Creeks - Peralta Creek Restoration Complete!
| Peralta Creek Restoration Project |
 THE PERALTA CREEK Restoration Project at Cesar Chavez Park has been completed! Sponsored by the City of Oakland, the Department of Water Resources , the Alameda County Flood Control and Water Conservation District, the Urban Creeks Council and the Unity Council , the project restores ecological balance and riparian habitat, and improves water quality at the creek, while enhancing public access and safety, and recreational and educational opportunities for the Fruitvale Community.
The project was launched in 2003, after two years of preparations and plans. It involved removing aging and decaying concrete erosion control structures along the creek and removing a portion of a flood bypass culvert. A new raised entrance to the culvert was reconstructed downstream that will keep low flow water in the natural channel but allow flood waters a chance to escape in order to protect the neighboring houses.
 Once the concrete and culvert were removed, the banks of the creek were re-graded and staked with erosion control bioengineering materials such as willow and dogwood. New native planting at the site includes trees such as buckeyes, oaks, and alders along with a diversity of native groundcover plants and shrubs such as monkey flower, blue elderberry, California lilac, and coyote bush.
The aging and unsafe pedestrian bridge over the creek was removed and replaced with a new prefabricated bridge. The new bridge is more attractive and allows for better visibility upstream and downstream of the creek. This bridge will help maintain a vital pedestrian corridor through the Fruitvale District.
 Over the coming years as the plants mature, the City will maintain the plantings through weeding and plant replacement. Regular creek cleanup events and maintenance from the Alameda County Flood Control District will help keep the creek free of litter and debris.
Several school groups plan to use the new creek as an outdoor classroom to teach about environmental science and creek life. Classes will learn about creek ecology by visiting the creek and studying its water quality and plant and animal habitat. They will also become stewards of the creek as they help care for it on their visits to the park.
 Members of the community will continue to participate in ongoing water quality monitoring studies of the creek and will raise more plants to install at the creek site as replacement plants are needed. Anyone interested in volunteering to help out with this project should contact the City of Oakland's Watershed Program at 238-6600. |