The lowest stretch of Walnut Creek was straightened, widened and leeveed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in the 1960s, but this attempt at flood control never quite worked as planned. In the early 2000s the Contra Costa County Flood Control District decided to take a different approach: restoring Lower Walnut Creek to a more natural state.
The Lower Walnut Creek Restoration Project took nearly 20 years to go from idea to reality but now tidal marsh restoration is finally underway near the creek's mouth on Suisun Bay. Besides reducing flood risk, the project provides habitat for rare and endangered species including the salt marsh harvest mouse and the elusive black rail.
You may have seen the levee breach that launched the project on TV but now you can see the site — which is not yet open to the public — yourself, in the first post-construction tour of Pacheco Marsh. Join Paul Detjens of the Contra Costa County Flood Control District for a two-hour tour of the restoration project, which he spent two decades shepherding through an obstacle course of government regulations, which sometimes conflicted with each other.
Heavy rain cancels but come prepared for some January shoreline weather including wind and mud. Bring sturdy boots and, per county policy, proof of COVID-19 vaccination and a mask for time inside shared vehicles. Attendees will also need to fill out a liability waiver when on site.
NOTES:
Attendees MUST bring proof of COVID-19 vaccination and a mask for time inside shared vehicles.
The number of spots available on this field trip is EXTREMELY SMALL. For that reason, please inform Robin Meadows if you are no longer able to attend. This will enable others on the waitlist to join.
