The Colgan Creek

CARE GUIDE A Watershed Community Handbook for Restoring Colgan Creek

by Juliane Poirier

For the Redwood Empire Chapter of Trout Unlimited The Department of Water Resources and the City of Santa Rosa, 2015

Our Watershed Community flourish, we make many small

CONTENTS Under just the right conditions, a attempts to better conditions for fish hatches or a seedling sprouts— them. This includes every job from Our Watershed Community 1 hurray! Nature triumphant! picking up trash to propagating native plants. If you propagate a plant, you Colgan Creek Watershed Tour 2 But Nature doesn’t succeed every and your seed or seedlings are going 1. Kawana Terrace Road 4 time. Instead, she makes many to face imperfect conditions. Failures 2. Petaluma Hill Road 5 small attempts, waiting for the right will happen. But following Nature’s 3. Kawana Spring Creek 5 conditions. An oak may produce A healthy stretch of Santa Rosa Creek example, you keep trying one thing or 4. Colgan Ave. Box Culvert 6 10,000 acorns, from which only another—planting more, watering 5. Hearn Avenue 6 two trees may result. And of 2,500 Colgan Creek’s biggest challenge is less, staying attentive. 6. Victoria Drive 7 salmon eggs from a spawning female, water too warm to support the life 7. Dutton Meadow Avenue 7 only two lucky fish may survive to cycle of trout, salmon and many other When your small attempts meet just 8. Bellevue Avenue 7 leave the ocean and migrate back native species. Our creek needs many the right conditions—hurray! Colgan

to their home creeks to spawn. more trees and shrubs to produce Creek Triumphant! And all because 8 cooling shade, food and cover. you helped.

Whether acorns become oaks or fry Watershed Maps 9 become spawning salmon depends Learning Together Go to http://www. colgancreek.org/

on countless conditions being just We all know something about creeks, History 9 right. Nature faces daunting odds, but no one—not even an expert creek

but she never stops trying. We follow scientist—knows it all. So all kinds of Native Plants 13 Nature’s example as we restore people need to work together and

Colgan Creek—possibly the most share their knowledge. Even if we Propagating Plants 14 polluted and channelized creek in don’t all meet face to face, we

Sonoma County. What a great comprise a watershed community Wildlife 15 opportunity for us! whose members learn together. As a

member of the Colgan Watershed Helping Native Fish 16 Community, you might be a student

one minute, a teacher the next— Water Quality Tests 17 always embracing Nature’s motto:

“Keep on Trying!” Tree List 18

To help trees, birds, fish and other Doug Gore with Coho salmon he Appendix 19 Great white heron organisms (including people) to caught in the Jenner estuary, 1960 1

COLGAN CREEK coaxed lush green grass from the Students and Teachers at These Schools mountain. We pay our park-use fee Amarosa Academy WATERSHED TOUR and approach the trail. Right away we Bellevue School Wherever you are, you’re in a are in the shadows of two tanks, six Elsie Allen High School watershed—a bowl-like function of stories high and impounded by Kawana School landscape catching rainwater—where CHECKLIST OF fencing topped with barbed wire. Meadow View School rainwater flows into a creek or river. CREEK-HELPING These Kawana water tanks hold 20 Sonoma Academy The Colgan Creek watershed is almost million gallons of Russian River water, GROUPS 5,000 acres of drainage, and 9 miles of Nature Advocates including water from the Colgan Creek Redwood Empire Chapter of Trout Unlimited —one of many watersheds Laguna Foundation encompassed by the Russian River Russian Riverkeeper watershed. Colgan Creek’s Salmonid Restoration Federation headwaters are on Taylor Mountain, California Native Plant Society the County’s newest regional park. STRAW (Students and Teachers Restoring a Watershed) From here, water travels southwest Local Government across Santa Rosa and pours into the City of Santa Rosa 30,000-acre , Sonoma County Water Agency which joins to enter Sonoma County Parks the Russian River at Mirabel, and Kawana water tank, Taylor Mountain Sonoma County Agricultural and Open Space District flows into the sea at Jenner. that flowed to the Russian River and Sotoyome Resource Conservation District was pumped back to the tanks. Taylor Mountain Headwaters Hike State Government We begin our tour on Taylor Mountain North Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board (for water pollution) Near the water tanks is the entrance early spring, when the rains have California Department of Water Resources gate where a sign instructs us to share California Department of Fish and Wildlife this park with cattle. These gentle California Natural Resources Agency animals, if not managed properly, can harm the watershed, each one drinking up to 30 gallons a day, depositing waste on land and in the waterways, and trampling delicate calsalmon.org habitat areas. Boldly, we enter the CA Dept. park and climb the mountain to Water Resources explore the place where Colgan Creek begins. 2

Erosion Rainwater has also cut into the mountainside. Shallow cuts run into deeper cuts that release sediment into the creek. This sediment loss on Taylor Mountain has impacts that begin here and build up all the way to the ocean. Above, left to right: Indian lettuce (Claytonia perfoliata), soap plant (Chlorogalum pomeridianum), Excessive sediment releases California buttercup (Ranunculus Californicus). Left: wild turkey degrade the water clarity needed Above: Eroding head-cut on Mt. Taylor. prints.. by migratory fish, for spawning. The Below: Oak tree in eroding head cut, losing still is gathered and eaten by erosion we can see on a small scale stability as soils are washed away. modern-day foragers. We also here joins sediment erosion from find soap plant—named for one other places, travelling to mouth of of its uses—and the California the Russian River at Jenner where, mugwort, which used for after a storm, it appears as a large purposes including pain relief brown plume stretching out to sea. Native Plants and religious rituals. In the damp Mt. Taylor is a healthy, oak woodland earth we also notice small animal Sediment not reaching Jenner builds habitat. As we climb it, we find native prints and the deep hoof prints of up in flat stream reaches, filling in wildflowers and plants that were cattle. gravel beds needed by spawning useful to California Indians, and salmon and aquatic insects. plants such as Indian lettuce, which

Cows in the Watershed Weighing on average well over 1,000 pounds at maturity, cows compress the soil where they walk. When their hooves make cuts in damp ground, rain washes the soil out, deepening the cuts. Over time, these cuts become gullies that continue to erode and deepen, presenting danger to the cows. Cuts and gullies can trip and injure a heavy bovine, and steep ravines can trap and kill one. Riparian fencing and rotational grazing techniques can be used to mitigate destructive impacts from cows and prevent over grazing in the watershed. Cattle hoof marks Riparian cattle fencing 3

Once we leave the mountain, we face COLGAN CREEK urban Santa Rosa. Development and 8 Water Quality Monitoring Checkpoints (at 7 locations) private property make it impossible to walk Colgan Creek, so the remainder 1 5 of our tour will be by car , to seven stops— sites where water samples are collected for testing.

1: Kawana Terrace Road Directly from Taylor Mountain flows Buckeye at Kawana Terrace site Kawana Terrace Road Hearn Avenue Kawana Springs Creek, which runs Kawana Terrace has healthy riparian down to Colgan Avenue, where it 2 6 vegetation, including a magnificent becomes the waterway we know as buckeye, newly planted valley oaks Colgan Creek. Our first stop is on and an Oregon ash. The native arroyo Kawana Springs Creek, just off willow growing in the channel can block stream flow with its multiple Petaluma Hill Road Victoria Drive trunks. Single-trunked willows would work willows would be preferable. 3 Non-natives here include Himalayan 7 blackberry, a tasty but invasive legacy of Luther Burbank. This shrub can out-compete natives and impair 4 Clean cobble with spaces between rocks stream health. Kawana Terrace Road, near the Dutton Meadow Kawana Springs Creek (3) entrance to Taylor Mountain Park. Coglan Avenue Box Culvert (4) Here, the stream has rock cobble, 8 washed down from Taylor Mountain . A healthy trout stream would have such clean cobble, and the spaces between the rocks are necessary to Bellevue Avenue aquatic insects and to salmonid eggs. When sediment fills such spaces, neither fish nor cold-water insects can use the cobble. Oil pollution Valley oak beside Kawana Springs Creek 4

Between here and our next stop, residents are not careful with what 3. Kawana Springs Creek Kawana Terrace Road has fairly enters their storm drain intakes. Kawana Springs Creek continues along decent habitat conditions; good city Here the native live oaks provide a natural channel below Petaluma Hill planning calls for setbacks here, shade, but more tree canopy would Road, including a stretch by Colgan on the north bank, which prevented benefit the creek, here and also Creek Park. Here, where the stream development from getting too close downstream. bed flattens out, we can see where a to creek habitat. There is plenty of great deal of sediment has been room to plant more native trees on deposited. the north bank, where more shade Native trees here include live oak, native species—are needed to shade and habitat would improve the valley oak, black walnut, Oregon ash, and cool air and water temperatures. reach. red willow and arroyo willow. The Behind the nearby Costco store, an creek stretch by the Costco loading underground concrete channel 2. Petaluma Hill Road dock is identified as a "native oak crosses the parking lot and brings Just north of where Petaluma Hill regeneration" area. But few oaks are Colgan Creek to merge with Kawana Road meets Kawana Springs Road, Stream channel at Petaluma Hill Road regenerating here, and many more Springs Creek at Colgan Avenue. Kawana Springs Creek flows through Parts of this reach are being trees—perhaps a mixture of other a cement channel below Petaluma restored, yet more native trees are Hill Road. The undercrossing is a needed. Their shade would not only classic box culvert which can block lower ambient air and water fish passage, particularly juvenile temperatures, but also reduce the fish. Long stretches of flat concrete channel-clogging vegetation that with water sheeting across it are thrives in sunlight. The stream bed difficult for a fish to negotiate. This does have some good cobble, but lack of "connectivity" in a stream this reach of stream channel is habitatCogan reach Avenuehas a detrimental Box Culvert (4) especially vulnerable to becoming effect on a fish population’s ability filled with fine sediment. to move up and down the channel Better erosion control upstream freely to seek food or shelter. would help protect the cobble from filling in and discourage growth of We also see a large storm drain This creek stretch behind Costco entering the box culvert from the arroyo willow in the channel, which (also pictured above) needs north. This drain can introduce can impair flows. shade from more native trees. pollutants into the creek if upstream 5

4. Colgan Avenue Box Culvert 5. Hearn Avenue The Colgan Avenue box culvert is Just upstream of Hearn Avenue is our important to look at, because it next testing site. A Sonoma County discharges both creek water and Water Agency service road runs along storm drain runoff. Another creek this reach, and the Smart Train tracks might carry fresh rainwater from parallel the waterway upstream of wooded hillsides and marshes, but Hearn Avenue where a new railroad Colgan Creek conveys mostly urban bridge crosses Colgan Creek. (The old bridge often got clogged with debris runoff. Colgan Creek, upstream from Hearn Avenue in heavy rains, which backed up

Some of that runoff originates at the floodwaters to Corby Avenue and Downstream from Hearn Avenue is a storm drains of the Sonoma County caused flooding of homes built too Colgan Creek, emerging on Colgan Avenue storm drain depositing runoff from Fairgrounds, where concentrations of close to the creek.) parking lots, supply yards, auto sales animal waste have been a source of An underground fuel tank at the yards and other businesses. Pollution pollution in the past. southwest corner of Colgan and Here in the creek we see an excess of from these areas will enter Colgan Santa Rosa avenues was the site of channel-blocking reeds, which thrive Creek, unless safe storm water This area of Santa Rosa also has a a groundwater cleanup project, now in lots of sun. A canopy of diverse practices are used. large number of abandoned, completed. native trees here would discourage underground fuel storage tanks growth of invasive plants and benefit that can leak and cause pollution if When Colgan Creek crosses under this reach in many ways. not properly managed. Corby Avenue, it finally reaches a natural channel, and from there flows When it emerges from the box freely to our next water quality test culvert, Colgan Creek travels via site at Hearn Avenue. channels and culverts, flowing under Santa Rosa Avenue and Highway 101. On the bottom of the concrete channel (seen at right) willows and reeds grow in the sediments deposits, and will likely be removed because they can block high stream flows during a winter rain storm.

Colgan Creek along Colgan Avenue Urban rain garden slows, sinks and filters pollutants from storm water 6

6. Victoria Drive Large -growing tree species will be how effective the restoration has The Victoria Drive water testing site planted here to create cooling shade been. Native trees along this reach contains a concrete channel that and to discourage the growth of include black walnut and live oak. brings to mind a cinematic image of invasives. Native specimens have There are also non-native cork oaks, the Los Angeles River, as it appeared been planted in this reach, including of which wine corks are made. in the 1954 sci-fi thriller: “Them!” both red and yellow willows, and some of the native sedges used in basket making. The high school at this site is named for Victoria Drive site, with concrete aprons Pomo basket artist and teacher, restoration project will restore the Elsie Allen. creek from here to Bellevue Avenue. Comparing the water quality here L.A. River film shot in movie, “Them!” 7. Dutton Meadow with the downstream end of the Sheet flow of water across concrete Colgan Creek flows under a bridge at restoration reach will provide an channel bottoms can be impossible Dutton Meadow, near Bellevue indication, in the coming years, of for steelhead or salmon to negotiate Avenue in a natural stream bed, without periodic resting places. These which presents no barrier to fish Sprigged willows at the Bellevue Avenue site concrete aprons are part of a legacy of passage. At this site, restoration work "flood channel" engineering solutions is transforming this section of "flood 8. Bellevue Avenue dating back half a century. Current control channel" into a healthy The Bellevue Avenue site is the science calls for riparian setbacks to riparian ecosystem. Among the many downstream end of the phase I keep concrete a healthy distance from benefits of the improved site will be restoration reach. the waterway, a wider channel that the opportunity forstudent riparian View downstream from Dutton Meadow curves, and a natural stream bottom. biology studies, done on site. In early November of 2014, after completion of the restoration work, The concrete in the Victoria Drive Downstream the channel has been native willows were seen sprouting in channel prevents tree growth and widened and curved, with natural the waterway which was still dry shade, so too much sunlight is hitting stream features added to create pools during record drought—benefitting the water, encouraging reed growth for fish habitat, and riffles with clean from the high water table here. that can block water flow. More trees gravels to support healthy aquatic and shade will discourage unwanted insect populations—a key food source plants and contribute to a healthier for cold water fish. View upstream towards Dutton Meadow creek ecosystem. The planned after stream widening and re-contouring 7

Williams, of Trout Unlimited said, WATER QUALITY Never pour oil into the REPORT “Citizen science is powerful.” Colgan Creek’s main problem is gutter: one quart of oil As we monitor water quality, we WATER PROBLEMS thermal pollution. When water is can contaminate more collect data which we can use to Report spills and dumping in Santa too warm or polluted, the wildlife than 2 million gallons of manage and protect Colgan Creek. Rosa storm drains and creeks. either dies or moves away to find water! a better home. Our goal is to make Emergency hazards, call 911 Watershed Heroes at Home the water of Colgan Creek cool, Used oil goes only to a certified oil Non-emergency hazards — clear and clean enough to support We can be watershed heroes by collection site. within city limits: protecting water quality at home all riparian life forms, particularly Heroic Dog Santa Rosa Public Works trout—indicators of a healthy and around town when we keep (707) 543-3800 Care stream. toxins where they can’t reach the outside city limits: Always carry a creek. Sonoma Co. Environmental Health plastic bag when (707) 565-6565 A Watershed Hero Store toxins properly you walk your In flood control channels: To manage, you must measure. By When stored in damaged containers, dog. Keep dog Sonoma Co. Water Agency measuring water quality in Colgan toxins can leak and get carried into poop out of the (707) 523-1070 Creek, we provide valuable data for the storm drain. If put in the creek and off the storm drains within city limits: managing our resource. Water garbage, toxins can leak into the creek banks (where it gets washed into (707) 543-3800 testing can make us into watershed landfill and contaminate the water the water by rain). Dog waste can outside city limits: (707) 524-7280. heroes, as well. For example, in table. Make certain toxin containers release dangerously high levels of 2007, a Santa Rosa resident took are intact, and stored above the nitrogen pollution. And perhaps we all HELP OUT water quality measurements in ground. Sonoma County has toxin prefer nature walks without smelling, Santa Rosa Creek Stewards Colgan Creek and found that pick-up services (not the regular seeing or stepping on dog droppings. Alistair Bleifuss [email protected] conductivity was too high. He garbage service) and drop-off reported it to the clean water facilities:www.recyclenow.org/ Sonoma County Water Agency authorities and investigators found toxics/house_tox_facility.asp No Pet Dumping, Please! Stream Maintenance Program that excessive amounts of animal Never dump your aquarium water into Jon Niehaus (707) 521-1845 waste were coming from the vicinity Creek-Friendly Car Care the creek. And do not release animals of the Santa Rosa Fairgrounds, To keep car-dirt runoff out of storm from the pet store—fish, turtles, mice, Storm drain stenciling entering storm drains and reaching within city limits: (707) 543-3800 drains, use a commercial car wash. rats, snakes, birds or other non-native the creek. Soon after that, the storm outside city limits: 707) 547-1908 And since oil leaks can reach animals—into the watershed. These water system received long overdue waterways via storm drains, keep a species can transmit disease to wild upgrades— all because a watershed OIL RECYCLING well-maintained engine, and get car fish and other native animals. community member cared enough ECO-DESK (707) 565-3375 oil changed professionally. www.habitattitude.net to monitor water quality. As Jack 8

COLGAN CREEK WATERSHED

7.8 square miles

A highly urbanized watershed, Colgan Creek is now being restored.

According the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, this watershed should be managed as an anadromous fishery.

LAGUNA DE SANTA ROSA WATERSHED

254 square miles

The Russian River’s largest tributary and home to both Steelhead Trout and Coho Salmon.

Notice how the Colgan Creek Watershed is encompassed by the greater, Laguna de Santa Rosa Watershed, at the southern reach. On the following page (10), see how both of these watersheds are enfolded by the greater Russian River Watershed.

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RUSSIAN RIVER WATERSHED HISTORY 1,483 square miles The Colgan Creek watershed wasn’t Home to anadromous Steelhead Rainbow always unhealthy and inaccessible. Trout, Chinook and Coho Salmon. Where Colgan Creek now flows, the Pomo Indians once lived in balance As recently as 1968, this watershed had a with the natural resources they run of 50,000 wild Steelhead. managed. The Pomo liked See how both the Colgan Creek Watershed Taylor Mountain, where traces of and the Laguna de Santa Rosa Watershed their daily lives have been found by fit into the southernmost tip, encompassed archeologists. Evidence suggests the by the greater Russian River Watershed. Pomo maintained the ecosystem for over 10,000 years, giving thanks for food and never taking all. They

pruned and groomed plants on an Pomo Indian, early 1900s established schedule—for example, once in two or three years for sedge also used pruning, controlled roots—in order to keep plants burnings and other sustainable healthy and harvest the most robust techniques. So when the Europeans materials for basket making plants. saw the beautiful area of Sonoma County, they had no idea they were Sustainability Experts seeing a garden, well-tended by Each family had their own sourcing Pomo—the original sustainability area for collecting basket-making experts. plants, and cultivated plants to produce what they needed. They Paradise Lost Sustainability was disturbed when outsiders brought in foreign germs and disease, land-seizing and aggressive development. The Pomo people were severed from their ancestral lands and from the practices that sustained their inner and outer lives.

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Beginning when the Pomo could watersheds including those now no longer practice the sustainable known as Colgan Creek, Laguna land management that had at de Santa Rosa and Russian River, once made the landscape both entered a period of development beautiful and productive, the and gradual ecological decline.

The Pomo “acknowledged that they Headwaters History had been given a bounteous world In 1848, the area that includes the and they worked to keep it balanced Colgan Creek watershed became Taylor’s White Sulphur Springs and unchanged from their Creator’s American land. In the 1850s, Santa design. Rosa’s population was 400 and its not producing anymore, water economy was based on the sales was trucked in. This venture was Imagine their astonishment at the Pomo Indian on Clear Lake in canoe of of cattle and potatoes. short-lived. woven tule plants ways of the Spanish, Russians and soon-to-be-Americans.” John Shakelford Taylor was then When the springs business ended, -K.C. Patrick, homesteading 1,400 acres at the renters took the property and The Pomo of Lake County foot of what is now Taylor were caught producing over 1,000 Mountain. gallons of moonshine per day— the largest bootlegging operation Around 1862, Taylor noticed a ever found in Northern California mineral springs on his property during prohibition. The property and built a resort to lure wealthy was afterward used as a stocked San Franciscans. They came by game preserve. stagecoach to stay at Taylor’s White Sulphur Springs. Although the 1969 earthquake caused the mineral spring to start When the 1906 earthquake producing again, the flow did not shifted the rock formations, the last. All that remains of the former spring stopped and business dried resort are a few old buildings and up with it. In 1910 the resort was some landscaping features. reopened by local businessmen under the faux-Indian place name:

Taylor Mountain, 2013 Kawana. Since the springs were

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Elsie Allen’s Courage graves of those who created them. What Would Elsie Do? But Elsie’s mother, Annie Burke, It takes courage to keep trying. Even asked her daughter to break after all Elsie’s advocacy work, fewer tradition. Elsie not only kept her and fewer Pomo baskets are being mother’s baskets from getting made today because the materials buried in her grave, but helped are so scarce. Pesticides harm native keep the techniques of Pomo plants, most of the undeveloped basket-making from getting buried riparian land is private, and Pomo Elsie Allen, 1899-1990 in obscurity. Elsie reached across families can no longer harvest from cultures to teach basket making. their plant-gathering sites. Many Pomo basket artist Elsie Allen left When she died, Elsie’s baskets were sites are buried under the waters of a legacy that crosses cultural not buried, either. You can see her , an engineered lake. boundaries, a gift both long lasting baskets and those made by other and profound. The high school Pomo artists at the Grace Hudson Yet some basket makers persevere. named for her is reached by Museum in Ukiah. The most basic aspect of basket art crossing a bridge over Colgan work was rooted in the same kind Creek, where extensive restoration of tasks you might do for Colgan Top: Pomo basket (artist unknown). Above: work is now underway. Creek—tending plants. You might Bracken fern used in Pomo basket making, growing in the Colgan Creek watershed even grow a few that Elsie and her Elsie was a world-class basket ancestors used for baskets: willows artist in the Pomo tradition. She itself can be the easiest part. But and sedges. Anything you do to help and her ancestors in Sonoma making a Pomo basket is not easy. restore the health of Colgan Creek County achieved an artistry Could you tie ten thousand perfect contributes to the possible resur- surpassing that of all the world’s knots with dry plant cuttings? That’s gence of a great art form, on the basket-making cultures. This is a how many perfect knots make up land from which it first emerged. phenomenal achievement, and in some Pomo baskets. And these part attributed to the variety and baskets were not just for looks, but Ask a Pomo basket maker how long quality of the materials they could performed many chores, including it takes to make a basket and the choose from, among the plants they holding water without leaking a answer will frequently be, “At least tended for use. drop, storing grains, catching fish Above: Annie Burke, teaching the lattice a year!” basket weave technique and transporting infants. Yet these

We remember Elsie not only for her baskets are as beautiful as they are There is so much preparatory work skills but her courage. Pomo baskets functional—thus earning the world’s required, that making the basket were traditionally buried in the admiration. 12

NATIVE PLANTS Valley Oak ( ) “There’s a reason why native plants Plants, unless tossed about by wind California boasts 20 species of oak are so hard to grow—there are so or humans, don’t move much. We tree, but Colgan Creek has the right many variables. It’s hard work and Californiacan walk right buttercup by them, as if blind conditions for only a few, including takes constant attention because the to their existence. Plant blindness blue oak, red oak, valley oak and the plants have idiosyncratic needs.” is a term coined in 1998 by scientists non-native cork oak. Valley oaks are -- Phil Van Soelen, Western scrub jay with acorn California Flora Nursery James Wandersee and Elizabeth the ones we want, since they thrive Schussler to describe the human But we want to plant more trees by near creeks—and can live 600 years! trait to not notice vegetation. intention than jays or squirrels can You can purchase a seedling (see Or, pick acorns off the ground—

propagate accidentally. chart below) or plant acorns you only fresh-looking valley oak acorns, When people can’t even see a plant, gather from the tree or the ground. without cracks, mold or insect holes. they are less likely to understand Tree-Farming Amateurs what role it has in the ecosystem. Twist off the caps and drop the Growing more trees is up to us Seedlings or Acorns Creek helpers might remind others acorns in a bucket of water, keeping amateurs. Amateur is French, from If you buy your seedling, care for that plants work hard. They filter the ones that sink. First put the the Latin word for someone who it until it’s time to plant it in the water, prevent erosion, provide food, keepers on a flat surface to dry, loves—in this case someone who ground. If you want to propagate a and sequester carbon dioxide, along about half an hour, then place in a loves trees and wants to help them tree, start from an acorn. Take valley with many other jobs. Trees create plastic bag in the fridge for a month. thrive. Sometimes amateurs can have oak acorns from the tree in early fall, shade that cools the air and water for (Acorns that sprout in the fridge superb results growing trees because if they are turning brown and the fish, and roots that filter water and should be planted right away.) they have their heart in their work, cap twists off easily in your fingers. keep the creek banks from washing tending the plants that will one day away in storms. Trees bring birds become trees. A few healthy oaks back to the creek, and give cooling Local Places to Purchase Native Plants and Seeds can provide living space for well over shade for people and other life forms 5,000 other species! Buckeye CSES Larner Seeds Mostly Natives escaping hot sun. Petaluma Windsor Bolinas Tomales

559-7081 838-6641 ext. 401 (415) 868-9407 878-2009 The simplest way to grow more trees buckeyenursery.com cfses.org (appt. only) larnerseeds.com mostlynatives.com Right now Colgan Creek needs more and shrubs is to buy them. Less easy trees and shrubs to create cooling is propagation, which can be tricky, shade and cover. We know that jays California Flora Jail Industries Le Ballister’s North Coast Native according to experts. When you Fulton Santa Rosa Santa Rosa Petaluma and other small animals stash acorns succeed, do share your processes 528-8813 525-8310 526-6733 769-1213 in the ground for eating later, and with others. We are all learning here! calfloranursery.com sonoma-county.org/ Lebalisterseed.com northcoastnativenursery. these acorns often sprout and jailindustries com become trees. by appt. or sched- uled sales only 13

to propagate this plant is by dividing PROPAGATING PLANTS guard them from hungry predators, try cages, closed on the top. In a the roots or by separating the rooted 2 - 3 feet radius around the seedling, rhizomes and transplanting them. remove all weeds. Also, put down mulch so invading plants won’t take Pacific Rush (Juncus effusus) up all the available nutrients and Rushes grow close to the water in moisture your tree needs to grow. thick clumps suggestive of wire-thick Left to right: Red Willow (Salix laevigata) Be sure to water, if necessary. Tend grass. Like Mugwort, the Pacific Rush Yellow Willow (Salix lutea) Valley oak acorns in fall and guard your seedlings for at least can be propagated by dividing mature 2 years. Does that seem like forever? plants or by transplanting rhizomes. Willows Planting & Transplanting If you can’t commit for that long, Willows “sprig” from cuttings. On Buckeye () Colgan Creek, red and yellow willow You can plant acorns November find someone who can, until the Collect buckeye seeds in the fall, but trees are wanted. Between October through March, but ideally in seedling is strong enough to fend for use gloves, since the tree and seeds and December, choose straight November. To plant in the ground, itself. are toxic. Remove the fruit and drop branches between ¾ inch to 1 ½ dig a hole deeper than you need, seeds into a bucket of water to soak inches in diameter. Cut to the main refilling the hole with loosened soil overnight, then drain. Saturate a stem or to a bud which will later to make it easier for roots to spread. Place the acorn on its side and cover mixture of 3 parts potting soil and sprout. Cut at an angle and trim the with ½ - 1 inch of soil. Or, in a 1 part , then drain half an hour. top for a 3-foot cutting length (shorter container of potting mix, place acorn Plant one seed (per container) leaving will work also). Place angled cut 2 ½ on its side and cover with ½ - 1 inch half the seed exposed and the pale feet into the ground, burying 2/3 of of soil. part of the seed under soil. Cover with the cutting. Buds should point up.

a fine layer of soil. Water infrequently, Valley oak seedling Adapted from Groundwork, by Liza Prunuske Transplant seedlings December soaking as you did when planting the through February, in damp but not Adapted from: www.ucanr.edu seeds. Buckeyes will germinate in frozen ground. Dig a hole deeper about 3 weeks. Transplant in spring, than your container, loosening the California Mugwort spacing 20 feet or more apart. Tend soil. Make sure the potting mix (Artemisia douglasiana) buckeyes as you would oak seedlings, remains clinging to the roots, and This plant was used by the Pomo using cages with wire tops. that the top of the potting mix is Indians for medicines and ritual practices. Mugwort grows up to 6 Adapted from: homeguides.sfgate.com/ exactly level with the ground. germinate-buckeye-43042.html feet high and smells a bit like sage.

Mugwort plants grow in close clumps Protect Them California buckeye seeds resembling a shrub. The easiest way Your seedlings are vulnerable. To 14

This common Wild Residents yellowthroat When a lush tree canopy will thrive in a has been restored to Colgan restored Creek, you can look for the Colgan Creek presence of many birds. WILDLIFE In the lowest part of the Above: osprey. Below: tiger salamander Enhancing Habitat trees, called the understory, Habitat equals home; if you look for a songbird called enhance the natural habitat on common yellowthroat; in Colgan Creek, you’ll invite foxes, the midstory, where foliage Above: red-shouldered hawk flies, butterflies, lizards, frogs, is thickest, look for the belted Center: Nutalls woodpeckers, belted kingfisher Below: California freshwater shrimp egrets, owls, trout, salmon, kingfisher; in a tree-trunk shooting star flowers and happier cavity, for a pair of nesting people. Often one key species Nutalls woodpeckers; and in moves in, prompting more species the topmost branches, the show up. The much-maligned Beaver - a watershed hero canopy, for osprey and beavers is such a species, a native red-shouldered hawk. to the Russian River watershed. Creek = Corridor To learn how citizen science turned beavers in Martinez from villains to Animals need the creek to watershed heroes, see: walk, feed, drink, flee or www.martinezbeavers.org/wordpress/ migrate. A creek should provide connectivity for Habitat Extra Credit: TBC3 animals—a safe and unbroken Learn how land use and climate

California red-legged frog When Mark Twain wrote habitat pathway from one place to change are shifting the distribution “The Celebrated Jumping another. For animals, lush creeks of plants and other organisms in our Frog of Calaveras County” are a corridor connecting them to region: Terrestrial Biodiversity and in 1867, his animal subject food, water and cover as they hunt, Climate Change Collaborative (TBC3) was this handsome swimmer hide and protect their off-spring. for the San Francisco Bay Area at at left, which also makes its A fox would have a hard time hiding, http://www.tbc3.org/ projects/vegetation_ home in Sonoma County. hunting or raising kits along Santa impacts/ Rosa Avenue. The species is endangered.

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HELPING NATIVE FISH When 3 key aquatic Fish and Gardening? insects appear, then You may not think of fish when you slip on your gardening gloves, but your 1. Colgan Creek needs lower water conditions are right yard work habits can have a big impact on aquatic life. For healthier temperature. As we restore the for fish and other creeks, replace chemical pesticides with insects that will work hard for you, trees and plants that provide shade, species whose life helping you create an organic garden—healthier for you, too! 2. cycle depends on we can expect water to gradually Green Ladybeetle Dragonfly Bee Syrphid cool and to provide better habitat them: 1. mayflies, Lacewing Fly for fish such as steelhead trout. 2. caddisflies, and Ladybug, darner European 3. aphid wolf ladybird beetle, mosquito, honey bee, hover fly, 3. stoneflies. aphid lion 7-spotted hawk bumble bee flower fly

Most fish now in Colgan Creek are ladybeetle non-natives that can survive in the Where we find these indicators How it Helps How it Helps How it Helps How it How it Helps Eats flies, Pollinates worst warm water conditions. species of insects thriving in Colgan Eats aphids, Helps thrips, scale, Eats aphids, thrips, midges + plants Pollinates Creek, we will also find good water Improving water quality in Colgan mealybugs, scale, mealybugs, mosquitos plants, eats Creek—which flows into the Laguna quality and food for trout. spider mites, spider mites mealybugs de Santa Rosa—will benefit salmon leaf hoppers + others and trout in the Laguna and Russian

River. Ground Parasitic Wasp Spider Soldier Tachinid

Beetle Beetle Fly Water temperatures trichogramma , funnel Maximum others weavers, crab, needed required for life stages of Water Predacious Leatherwings diptera golden orb, Steelhead, Temp. (F) ground beetle, carabids, etc. How it Helps others How it Helps How it Coho and Chinook Attacks eggs of Attacks + Helps How it Helps cutworms, white How it Helps feeds on Eggs to Newborn 55 Eats soil- flies, cabbage loop- Traps, eats aphids + Consumes Spawning, egg incubation and fry emergence dwellers: ers, codling moths, pest insects other caterpillars slugs, snails, tomato horn- soft-bodied + beetles Lots of Kids 60 cutworms, worms, aphids, insects “Core” juvenile rearing (core = high-density population) root maggots scales

Smaller Fish Families 64.4 Adult + “non-core” juvenile rearing (low-density population)

Grown Fish on a Journey 68 Adult migration

“Water is the key: if we do right by fish, we can do right by most other things.” Steelhead trout –Rich Walker 16

WATER QUALITY TESTS 4. Conductivity Report suspicious water This test measures how Keeping records of water quality data test data (Use chart on page 8) well water conducts electricity. enables us to sound the alarm when High conductivity readings may pollution has entered the creek. Thanks to Elsie Allen High School biology indicate an oil spill in the creek or teacher Jenny Fleisher, students perform all seven of these water quality possible storm water tests in Colgan Creek. View data on the website — contamination. (http://map.colgancreek.org/). 5. Turbidity 1. Temperature Turbid water contains suspended Above, conductivity meter Colgan Creek water is generally too warm particles that, in excess, can harm riparian Below, nephelometer to support trout, salmon or other cold-water habitat. Turbidity can be observed with the dependent species. When the newly planted eye, but for scientific purposes is measured in native trees and shrubs begin to mature and turbidity units via nephelometer (NTUs). shade begins to cool the water, conditions will get better. 6. Phosphorus Phosphorus boosts plant growth, making water Water thermometer green and cloudy. When this extra plant life dies, it loads up the creek with rotting vegetation— 2. pH reducing oxygen levels in the water. Phosphorus Creek organisms need water with a balanced is measured in parts per million. pH. In Colgan Creek, the lucky number is 7. Each pH value < 7 indicates 10 times greater 7. Nitrogen acidic. And for each number >7, the base is Nitrogen is a naturally occurring nutrient which, in excess amounts, causes a 10 times greater. If you find pH spikes in host of problems for water bodies, including algae blooms which harm either direction, report it! aquatic environments and are extremely difficult to control. Nitrogen levels in Test strip for Ph reading water are measured in parts per million. 3. Dissolved oxygen Aquatic animals rely on breathing oxygen that is dissolved in water. When the oxygen gets too low, these organisms die. In fact the entire creek can die. Cold water that travels swiftly contains more oxygen than warm, still water, so a healthy creek needs movement. Stagnant water has the lowest levels, and summer is the season when dissolved oxygen levels are predictably low.

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TREE LIST Photos left to right: Oregon ash Big leaf maple Tree species used in Coastal redwood restoration of Colgan Creek California buckeye

Common Name Scientific Name Planting Zone Characteristics, Suitability for Flood Control Channels (area where species is well adapted)

Big leaf maple Mid to Upper Bank Preferred. Relatively upright growth, wide spreading.

Box elder Acer nugundo Mid to Upper Bank Spreading, well-adapted to heavy soils

California buckeye Aesculus californica Upper Bank Adds diversity, and beautiful white blossoms in spring

White alder Alnus rhombifolia Toe to Mid Bank Preferred. Relatively upright growth, wide spreading, fast growth

Oregon ash Fraxinus latifolia Toe to Mid Bank Preferred. Relatively upright growth, wide spreading

N. California black walnut Juglans californica Mid to Upper Bank Adds diversity, hardy growth

Fremont cottonwood Populus fremontii Toe to Mid Bank Relatively upright growth, wide spreading fremontii

Coast live oak Upper Bank Relatively upright growth, wide spreading

Valley oak Quercus lobata Upper Bank Relatively upright growth, wide spreading

Red willow Salix laevigata Toe to Mid Bank Preferred. Relatively upright growth, wide spreading

Arroyo willow Salix lasiolepis Toe to Mid Bank Fast growth, spreading. Only for upper banks, to offset vigorous branching (not preferred) Shining willow Salix lucida lasiandra Toe to Mid Bank Preferred. Relatively upright growth, wide spreading

Coast redwood Sequoia sempervirens Mid to Upper Bank Plant only where this redwood species can be found naturally

California bay laurel Umbellularia californica Upper Bank Preferred. Relatively upright growth, wide spreading

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APPENDIX Groundwork: A Handbook for Credits (pg. 15) Insects, unknown; illustrations Resources Small-Scale Erosion Control in Coastal (p.1) Santa Rosa Creek, Sonoma of trout, coho and Chinook, Sonoma nd A Bay-Friendly Guide to Mulch, by California (2 ed.) by Liza Prunuske. County Gazette; Boy, Gore family, County Water Agency; steelhead the Bay-Friendly Landscaping and Marin Resource Conservation District 1960; great egret, Susan E. Newman. trout, NOAA. (pg. 16) J. Poirier. Gardening Coalition, 2011. and Marin County Stormwater (p.2) Juliane Poirier. (p.3) J. Poirier, (pg. 17) Oregon ash, big leaf maple, Pollution Prevention Program, 1987. except cow, unknown. (p.4) Chart and coastal redwood, unknown; Biodiversity Action Plan for Sonoma photos, Brian Hines; others, J. Poirier. California buckeye, J. Poirier. County (Draft, 2009). A Guide to Restoring Native (p.5) B. Hines. (p.6) Top, B. Hines; Riparian Habitat in the Russian River lower left, J. Poirier; lower right, Acknowledgements California’s Salmon and Trout: Our Watershed, by Sonoma County Sandy Metzger. (p.7) Far left, The following individuals made Valuable Natural Heritage (Rev.) Water Agency and Circuit Rider unknown; others, B. Hines. (p.8) helpful contributions: by Diane Higgins, CACST and U.S. Productions,1998. John Dittes, 2008. (p.9) Maps, Fish and Wildlife Service, 1999. Ashlee Llewellyn; trees, J. Poirier; Benjamin Benson The Habitat Garden Book: Wildlife Pomo woman, E. Curtis. Pepperwood Enhancing and Caring for the Landscaping for the San Francisco (pg. 10) Trees, J. Poirier; Pomo, Susan Billie nd Laguna (vol. 1): Restoring and Bay Region (2 ed.), by Nancy Bauer. unknown; resort, Sonoma County Bead Fever, Ukiah Managing the Laguna de Santa Rosa, Coyote Ridge Press, 2008. Historical Society Collection. Michelle Halbur by Joseph Honton and Anna Warwick (pg. 11) Elsie Allen, Annie Burke, Pepperwood Sears. Laguna de Santa Rosa My Healthy Stream: A Handbook for Pomo basket, unknown; fern, Diane Higgins nd Foundation, 2006. Streamside Owners (2 ed.), by Jack J. Poirier. (pg. 12) Western scrub jay, Salmon in the Classroom, Arcata E. Williams, Michael P. Dombeck, Joyce Gross, 2003. (pg. 13) Valley Brian Hines Field Guide to the Laguna de Santa Christopher E. Wood. Trout Unlimited, acorns, Neil Kramer, 2007; seedling, Redwood Empire Trout Unlimited Rosa: A Manual for Identifying Aldo Leopold Foundation, 2014. Nick De Croce; California buckeye Sean McNeil Common Animals and Plants. Ed. seeds, Charles E. Jones, 2002; City of Santa Rosa Catherine Cumberland. Laguna de Slow It, Sink It, Spread It: A Willows, USDA. (pg. 14) Common Sherrie Smith-Ferri Santa Rosa Foundation, 2009. Homeowner’s and Landowner’s yellowthroat, Christopher Christie, Grace Hudson Museum ,Ukiah Guide to Beneficial Stormwater 2008; Osprey, Gerald & Buff Corsi, Phil Van Soelen Field Guide to the Vernal Pool Plants Management. Southern Sonoma 1999, CAL ACAD; salamander, California Flora Nursery, Fulton of the Santa Rosa Plain: A Manual for County Resource Conservation Bill Stagnaro, 2008; beaver, Identifying Common Vernal Pool Dist. and the Resource Conservation John White, 2003; red-legged frog, Thanks to Brian Hines for text Plants, by Hattie Brown. The Laguna District of Santa Cruz County, 2010. Robert Wanat,2007; red-shouldered contributions, pp. 4- 7. de Santa Rosa Foundation and the hawk, Nutalls woodpecker, Ron Wolf, California Native Plant Society, 2012. 2008; belted kingfisher, Steve Zamek, 2009; shrimp, fox, unknown. 19