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Pescadero and Butano Creeks Watershed Sediment TMDL
The Pescadero and Butano Creek watersheds in coastal San Mateo County capture water that flows off the western slopes of the Santa Cruz Mountains, to Pescadero Marsh, and on to the Pacific Ocean. These watersheds provide habitat for a diverse array of aquatic life, including steelhead trout and, in the recent past, coho salmon. The watershed’s steep coastal streams are in a geologically active region bordered on the east by the San Andreas Fault. Pescadero Marsh, a 320-acre brackish and freshwater wetland at the confluence of Pescadero and Butano creeks, is one of the most significant coastal wetlands on the central California coast. The watersheds are designated impaired by excessive sedimentation due to erosion and sediment from natural geologic and climatic processes, intensified by human land use practices including roads and timber clearcutting. Excess sediment has degraded aquatic habitat and led to declining populations of rare and endangered species, including coho salmon, steelhead trout, tidewater goby, California red-legged frog, and San Francisco garter snake. In addition to sediment, scientists have identified other factors that may be limiting populations of sensitive species, such as a lack of woody debris in streams, which provides shade and refuge for young fish; water withdrawals during critical low-flow periods; problems with water circulation and management in the lagoon, and degraded water quality. In order to address the full range of issues, the Pescadero and Butano Creeks Watershed Sediment TMDL will incorporate a Habitat Enhancement Plan for the watershed. TMDL Timeline
Studies and Reference MaterialsPescadero-Butano Watershed Assessment (2004)Annotated bibliography of studies and reports on the marsh and lagoon Salmonid Habitat Restoration Planning Resource (Coastal San Mateo and Santa Cruz counties) Salmonid population dynamics modeling study Watch this space for results of a study investigating linkages between sediment inputs, transport, and storage supporting or impairing biological function, specifically salmonid population dynamics, in Pescadero and Butano creeks Please join our mailing list!Sign up to receive information about upcoming events and new studies. For more information contact:Mike NapolitanoEngineering Geologist San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board 1515 Clay St., Suite 1400 Phone: (510) 622-2397 Fax: (510) 622-2460 E-mail: mnapolitano@waterboards.ca.gov |
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