Arcade Creek facts for kids

The Sacramento River, where Arcade Creek eventually flows.

Arcade Creek is a small waterway in Sacramento County, central California. It starts in Orangevale and flows into the Sacramento River through a channel called the Natomas East Main Drainage Canal. The creek is about 16.2 miles long. Its surrounding area, called a basin, covers about 29.7 square miles (19,000 acres).

A Look Back in Time

Arcade Creek is very important for understanding history. Many old artifacts have been found along its banks. These finds make it one of the most important archaeological sites in the United States.

Ancient Discoveries

Researchers found artifacts buried deep in the ground. One spot had 75 artifacts nine feet under the surface. These items belonged to the Early Horizon People, who lived there about 6,000 to 3,000 BC. They were likely seed gatherers. The artifacts included tools like hand stones, choppers, and hammerstones. They also found arrowheads and tools for grinding food, like mortar and pestles.

An ancient Native American sweat house was also found. This suggests that the many Buckeye Trees in the area might be there because people built structures using them.

The Maidu People

Around 3,000 years ago, the Maidu people settled near Arcade Creek. They probably chose this spot because of the many oak trees. These trees provided acorns for food, shelter, and helped other plants and small animals grow. The Maidu also found underground plant bulbs they could dig up with sticks.

Early California Days

In the 1800s, Arcade Creek became part of a large Mexican land grant in California. Governor Manuel Micheltorena gave 44,000 acres to Elijah Grimes. Grimes named this huge area Rancho Del Paso.

The Railroad Connection

Arcade Creek became famous in the 1860s during the building of the Central Pacific Railroad. Charles Crocker, a railroad builder, took the first state geologist, Josiah Whitney, to see the creek. Whitney famously said that Arcade Creek was a good starting point for the mountains, even though the true base was the Sacramento River.

Creek Details

Arcade Creek is a small creek in a city area. It faces challenges like water pollution and minor flooding. These issues have harmed the natural habitats around the creek. The creek's main path is about 16.2 miles long. It drains about 38 square miles (24,484 acres) of water.

Where it Flows

The creek starts in Orangevale. It then flows through Sacramento, Roseville, and Citrus Heights. Many smaller creeks feed into it, including Cripple Creek, Mariposa Creek, and San Juan Creek. Arcade Creek eventually flows into Steelhead Creek, also known as the Natomas East Main Drainage Canal.

From Wild to City

Arcade Creek used to be full of different small animals and native plants. But as cities grew around it, the creek became surrounded by buildings. A few untouched parts remain, but they are still affected by the nearby city life.

Climate Around the Creek

California has a Mediterranean climate. This means Arcade Creek has cool, wet winters and hot, dry summers. It gets about 17 to 22 inches of rain each year. Most of this rain falls in short, heavy bursts during winter.

Historically, parts of the creek would dry up in the summer. This made it hard for fish like salmon to live there. With more city development and warmer temperatures, many native plants have been replaced by non-native species.

Water Flow and Quality

Over the last 150 years, Arcade Creek's water flow has changed a lot. More buildings mean more water runs off into the creek, increasing its flow. Also, drainage systems have reduced areas where water used to collect naturally. These changes cause higher water speeds and more erosion.

The creek used to dry up in some spots, but now it flows all year because of city runoff. In summer, it flows at about 2 cubic feet per second (cfs). During big storms, it can reach over 2,800 cfs.

Flooding Concerns

Arcade Creek can flood easily. This is because of walls (levees) along its sides and narrow spots where roads cross. During heavy rains, nearby golf courses and homes can flood. To help with this, the City of Citrus Heights approved a plan for three basins. These basins collect storm water to prevent flooding.

Water Pollution

Arcade Creek gets a lot of runoff from city areas. This means it carries many harmful things. These include toxic pollutants, fertilizers, bacteria, metals, and pesticides. It also collects trash from nearby homes and businesses.

For the past 10 years, scientists have been checking the creek's water quality. They found that Arcade Creek has very low oxygen levels. It also has some of the highest amounts of pollution compared to other nearby waters. In 2001, it had high levels of mercury, copper, zinc, and arsenic. It also had many strong pesticides.

This is a big concern because Arcade Creek flows into the Sacramento River. The Sacramento River then goes into the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. This water is used for drinking by over 20 million people.

Land Use Around the Creek

Most of the land around Arcade Creek is used for homes, businesses, and roads. Two large buildings that affect the creek are the Sunrise-Birdcage Mall and American River College.

Fun and Recreation

Arcade Creek is surrounded by over sixty public parks. Some popular ones are Rusch Community Park and Del Paso Regional Park. Del Paso Park is the largest open space and has trails for horseback riding along the creek.

Many schools are also located near the creek. There are forty-six elementary schools, nineteen middle and high schools, and American River College. Three golf courses are also found within the creek's area.

Living Things in the Creek

Before the Gold Rush in 1848, Arcade Creek was full of many different plants and animals. It had grasslands, oak savannahs (open areas with scattered oak trees), seasonal wetlands, and riparian forests (forests along a river).

Plant Life Changes

Blue oaks and valley oaks used to be common. Now, the remaining wild areas mostly have cottonwood, willow, and Oregon ash trees. As settlers arrived, oak trees were cut down. Plants were removed for farming and city growth. Many wetlands disappeared due to building and water use.

Today, small patches of plants remain between developed areas. These patches have both native plants, like different types of oaks and sedges, and non-native plants. The non-native plants are often more aggressive and are taking over. The few remaining wild areas are shrinking fast because of nearby development and recreational activities.

Animals of Arcade Creek

Many birds live near Arcade Creek. These include mallards, wood ducks, red-shouldered hawks, and belted kingfishers.

Native animals include California ground squirrels, western grey squirrels, beavers, North American river otters, and raccoons. Some non-native animals have also moved in, such as fox squirrels, black rats, and bullfrogs.

Some animals that once lived here are now gone. These include grizzly bears, Tule elk, black-tailed deer, and coyotes.

Fish Concerns

Arcade Creek was once a natural place for Chinook salmon and steelhead trout to lay their eggs. But these fish have not been seen in the creek for over 20 years. This is because there are no longer good places for them to live and reproduce. Since Arcade Creek flows into the Sacramento River, which still has these fish, there is worry about how the creek's pollution affects them.

Helping the Creek Recover

Many efforts are underway to help Arcade Creek. These plans aim to bring back its natural habitats and wildlife. One important plan is the Arcade Creek Watershed Plan.

This plan focuses on several key areas:

Controlling floods
Improving water quality
Creating more recreation areas
Helping wildlife and water habitats
Managing land use
Ensuring public safety
Protecting scenic views
Encouraging public involvement and education
Managing fire risks
Working together with local groups

All these efforts aim to improve the overall health and value of the Arcade Creek watershed.