Arcade Creek Watershed Plan 6 City of Sacramento Dept
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Arcade Creek Watershed Plan Prepared for: Department of Parks and Recreation City of Sacramento 1023 J Street, Room 200 Sacramento California June 26, 2003 Submitted by: ã 2003 Table of Contents 1.0 AcknowledgmentS............................................................................................................ 1 2.0 Executive Summary .......................................................................................................... 3 3.0 Introduction ....................................................................................................................... 5 3.1 Watershed Area.................................................................................................................................5 3.2 Watershed Planning Approach ................................................................................................... 6 3.3 Stakeholders........................................................................................................................................ 6 3.4 Goals...................................................................................................................................................... 6 4.0 Watershed Resource Assessment..................................................................................... 9 4.1 Location and Description............................................................................................................... 9 4.2 Topography ......................................................................................................................................... 9 4.3 Soil Units...............................................................................................................................................10 4.4 Channel Morphology.....................................................................................................................12 4.5 Land Use .............................................................................................................................................13 4.6 Climate................................................................................................................................................14 4.7 Hydrology and Flooding ...............................................................................................................15 4.7.1 Surface Water....................................................................................................................15 4.7.2 Ground Water....................................................................................................................18 4.8 Water Quality....................................................................................................................................18 4.8.1 Surface Water....................................................................................................................18 4.8.2 Surface Water Quality Monitoring..............................................................................18 4.8.3 Ground Water....................................................................................................................22 4.8.4 Sources of Hazardous Wastes.......................................................................................23 4.9 Flora......................................................................................................................................................23 4.9.1 Plant Communities............................................................................................................23 4.9.2 Priority Species....................................................................................................................25 4.9.3 Non-native Invasive Species.........................................................................................25 4.10 Fauna...................................................................................................................................................26 4.10.1 Wildlife...................................................................................................................................26 4.10.2 Priority Species....................................................................................................................27 4.10.3 Fish..........................................................................................................................................27 4.11 Recreational Resources................................................................................................................28 5.0 Key Watershed Management Issues.............................................................................. 31 6.0 Policy Framework............................................................................................................ 33 6.1 Federal Regulation .........................................................................................................................33 6.2 State Regulation ..............................................................................................................................34 6.3 Local.....................................................................................................................................................34 7.0 Watershed Enhancement Strategies.............................................................................. 37 7.1 Flood Protection ..............................................................................................................................37 7.2 Water Quality....................................................................................................................................39 7.3 Habitat.................................................................................................................................................41 7.4 Recreation .........................................................................................................................................43 7.5 Integrated Project Opportunities...............................................................................................44 7.6 Plan Revision......................................................................................................................................45 8.0 Glossary ........................................................................................................................... 47 Arcade Creek Watershed Plan i City of Sacramento Dept. of Parks and Recreation 9.0 References Cited............................................................................................................. 51 List of Appendices Appendix A - An Annotated List of the Birds of Arcade Creek Appendix B - The Vascular Plant Flora of the American River College Nature Area Appendix C - Tree and Shrub Species from the Arcade Creek Feasibility Study Appendix D - Arcade Creek Watershed Recommended Projects Appendix E - Schools and Parks in the Arcade Creek Watershed Appendix F - Arcade Creek Watershed Stakeholders List of Figures Figure 1 – Arcade Creek Watershed Figure 2 – Generalized Soil Units in Arcade Creek Watershed Figure 3 – National Wetland Inventory for Arcade Creek Watershed Figure 4 – Land Use in the Arcade Creek Watershed Figure 5 – FEMA Floodplain for Arcade Creek Watershed Figure 6 – Sources of Toxicants in the Arcade Creek Watershed Figure 7 – CNDDB for the Arcade Creek Watershed and Surrounding Area Figure 8 – Park and Recreation Districts in the Arcade Creek Watershed Arcade Creek Watershed Plan ii City of Sacramento Dept. of Parks and Recreation 1.0 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The following are acknowledged for their contributions and for the provision of technical assistance to this plan: Jo Smith, Watershed Resident Sacramento County Department of Water Resources Janet Parris Kerry Schmitz American River Flood Control District Paul Devereux City of Citrus Heights Kevin Becker Sacramento Area Flood Control Agency John Bassett Tim Washburn City of Sacramento Utilities Department Bill Busath Pat Sanger City of Sacramento Parks and Recreation Department Terese Haenggi Sacramento Urban Creeks Council Alta Tura State Water Resources Control Board Mary Tappel Arcade Creek Watershed Plan 1 City of Sacramento Dept. of Parks and Recreation Arcade Creek Watershed Plan 2 City of Sacramento Dept. of Parks and Recreation 2.0 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The focus of the Arcade Creek Watershed Plan (the Plan) is to support enhancement in four major areas: flood control, habitat, recreation and water quality. These target goals were identified by the Arcade Creek Watershed Group in August, 2002 as being the most significant within the watershed and providing the greatest opportunity for overall enhancement of watershed value. The Plan provides background on the resources and management challenges of the Arcade Creek watershed located in Sacramento and Placer Counties, California. This small, urbanized watershed contains one of the most heav ily impacted stream systems in the region. This degraded ecosystem has severe water quality problems, is subject to moderate flood damage, and has significantly compromised habitat conditions. At the same time, the juxtaposition of the creek corridors next to extensive residential development provides important opportunities for passive recreation and local stewardship. The urbanized nature of the landscape causes high loadings of toxicants and the hot, dry summer climate create high ambient temperatures in the creek and its tributaries. Related