A Publication of Friends of Watershed friendsofpinolecreek.org Winter 2017–18 ©

< At last, a healthy creek and a place for wildlife to thrive: Pavon Creeks.

increasing diversity of wildlife: Western pond turtles, the endangered red-legged frogs, killdeer, egrets, blue herons, and buffleheads make their home in the seasonal . Monitoring will continue for another 3 years as the site becomes permanently established. Thereafter, the creek and restoration will be maintained in perpetuity for the benefit of sensitive fish and wildlife species. It was a great day to tour the Pavon Creeks site and experience first-hand the beauty of our watershed. — Ann Moriarty

Chelsea Wetlands

Photo: Ann MoriartyPhoto: Restoration Update Did you A Thriving, Healthy Ecosystem! know? Pavon Creeks, which flow into Pinole Creek, are The Pinole Creek Water- fed by an extensive sub-watershed that reaches shed covers into the Briones Hills. It is home to a fabulous approximately 15 square variety of wildlife and native plants that reflect miles in the Chelsea Wetlands covers 12 acres north-west part the watershed’s health. in the lower Pinole Creek Watershed. of Contra Costa Many organizations have been working County. ne on-going threat to most rainy season, FOPCW joined other on a plan to restore 7 acres of this area To report spills creeks is the build-up of members of the community to tour to a tidal wetlands since 2009 and had or trash in the hoped it would be constructed in 2018. creek call: sediments that erode from the site and discover the changes that (510) 724-9010 Ocrumbling hillsides and wash into the have occurred since FOPCW’s tour in Unfortunately, the construction has or (800) NO water during seasonal floods. Just such 2012. A wonderful story unfolded as been delayed until 2019. However, DUMPING. a problem exists at Pavon Creeks, Bert Mulchaey and representatives Ducks Unlimited, the partner agency To report graffiti located at “the Y” at the intersection of from Balance Hydrologics, who in charge of the restoration, has made in the Pinole Castro Ranch and Alhambra Valley designed the project, shared the significant progress in getting permits and the majority of the $2.4 million Creek area, Roads. current status. contact the City needed, and they are committed to the of Pinole Public A major restoration project was Willows are thriving in the various project. The biggest challenge is Works at (510) completed by Municipal channels, their roots slowing down the securing an additional $500,000. 724-9010. Utility District (EBMUD) in 2011. flow of water and silt. The sediment Fortunately, tidal marsh habitat The project included the construction forebays have trapped a large portion restorations are in demand for of a series of seasonal wetlands and of the silt that washes down in a remediation and DU believes that a sediment traps as well as riparian typical year. As a result, the lower turn-key project like this should be planting to stabilize creek banks. ponds (closest to the road looked upon favorably. In April 2017, after the intense intersection) are home to an — Carol Arnold

The Friends of Pinole Creek Watershed newsletter is published whenever there is material or information to share with the community. Editor: Carol Arnold, co-founder of FOPCW; designed and produced by Melissa Lawton Design. Many thanks to contributors: Ann Moriarty, Elissa Robinson and Maura Sullivan. secured tosecured finish the segment fromtrail announcedhas also that agrant has been in June. Regional East Bay The Park District is under construction and setfor completion overbridge the train tracks to Pinole Shores from Pinole’s Bayfront Park that includes a January connector 2018.Along-awaited Santa Fe Avenue in Hercules in was finished 2017, and asegment from Bayfront Blvd. to Intermodal Transit Center in March opened to Bayfront Blvd. and the planned Hercules Pinole. Asegment from by Victoria the Bay completing the Bay SF Trail in and around SF Bay Trail in Pinole Closing the Gaps on the with the usualbags quicklyup suspects: filled volunteers fanned out the along creek we Asthe by wildlife. and 35 ingested can be persistof plasticthey in as the environment admonition to up pick even the smallest bits the group ofvolunteers off with an Northrop ranger Virginia EBMUD started lunch to finishoffand the aBBQ day. and the hosted event, providing equipment Costa County Watershed Program organized Utility District and the (EBMUD) Contra clean up trash. FOPCW, Bay East Municipal of the Alhambra Valley closure Road and watershed in August 2017to take advantage FOPCW News andEvents Pinole Valley Clean-up Pinole There significantbeen in progress has metin the upper PinoleFOPCW Creek

Many thanks who participated! to all Bay Express on Pinole and recorded TV. event The provided featured food. was East in thatthe and agencies logistics arranged manytogether community new members and The clean-upevent, a successful was bringing depart/cd/recycle/illegal-dumping.htm. visit http://www.co.contra-costa.ca.us/ dumping or 1-800-No-Dumping, by calling to report anyoneencouraged yousee You road. ofthisbeauty peaceful are the health on ofthe the creek and isablight dumping dumping zone. affects Theillegal Alhambra Valley isanotorious Road debris, and even achildren’s plastic pool. containers. We up deck couches, pulled also bottles, cans, car debris food and fast Richmond Tree to Lone Point a in Rodeo, from Point Shoreline in Pinole Regional Trail that span will the bay completed ofa goal Hercules The to Rodeo.

information visit BayTrail.org. Fordistance iswithin of10miles, sight! more clean up. Alhambra Valley Road duringthesummer up from thebankofPinoleCreekalong andotherDumped decking trashwas hauled — M aura Sullivan

Photo Virginia Northrop FOPCW News andEvents, continued District, and Acorn Inc., Design and was fabricated and by installed Blue Pond Signs. by Elizabeth designed was The sign Harrison, Contra CostaResource Conservation installing thepassage. fish lower watersheds by reconnecting the upper and 60’s, and the importance of Interstate 80created in the the construction of watershed, the barrier that troutrainbow in the presence and ofsteelhead priority. It describes the lower watersheds was a the upperbetween and restoring this connection and describingdesign, why the explaining project, the of an overview panel gives The installed. interpretive interpretive was sign Project was made when the ImprovementPassage of the Pinole Creek Fish final step in completionthe On January 31,2018the

2018 SpringMeeting 2850 Estates Avenue Pinole Senior VillageSenior Pinole 7:00–9:00 pm April 19 April Pinole 4150. Orvisitourwebsite at: friendsofpinolecreek.org. request to: [email protected]. Inquiries,pleasecall925-672-4577, ext. To receive information andoure-newsletter by email,please sendyour youthere! see about the projectsthat Friends ofPinole Creek isworking We on. to hope to connect with other community members in the watershed, and to learn The meeting all interested is open to greatindividuals, and isa opportunity the and other area, applicationssurvey for this technology. use ofdrones in constructing the the bridge—how new drones were to used April speakers Our discuss will guest 19th the at the Pinole Village. Senior Welcome!Spring Meeting April 19—All The next Friends of Pinole Creek Watershed meetingbe held on will on thepathbehindAMFPinoleValley Lanes. The signislocated downstream ofInterstate 80, You canview thesignandfishpassage yourself.

Photo Elissa Robinson