Codornices Creek facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Codornices Creek |
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Codornices Creek at Live Oak Park in Berkeley, California
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 Location of the mouth of Codornices Creek in California
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| Country | United States |
| State | California |
| Region | Alameda County |
| Cities | Albany, Berkeley |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Main source | Berkeley Hills |
| River mouth | San Francisco Bay Golden Gate Fields 0 ft (0 m) 37°53′17″N 122°18′35″W / 37.88806°N 122.30972°W |
Codornices Creek is a small but important creek in the East Bay area of California. It flows for about 2 miles (3.2 km) from the Berkeley Hills through the cities of Berkeley and Albany. The creek eventually reaches San Francisco Bay. Its name comes from the Spanish word "codornices", which means "quails." This is because California valley quail used to be very common here.
Before European settlers arrived, Codornices Creek likely didn't flow directly into San Francisco Bay. Instead, its water probably spread out into a large marshy area. Later, a channel was dug, allowing the creek to flow straight to the Bay. Today, it reaches the Bay near the Golden Gate Fields racetrack.
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The Creek's Early History
The name "Codornices" was given by the Peralta family. They owned a huge area of land called Rancho San Antonio. Domingo Peralta, one of the sons, built his home near the creek in what is now Berkeley.
His first house was made of adobe bricks. It was destroyed by a big earthquake in 1868. He then built a wooden house, which was later taken down in the 1930s. Both homes were located on the banks of the creek, near where St. Mary's College High School is today.
In the 1800s, a quarry was opened near the creek's source in the La Loma district. A quarry is a place where stone is dug out of the ground. This quarry was later turned into a city park in the late 1960s. Some parts of the creek still have beautiful small waterfalls on private land.
A wealthy man named Napoleon Bonaparte Byrne tried farming along the creek. He built a large home near today's Oxford Street. Two freed slaves, believed to be Berkeley's first African American residents, came with his family. Later, a developer named Henry Berryman bought Byrne's land. In 1877, Berryman built a reservoir, which is a place to store water. This reservoir was later drained because of earthquake safety concerns. A new, large water tank was built in its place and started working in 2013.
Changes in the 1900s
From 1912 to 1928, a long wooden bridge called a trestle crossed Codornices Creek along Euclid Avenue. This trestle was used by streetcars and cars. In 1928, the area was filled in, and the creek was put into a large pipe called a culvert underneath.
People recognized the creek's beauty early on. In 1914, Live Oak Park became Berkeley's first "nature park." In 1915, Codornices Park opened along Euclid Avenue. Both parks had busy clubhouses and picnic areas. The famous Berkeley Rose Garden was built next to Codornices Park in the 1930s.
The creek used to flow into a swimming hole. Today, it enters a culvert above Henry Street. This culvert was built when the Southern Pacific railroad added a lot of dirt to extend its train line. Much of this dirt came from digging the nearby Northbrae Tunnel.
Further downstream, the city allowed "dirty industries" to be built near the creek and railroad tracks. In the 1920s, a garbage incinerator was built. It didn't work well and became a slaughterhouse instead. Other businesses like a gas plant and a scrap-metal yard also operated near the creek.
The Creek Today: Restoration and Wildlife
Codornices Creek has managed to avoid being completely buried in pipes. This is partly because it forms the border between Berkeley and Albany, making big projects more complex. It is Berkeley's most natural creek, flowing above ground in many places, though it still goes into culverts under streets. Longer covered parts are found under Neilson Street, San Pablo Avenue, and Interstate 80.
After World War II, many of the polluting industries near the lower creek closed down. The University of California bought land nearby. In the 1960s, the university straightened some parts of the creek. However, the creek was then mostly left alone. Its water became cleaner, and bushes and trees grew along its banks, providing shade and a good home for wildlife.
Around the 1980s, amazing news came: steelhead trout (a type of fish) found their way to the creek and started to reproduce! This was a sign that the creek was becoming healthier.
People began working to restore the creek in the 1970s. They planted native plants at Codornices Park. In 1995, a part of the creek between Eighth and Ninth Streets was "daylighted." This means it was taken out of a culvert and brought back to the surface. In the late 1990s, a volunteer group called Friends of Five Creeks discovered the returning steelhead trout. This encouraged more restoration work, including a project in 2007 near St. Mary's College High School.
In the late 1990s, the University of California Berkeley needed to replace old student housing. They worked with the City of Albany to give the creek a more natural, winding path. They also planted native plants along the creek's edge at University Village.
By 2010, restoration efforts had extended quite a bit. There are hopes to continue restoring more sections of the creek. If the Golden Gate Fields racetrack were to move, a large salt marsh area could be restored in its place, which would be great for the environment.
In April 2019, many fish in the creek were harmed by foam used by firefighters. This foam was used to prevent a gas tank incident, but it sadly affected the creek's wildlife.
Ecology
The creek's steelhead population grew to about 500 fish by 2006. This shows how important the restoration efforts have been.
On December 3, 2012, a Chinook salmon was seen in the creek. This was the first time this type of salmon had been recorded in the creek in recent history, which was very exciting for wildlife enthusiasts!
Images for kids
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Codornices Creek is a feature at the base of the Berkeley Rose Garden. This image shows heavy rains and the culvert.
