Dutch Bill Creek

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Coordinates: 38°27′56″N 123°0′35″W / 38.46556, -123.00972
Dutch Bill Creek
stream
Name origin: "Dutch Bill" Howard
Country United States
State California
Region Sonoma County
Cities Monte Rio, Camp Meeker
Source
 - location north of Occidental, California
 - elevation 522 ft (159 m)
 - coordinates 38°24′44″N 122°57′3″W / 38.41222, -122.95083 [1]
Mouth Russian River
 - location Monte Rio, California
 - elevation 7 ft (2 m) [1]
 - coordinates 38°27′56″N 123°0′35″W / 38.46556, -123.00972 [1]

Dutch Bill Creek is a north-flowing stream in the hills of western Sonoma County, California which empties into the Russian River at Monte Rio about 7 mi (11 km) from the Pacific Ocean.

Contents

[edit] Course

Dutch Bill Creek parallels the Bohemian Highway from town of Occidental to Monte Rio. It originates just north of Occidental and descends to the north. Lancel Creek enters from the east just south of the town of Camp Meeker. Dutch Bill Creek continues through Camp Meeker, where it turns to the northwest, receiving the outflow of Baumert Springs. Alder Creek, Grub Creek, and Duvoul Creek enter from the right. Then the creek flows through Westminster Woods before feeding into the Russian River at Monte Rio, just west of Bohemian Grove.

[edit] History

"Dutch Bill" Howard (born 1823) was a Danish seaman who jumped ship at San Francisco Bay in 1849 and started a new life as a homesteader near the source of this creek. In the 1870's, the North Pacific Coast Railroad was built through the valley. In return for donating right-of-way to the railroad, Howard received a lifetime railway pass and got a station named after him.[2]

[edit] Habitat and pollution

As of 2000, Dutch Bill Creek and several of its tributaries supported steelhead trout.[3]

[edit] Bridges

Dutch Bill Creek is spanned by several bridges:[4]

  • Main Street in Monte Rio crosses on a pair of concrete continuous slabs built in 1953 and 1975
  • Fir Road in Monte Rio crosses on a 98-foot (30 m) steel bridge built in 1974
  • Market Street crosses on a 27-foot (8 m) concrete culvert built in 1958
  • Bohemian Highway crosses 5.4 miles south of State Route 116 on a 26-foot (8 m) concrete slab built in 1935.

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c USGS GNIS: Dutch Bill Creek
  2. ^ Occidental: History. Retrieved on 2008-01-11.
  3. ^ Cox, Bill (2000). Major Streams in Sonoma County. Retrieved on 2007-12-04.
  4. ^ National Bridge Inventory Database.
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