Big Break Regional Shoreline

Big Break Regional Shoreline is a park in Oakley, California, part of the East Bay Regional Park District. The park features an $11 million, 5,000-square-foot Delta Visitor Center, which operates as a natural history museum, science laboratory, and staging area for paddling and hiking trips along the Sacramento River delta. The new visitor center opened October 13, 2012. A 30-by-50 model of the delta is also located at the park, as well as restored wetlands.^[1] The center includes a 1,200 square feet (110 m²) interactive map of the Sacramento-San Joaquin delta area that shows visitors how water flows through the region.

Park name

The park is named for a break in the levee system that flooded an asparagus farm between the San Joaquin River and Dutch Slough in 1928.^[2] The break formed a small bay along the river, near the area where fresh water from the river mixes with salt water from San Francisco Bay.^[3]

Wildlife

According to the East Bay Regional Parks District, Big Break is habitat for at least 70 species of birds and several species of mammals. Birds include black rail, northern harrier, white-tailed kite, yellow-breasted chat, great blue heron, great egret, snowy egret, green heron and white-faced ibis. Mammals include beavers, muskrats, and river otters. It also shelters western pond turtles, a California Species of Special Concern.^[3]

Activities

• The Delta Discovery Experience includes covered outdoor educational areas for explaining the ecosystems and wildlife of the Delta region.
• The park offers picnic areas and a small shaded amphitheater.
• Fishing is a popular recreational activity. A 100 feet (30 m)-long fishing pier extends into the river from the park. Off-shore fishing is also popular. The chief varieties of fish include largemouth bass, striped bass, white catfish, bluegill, sunfish and sturgeon. Fishermen must have a California fishing license.
• A beach launch is available for kayaks and canoes.
• Big Break is a terminus for Big Break Regional Trail and Marsh Creek Regional Trail.^[3]

Accessibility

The park is open daily from 10 AM until 4 PM. However, the Visitor Center is open only on weekends. The park is at 69 Big Break Road in Oakley. It can be reached by private vehicles from Main Street, and there is no fee for parking or admission. The park is generally wheelchair accessible. Dogs are permitted, except in marshy areas of the park.^[3]

External links

• Delta Science Center.Retrieved July 7, 2013.
• East Bay Regional Park District - Big Break Regional Shoreline. Retrieved July 7, 2013.

References

San Francisco Bay watershed Outline Hydrography Ecology List of tributaries List of lakes Subdivisions Major San Francisco Bay Suisun Bay San Pablo Bay Minor Golden Gate Grizzly Bay Richardson Bay San Rafael Bay Richmond Inner Harbor San Leandro Bay Former Yerba Buena Cove Mission Bay Waterways Rivers San Joaquin Sacramento Napa Guadalupe Petaluma Creeks (discharging into the Bay) Alameda Baxter Cerrito Codornices Coyote (Santa Clara) Coyote (Marin) San Leandro San Lorenzo Schoolhouse Temescal Sausal Redwood San Mateo Sonoma Corte Madera Arroyo Corte Madera del Presidio San Rafael Miller Novato Tolay San Francisquito Pacheco Alhambra Adobe Rodeo Refugio Pinole Garrity Rheem Karlson San Pablo Castro Wildcat Fluvius Innominatus Marin (Alameda County) Strawberry Easton Mission Creek Reservoirs Calaveras Reservoir Straits and estuaries Sacramento–San Joaquin River Delta Carquinez Strait Oakland Estuary Raccoon Strait Parks and protected areas Don Edwards National Wildlife Refuge San Pablo Bay National Wildlife Refuge Eden Landing Ecological Reserve Hayward Regional Shoreline Hayward Shoreline Interpretive Center Crown Memorial State Beach Eastshore State Park Emeryville Crescent State Marine Reserve Point Isabel Regional Shoreline César Chávez Park Brooks Island Regional Shoreline Point Pinole Regional Shoreline Antioch Dunes National Wildlife Refuge Coyote Point Park Middle Harbor Shoreline Park National Estuarine Research Reserve China Camp State Park San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park SF Bay Trail Oyster Bay Regional Shoreline Big Break Regional Shoreline Islands and peninsulas Major islands Alameda Alcatraz Angel Treasure Island Yerba Buena Minor Brooks Bair Bay Farm Belvedere Brother Castro Rocks Coast Guard Mare Red Rock The Sisters Marin Islands Roe Ryer Seal Islands Peninsulas/infill Albany Bulb Point Isabel Foster City Fleming Point Hunters Point Steamboat Point Potrero Point Wetlands Chelsea Cordelia Crissy Field Hoffman Meeker Mowry Napa Sonoma Point Molate Seal Stege Suisun Westpoint Bridges and tubes Bridges San Francisco–Oakland Eastern span replacement Richmond–San Rafael San Mateo–Hayward Dumbarton Golden Gate Benicia–Martinez Antioch Carquinez Leimert Fruitvale Tubes Posey/Webster Street Transbay Ports and marinas Port of San Francisco Port of Oakland Port of Richmond San Francisco Naval Shipyard Mare Island Naval Shipyard Port of Redwood City Berkeley Marina Oyster Point Marina/Park Clipper Yacht Harbor Foster City Marina (proposed) Other Discovery Site Humphrey the Whale COSCO Busan oil spill Delta and Dawn Golden Gate Biosphere Reserve California clapper rail Reber Plan San Leandro Oyster Beds Thicktail chub Delta smelt Richmond Shipyards U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Bay Model Guadalupe Watershed Clifton Court Forebay Conservation and Development Commission The Watershed Project Save The Bay Harold Gilliam Marincello Citizens for East Shore Parks Friends of Five Creeks Urban Creeks Council Cargill salt infill Ferry service/SF Bay Ferry 1971 oil spill Greenbelt Alliance The Bay Institute San Francisco Baykeeper San Francisco Estuary and Watershed Science Water Trail Estuary Partnership Leslie Salt Portal Category