To mitigate the effects of the reservoirs on the creek habitat, Marin Municipal Water District is implementing a comprehensive, long – term effort of actions to be taken in order to enhance the habitat of the creek for the benefit of coho, steelhead, and shrimp over a ten year period. In 2011, MMWD completed a new watershed stewardship plan to guide its course of action into the future. Please click on the  Lagunitas Creek Stewardship Plan to view the document.

Large Woody Debris (LWD) left in the streams include a multitude of benefits to the overall health of a watershed. LWD include trees, rootwads, logs, large branches which enable the following;

• Contributes organic nutrient input for benthic macroinvertebrates (mayflies, stoneflies and caddisflies) which in turn feed the fish
• Creates deep, cool-temperature scour pools that act as fish refuge during high flows in the winter and low flows in the summer
• Adds overall complexity to the system
• Interfaces and dissipates velocity of flows during peak rain events which creates refugia and slows the flow enough to allow spawning gravels to deposit upstream of the wood structure(s)
• Provides refuge from predation
• Catches salmon carcasses that will provide nutrients to the floodplains for enriched riparian growth
• Click HERE to learn more, ‘Maintaining Wood in Streams: A Vital Action for Fish Conservation’!

MMWD has a Memorandum of Understanding with the County of Marin, Marin County Open Space District, CA Department of Parks and Recreation, National Park Service and Marin RCD for leaving woody debris in riparian areas of the Lagunitas Creek Watershed which can be viewed HERE. To watch an informational video on LWD for habitat purposes, see below! 

 

Marin County Stormwater Pollution Prevention Program (MCSTOPPP) has a created a multitude of resources to help guide landowners in how to steward their lands and watersheds. Please select any of the following documents to learn more;

• Fish-Friendly Guide for Marin Residents
• Go Native: Using Native Plants for Your Yard, Patio & Creek
• Repairing Creek Bank Erosion
• Fire Resistant Plants

Additional Guidance Materials

• Guidance on creek cleaning, working in or around creeks and tree trimming in preparation for rain events; Stream Maintenance Guide_2018
• A multitude of watershed documents as they relate to San Geronimo Creek can be found by going to this site; Watershed Documents
• CA Riparian Habitat Restoration Handbook, second edition 2009, by River Partners, Click HERE
• Santa Cruz County Stream Care Guide, Click HERE
• Santa Cruz County’s Required Riparian Setbacks, Click HERE
• Sonoma County’s Required Riparian Setbacks, Click HERE. Read more by visiting their website, HERE
• University of CA Cooperative Extension’s Master Gardeners published a document for the North Bay titled, Gardening Success with CA Native Plants, Click HERE.
• Large Woody Debris, Integrating Engineered Log Jam Technology into River Rehabilitation by Tim Abbe.
• Environmental Assessment: Easkoot Creek Restoration at Stinson Beach by Golden Gate National Recreation Area
• Recovery Plan for CA Freshwater Shrimp
• Design Report for SGV Landowner Assistance Program by Stillwater Sciences