Eastshore State Park Creek and Salt Marsh Restoration

This is one of several proposals to re-direct creek outflows into salt marshes for the purpose of habitat and ecosystem enhancement, as well as for water quality improvement.

In this case both Schoolhouse Creek and Strawberry Creek flow into a new salt marsh between the Brickyard peninsula and Frontage Road. This tidal flat is by far the largest area in the Berkeley portion of the park with a bottom level higher than the MLLW tide datum, and is furthest along in the natural process of becoming a salt marsh.

Both creeks initially flow through new creek beds created in the Meadow, then join and pass under University Avenue, run south in another open creek bed through the Brickyard, and then enter the salt marsh. Over 3/4 mile of open creek bed and riparian habitat is created, in addition to long waterways in the marsh.

The exposed creek runs, combined with the filtering effect of the developing salt marsh, would improve water quality before it reaches the bay.

The feasibility of performing the excavation necessary to create these creek beds is unknown. This proposal assumes that relatively non-toxic fill will be unearthed, or that it will be possible to route the creek bed around problematic locations.

The high cost of this project might be justified if it saves much larger expenditures on upstream water quality controls that would achieve the same result.

In order to help justify the use of State lands to control City water quality, a portion of the expenditure saved by the City could be earmarked for additional Eastshore State Park land acquisition.