Historically the creeks in our watershed were dry much of the year except after rain storms and in scattered deep pools. Today, major sections of Laguna Creek and its tributary streams flow year-round due to agricultural and urban runoff during dry seasons and rainfall during wet seasons. What conditions are considered healthy for an urban valley floor stream today?
WATER QUALITY AND FLOW
- Cool, clear water free of contaminants and excess algae
- Varied flow cycles
CREEK BEDS AND BANKS
- Stable vegetated banks with minimal erosion
- Presence of both slow pools and fast water running over shallow stretches
- Abundant rock and clean gravel of various sizes (critical for fish spawning) in upper watershed stream reaches
PLANTS AND WILD LIFE
- Native riparian tree canopy, which stabilizes banks, provides habitat for birds and small mammals, and keeps water temperatures cool for fish populations
- Abundance of native riparian vegetation, providing cover for wildlife and root systems which stabilize banks (riparian refers to the land adjacent to creeks and rivers, where the vegetation is influenced by the presence of water)
- Thriving fish, amphibian, and aquatic insect populations
Leaves, small branches, fallen logs and other natural vegetative debris within the stream bed and along banks, which support the aquatic food chain and provide hiding places for fish and invertebrates