Salmon Creek (Sonoma County, California)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Salmon Creek | |
| stream | |
 Salmon Creek near Freestone, California
|
|
| Country | United States |
|---|---|
| State | California |
| Region | Sonoma County |
| Tributaries | |
| - right | Nolan Creek, Tannery Creek, Fay Creek, Coleman Valley Creek, Finley Creek |
| Cities | Occidental, Freestone, Bodega, Salmon Creek |
| Source | |
| - location | 2 mi (3 km) west of Occidental, California |
| - elevation | 800 ft (244 m) |
| - coordinates | [1] |
| Mouth | Pacific Ocean |
| - location | west of Salmon Creek, California |
| - elevation | 0 ft (0 m) |
| - coordinates | [1] |
Salmon Creek is a stream in western Sonoma County, California that springs from coastal hills west of the town of Occidental and empties into the Pacific Ocean north of Bodega Head.
Contents |
[edit] Course
Salmon Creek originates about 2 mi (3 km) west of the town of Occidental near the junction of Joy Road and Bittner Road.[1] It parallels Bittner Road eastward, passing just south of Occidental, where it turns right and follows Bohemian Highway to the town of Freestone. From there, it curves south and then west, paralleling Bodega Highway to a confluence with Nolan Creek just east of the town of Bodega. It flows through Bodega, then follows Salmon Creek Road westward into a narrow canyon, where it is joined by Tannery Creek, Fay Creek, Coleman Valley Creek, and Finley Creek. Salmon Creek emerges from the canyon between Irish Hill and Coleman Hill and crosses State Route 1 at milepost 12.49, entering Sonoma Coast State Beach south of the ranger station. It parallels Bean Road to Salmon Creek Beach, which it bisects as it enters the Ocean.
[edit] History
When European exporers first reached Salmon Creek, they found it inhabited by Coast Miwok people. Six Coast Miwok villages near the creek have been authenticated: Pulya-lakum, near the mouth of the creek, Kennekono and Suwutenne near the present-day town of Bodega, and three near the present day town of Freestone: Oye-yomi, Pakahuwe, and Patawa-yomi.[2]
In 1843-44, most of the Salmon Creek watershed was included in a 35,000-acre (140 km²) land grant (named Rancho Bodega), awarded to Captain Stephen Smith.[3]
In 1873, the North Pacific Coast Railroad built a narrow-gauge line along the stretch of Salmon Creek between Freestone and Occidental.
[edit] Habitat and pollution
As of 2000, Salmon Creek and its five named tributaries all supported steelhead trout. Salmon Creek also harbored California freshwater shrimp, and coho salmon were known to inhabit both Salmon Creek and Tannery Creek.[4] By 2006, however, the salmon run had ceased.[3]
[edit] Bridges
At least seven bridges span Salmon Creek. The newest and longest of these is the State Route 1 bridge, which is 200 ft (61 m) long and was built in 1983. Freestone Flat Road crosses on a steel truss 103 ft (31 m) long which was built in 1955, making it the oldest of the seven. Bodega Highway crosses in two places: 0.9 mi (1.4 km) from State Route 1 on a bridge 92 ft (28 m) long built in 1962 and at Valley Ford-Freestone Road on a bridge 76 ft (23 m) built in 1968. Salmon Creek Road spans the creek on a 78 ft (24 m) bridge dating from 1958, Bohemian Highway crosses on a 70 ft (21 m) bridge from 1971, and Scouts Camp Road crosses on a 57 ft (17 m) structure from 1960.[5]
[edit] References
- ^ a b c USGS GNIS: Salmon Creek
- ^ Miwok Indian Tribe. Access Genealogy. Retrieved on 2007-12-04.
- ^ a b Salmon Creek Estuary: Study Results and Enhancement Recommendations (2006). Retrieved on 2007-12-04.
- ^ Cox, Bill (2000). Major Streams in Sonoma County. Retrieved on 2007-12-04.
- ^ National Bridge Inventory Database.
