predicted to fall by 28.2% and annual temperature is predicted to increase by 5.2°C by 2100. The autoregressive model had the lowest error when compared to the observed data, and predicts a 22% decrease... https://escholarship.org/uc/item/3tz1153d Fri, 24 Jun 2005 00:00:00 +0000 Klausmeyer, Kirk https://escholarship.org/uc/item/6jw0g84f <p>Following settlement in the 1940’s along the Wildcat Creek floodplain, reoccurring flooding drew attention to the need for flood control in the area. Four decades later, a flood control and riparian restoration project was completed in 1989; however, the project design proved to be a failure, and lateral migration of the creek caused continued flooding within the community. Approximately twelve years later, an improved channel design and restoration project, including a defined low-flow meandering channel, was completed. Since this time, flooding within the community has not occurred, and the channel geometry has been reasonably stable. We surveyed two cross-sections along the channel floodplain and compared channel geometry to recent and baseline surveys conducted following the original construction. Our results indicate a gradual buildup of sediment on the floodplain since the 2000 restoration project. Within the main channel, however, deepening has occurred, indicating... https://escholarship.org/uc/item/6jw0g84f Thu, 12 Aug 2004 00:00:00 +0000 Holt, Ashley Battaglia, Charles F. https://escholarship.org/uc/item/8zw217t3 <p>Steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss) historically inhabited Alameda Creek and its tributaries, including Sinbad Creek. Currently the Alameda Creek Fisheries Restoration Working Group is working to restore steelhead habitat throughout the watershed by removing barriers to fish migration on the main stem of Alameda Creek. Once steelhead are able to migrate upstream past barriers on Alameda Creek, Sinbad Creek may provide habitat for spawning and rearing. This study assesses the suitability of Sinbad Creek for steelhead based on three parameters: gravel, flow, and migration barriers. Representative stream reaches had gravel suitable for steelhead spawning, but Sinbad Creek’s flow regime is likely to only intermittently support steelhead migration during the November to April in-migration period. Low flows during dry seasons cause sections of the creek to dry up, potentially limiting Sinbad Creek’s suitability as year-round habitat for juveniles. Further, there are 12 potential steelhead... https://escholarship.org/uc/item/8zw217t3 Wed, 11 Aug 2004 00:00:00 +0000 Herron, Christy King, Mary Ann McDonald, Kristen https://escholarship.org/uc/item/7rq840mz <p>We propose installation of a detention basin in a small neighborhood (0.07 square miles) as a management technique to lower peak flows in the Los Angeles River and its tributaries by reducing urban and stormwater runoff. Reducing urban and stormwater runoff is a key factor in eventual improvements, such as removing concrete and planting native vegetation, that could be made to the Los Angeles River as part of the proposed Los Angeles River National Urban Wildlife Refuge (LARNUWR). Based on geographic information system data layers, county hydrology data, and on-site reconnaissance, we propose a design treatment that would help to reduce peak flows given a one-inch design rainfall. Our main goal is to determine the amount of space needed to capture the urban and stormwater runoff coming from a typical single-familyhome neighborhood in the LARNUWR. We calculated that our study area needs a detention basin approximately four percent of the size of the study area to capture and... https://escholarship.org/uc/item/7rq840mz Wed, 11 Aug 2004 00:00:00 +0000 Gaffney, Kathryn Mei, Angie (Anchi) https://escholarship.org/uc/item/7p27070t <p>We evaluated the survival of planted riparian vegetation within a restored reach of Miller Creek in Marin County, CA, and analyzed survey results to identify factors affecting tree survival. We surveyed three plots approximately 100 feet square within the restored reach. Of the three plots surveyed, the most downstream plot has the highest plant survival rates. The survival rates of tree species in the three plots, from upstream to downstream, were 35%, 43%, and 88%, respectively. Despite early irrigation, many of the trees planted in the two upstream plots have died, but both plots are slowly developing vegetative complexity, with volunteer shrubs filling in gaps and providing protection for new tree saplings. Our analysis of tree species survival by plant elevation, aspect, susceptibility to inundation, and soil types, indicated three likely important factors: location along the creek, aspect, and local geology and soil conditions. In future stream restoration projects, it... https://escholarship.org/uc/item/7p27070t Wed, 11 Aug 2004 00:00:00 +0000 Ting, Jantrue Pope-Daum, Caitilin https://escholarship.org/uc/item/7n84z646 <p>Although lower Marsh Creek, in eastern Contra Costa County, CA, is heavily impacted by human activities on adjacent and upstream lands, scientists and residents have observed fall-run Chinook salmon in the channel. A grade control dam four miles from the mouth of the creek prevents Chinook from migrating to a more natural, unchannelized segment of lower Marsh Creek that may contain suitable spawning habitat. We assessed the quality of potential spawning habitat in a 1.2- mile reach of lower Marsh Creek. Through pebble counts and visual observations at six study sites between Concord Avenue and Marsh Creek Reservoir, we evaluated gravel quality to ascertain whether gravel sizes are within identified ranges for spawning, gravels are movable by spawning fish, fine sediment concentrations allow for egg incubation and fry emergence, and if gravel bars are large enough for spawning. Using a long profile, we investigated whether the gradient of the channel is acceptable for spawning.... https://escholarship.org/uc/item/7n84z646 Wed, 11 Aug 2004 00:00:00 +0000 Levine, Jessie Stewart, Rosalyn https://escholarship.org/uc/item/6xq9c12q <p>The Zone 7 Water Agency uses concrete V-ditches to manage stormwater runoff from access roads near creeks. We attempted to find a way to manage runoff that would filter the stormwater and cost less than concrete V-ditches. Using Tassajara Creek in Dublin, California, as a case study, we designed a low- maintenance vegetated strip that would be capable of filtering pollutants from runoff, even while conveying the expected Q100 flow of 0.451 cfs. Our vegetated strip would cost $5-$10 per linear foot, compared to $16 per linear foot for Tassajara Creek’s Vditches. Zone 7 could adopt this design without changing any of its guidelines for managing runoff from access roads. Because Zone 7 has more confidence in the performance of concrete channels during high flows, we recommend that Zone 7 implement our design on a trial basis and monitor its performance.</p> https://escholarship.org/uc/item/6xq9c12q Wed, 11 Aug 2004 00:00:00 +0000 Kuroda, Miki Williams, Jeff https://escholarship.org/uc/item/6dd95040 <p>Ritchie Creek drains 2.6 square miles before joining the Napa River north of Bale, California. A six- foot high dam was built in 1912 on Ritchie Creek to facilitate water development. The dam interfered with steelhead trout migration upstream to potential spawning habitats and was removed in 1993. Ten years after dam removal, we resurveyed four cross sections and compared them with the cross sections taken in the same location in 1993 just prior to dam removal. Our survey documented sediment erosion of 679 cubic yards upstream of the dam site, which is less than the probable yearly sediment yield for the watershed basin. Our survey also showed slight sediment aggradation of 99 cubic yards downstream of the dam site. In addition we surveyed a longitudinal profile of 1,162 feet in length and two additional cross sections at restoration sites.</p> https://escholarship.org/uc/item/6dd95040 Wed, 11 Aug 2004 00:00:00 +0000 Daniels, Jubilee Pagano, Laura https://escholarship.org/uc/item/5c154206 <p>Rodeo Creek drains approximately 1.2 mi2 in coastal Marin County, California, debouching into the Pacific Ocean at Pt. Bonita in Golden Gate National Recreational Area. We documented the current degree of channel incision. Channel incision can lower adjacent water tables and cause bank collapse, which can increase sediment load resulting in aggradation downstream. Lower water tables can desiccate the native wetland community and allow non-native vegetation to become established. We measured eight cross sections along the length of Rodeo Creek using measuring tape and a stadia rod to measure top of bank, thalweg, high water marks, and inflection points along the banks. We made detailed sketches of channel morphology and vegetation at each cross section. We compared the resulting incision profiles of Rodeo Creek with a stream incision study of Walker Creek in northern Marin County by William Haible (1976). Rodeo Creek is less incised than Walker Creek. The most severe incision... https://escholarship.org/uc/item/5c154206 Wed, 11 Aug 2004 00:00:00 +0000 Bass, Phoebe Choy, Min https://escholarship.org/uc/item/59d2g69h <p>In 1991 Napa County adopted an erosion control ordinance that regulates alterations of landscapes with slopes greater than 5%. The objectives of the Hillside Ordinance are to reduce erosion from hillsides into streams and improve water quality. Vineyard development and management are regulated by this ordinance.</p><p>Little research has directly addressed the effectiveness of erosion control strategies as recommended by the Hillside Ordinance. The Napa Conservation District (RCD) initiated the first monitoring that will compare management techniques for erosion control. They are recording suspended sediment concentrations (SSC) flowing from two vineyard plots under different management. The RCD will conduct further data analysis in May of 2004.</p><p>Another study conducted by Lutrick (2000), a student in landscape Architecture 222, focused on the impacts of vineyard development to a stream in Napa. After the plots were cleared Lutrick (2000) conducted basic stream surveys... https://escholarship.org/uc/item/59d2g69h Wed, 11 Aug 2004 00:00:00 +0000 Rogé, Paul https://escholarship.org/uc/item/4nj8495n <p>In this study, I examine channel form in restored and natural tidal marshes to understand how marshes evolve from salt ponds and agricultural fi elds to naturally functioning tidal marshes. I examined the channel morphology of two marshes near the mouth of the Napa River in Solano County, California – one natural marsh approximately 100 years old (“centennial marsh”) and one restored in 1995 – using mapping techniques in ArcView GIS. I followed the techniques of a previous analysis done by Phil Williams and Associates (PWA) in 2003 on four other restored and natural marshes in the North San Francisco Bay and examined channel sinuosity, bifurcation ratios, length ratios, and drainage density (Garrity 2003). By combining my results with the results of the other four marshes, I have found that the data no longer fully conforms with the trends found by PWA. Both studies found that bifurcation ratios and length ratios of fi rst order channels tend to be larger for younger marshes.... https://escholarship.org/uc/item/4nj8495n Wed, 11 Aug 2004 00:00:00 +0000 Hall, Meredith https://escholarship.org/uc/item/40q6j1cz <p>To evaluate possible effects of groundwater pumping on streamflow in tributaries draining the Rancho San Carlos development near Carmel, Monterey County, California site, I compared pre- and post-development rainfall to stream runoff. Despite higher annual precipitation, unusually low summer flows occurred in San Jose Creek after 2000, when Rancho San Carlos groundwater pumping began. These results suggest that pumping groundwater has affected flow in streams, potentially affecting recharge to the Carmel River, and flows to steelhead trout and water supply for the Monterey Peninsula.</p> https://escholarship.org/uc/item/40q6j1cz Wed, 11 Aug 2004 00:00:00 +0000 Ford, Alexander https://escholarship.org/uc/item/3tj2z27b <p>As cities expand and encroach onto rural lands, large impervious surfaces in the form of buildings, parking lots and roads cover the landscape. These impervious surfaces generate increased quantities of stormwater runoff which flow rapidly into municipal conveyance systems bypassing the natural infiltration processes resulting in polluted water and altered natural hydrologic systems. By replacing the footprint area of a building with a rooftop garden, greenroofs may offer an opportunity to control runoff and remove pollutants from rainwater. In this report we examined two greenroofs, one in Petaluma, California and the other in Portland, Oregon to determine their hydrological characteristics and how they perform as stormwater management techniques. We found that both roofs reduce the volume of stormwater runoff by an average greater than 60% while also reducing peak flows and increasing runoff time. Our results show that greenroofs are viable on-site stormwater control devices.</p> https://escholarship.org/uc/item/3tj2z27b Wed, 11 Aug 2004 00:00:00 +0000 Dean, Ronald Steinemann, Edward https://escholarship.org/uc/item/3nv910gz <p>The Richmond Field Station Natural Restoration Project is a five-year, multimillion dollar effort by the University of California to remedy polluted marsh lands, restore upland prairie habitat, and to convert a concrete flood control channel into a free flowing creek and riparian corridor. Historically no creek existed here so the dynamics of this concrete drain system must be understood to properly design a new channel. This study assesses multiple aspects of the concrete channel to determine the health(assessed using EPA standards) and qualifications for restoration. We measured flow at various intervals along the channel using velocity observations and cross sectional areas, developing a stage-discharge relationship. On a weekly basis for three months during the winter/spring of 2004 we measured water quality characteristics: dissolved oxygen, turbid ity, and conductivity. This information addresses the question of what the hydrological characteristics are for this unique... https://escholarship.org/uc/item/3nv910gz Wed, 11 Aug 2004 00:00:00 +0000 Davis, Courtney Nichols, Patrick https://escholarship.org/uc/item/351965sq <p>The San Pablo Creek Watershed is a large and geographically diverse stream located East of the San Francisco Bay. San Pablo Creek historically provided habitat for an abundant population of steelhead trout, a federally listed threatened species. However, in 1919, the East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD) constructed a dam and reservoir on San Pablo Creek. Since the 1950’s, residents and regulators have observed a decline in the abundance of anadromous fish. Our study assesses San Pablo Creek’s current viability for anadromous fish, by examining the input of water from perennial tributaries of San Pablo Creek and the mainstem’s habitat characteristics. By analyzing flow patterns and features including pool-riffle sequences and embeddedness, we determined that San Pablo Creek provides adequate rearing habitat for steelhead trout, but limited spawning habitat.</p> https://escholarship.org/uc/item/351965sq Wed, 11 Aug 2004 00:00:00 +0000 Anderson, Shannah Maldague, Lorraine https://escholarship.org/uc/item/2vz4k4mp <p>Rodeo Lagoon is an estuarine lake dominated by freshwater, with maximum measured salinity levels less than one-third that of seawater. This project identifies three possible sources for salinity beyond the seasonal input of seawater from the adjacent Pacific Ocean, and evaluates their significance in the early spring season using two data sets: a groundwater study on the barrier beach between the ocean and the lagoon to determine rate and direction of subsurface flow; and a salinity profile in the lagoon at depths of 0, 0.5, 1.5 and 2.5 meters. Groundwater flows through the barrier beach toward the ocean at a Darcy velocity of about 5 meters per day. Salinity declines steeply with proximity to the inlet of Rodeo Creek into Rodeo Lagoon indicating that the effluent is fresh water with low dissolved solid content. Leachate from sediments at the bottom of Rodeo Lagoon are a possible salinity source. The validity of this source could be determined by sampling and testing the bottom... https://escholarship.org/uc/item/2vz4k4mp Wed, 11 Aug 2004 00:00:00 +0000 Waljeski, Christine A. Williams, John L. https://escholarship.org/uc/item/2r10q40m <p>Monitoring the ensuing morphological and vegetative change of river restoration projects has become evermore important as an increasing number of communities embrace such efforts. Numerous projects have succeeded in the short run and failed in the long run, but the success of a project can only be assessed through postproject monitoring efforts. A section of Tassajara Creek in Dublin California stretching roughly one mile was restored in 1999. The generalized goals of the project were to reconstruct the highly incised channel to accommodate for the 100 year discharge and to restore riparian habitat. A monitoring plan to document the effects of the implemented project was developed in 2001 accompanied by a series of eight cross-sections, a longitudinal profile, and photographs to begin the post-project evaluation. Between 2002 and 2003 four additional studies were conducted to continue the monitoring effort. All of these projects found some localized incision and aggradation.... https://escholarship.org/uc/item/2r10q40m Wed, 11 Aug 2004 00:00:00 +0000 Oden, Matt DeHollan, Aurel https://escholarship.org/uc/item/2j899526 <p>Stream alterations and human disturbances over time have reduced salmonid fish populations in Redwood Creek (Marin County, California). A restoration project in fall 2003 sought to increase the number of juvenile fish rearing pools along an 1800-foot reach of Redwood Creek. To evaluate the success of this project, we characterized changes in channel morphology through feature and facies mapping and photo-documentation in a 432-foot sub-reach of the restoration site. Our post-project evaluation found that the installation of large woody debris weir structures was successful in creating pools and increasing the overall habitat complexity of this sub-reach. Our detailed survey map provides a basis for future monitoring at the Redwood Creek restoration site or other sites in need of evaluation.</p> https://escholarship.org/uc/item/2j899526 Wed, 11 Aug 2004 00:00:00 +0000 Matz, Mike Purcell, Alison https://escholarship.org/uc/item/0vw2753k <p>Lehi Park in Santa Cruz County is preparing to submit a long-term sustained yield timber harvesting plan (Non-industrial Timber Management Plan or NTMP) to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection for a portion of the Scott Creek Watershed. This portion of Scott Creek hosts a population of Rainbow Trout; the landowner wants to retain those trees that will contribute to pools with adequate structure to provide cover for trout.</p><p>We observed and described large woody debris and its orientation in the channel of Scott Creek and its effect on sediment storage and conveyance, as well as channel form; and we developed baseline data for water quality monitoring for the NTMP.</p><p>We surveyed a longitudinal profile (of the thalweg, water surface, and high water mark) and four cross sections, made fourteen sediment depth readings along the channel, and made several field sketches and took pictures to document the effects of large woody debris on channel form. This... https://escholarship.org/uc/item/0vw2753k Wed, 11 Aug 2004 00:00:00 +0000 Garcia, Luis Orduna, Rodrigo https://escholarship.org/uc/item/9c6177m1 <p>In October 2000, Secretary of the Interior Bruce Babbitt and California Secretary of Resources Mary Nichols joined in a symbolic ceremony to begin the removal of the 90-year old Saeltzer Dam on Clear Creek in northwestern California, a long-known barrier to fish migration. The removal of Saeltzer Dam was intended to benefit populations of federally listed spring-run chinook salmon and steelhead trout by providing access to approximately 10 miles of upstream habitat. In April of 2003, we visited the former site of Saeltzer Dam. Through surveys, sketch maps, and photographs of the area immediately upstream of the former dam site, we identified a number of changes to creek morphology since removal of the dam and a previous geomorphic survey that took place in the spring of 2001. These changes included lateral bank erosion of up to 60 feet in banks composed of mixed unconsolidated sediments, bed incision, deposition of large gravel and cobble bars, desiccation of some upland... https://escholarship.org/uc/item/9c6177m1 Thu, 4 Mar 2004 00:00:00 +0000 Ferry, Mike Miller, Peter