Grayson Creek facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Grayson Creek |
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|---|---|
| Country | United States |
| State | California |
| Region | Contra Costa County, California |
| Cities | Pacheco, California, Pleasant Hill, California |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Main source | Briones Regional Park 850 ft (260 m) 37°56′21″N 122°07′26″W / 37.93917°N 122.12389°W |
| River mouth | Pacheco Slough Pacheco, California 20 ft (6.1 m) 38°00′16″N 122°03′41″W / 38.00444°N 122.06139°W |
| Basin features | |
| Tributaries |
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Grayson Creek is a small stream in Contra Costa County, northern California. It flows about 7.4 miles (11.9 km) from its start in Briones Regional Park. The creek ends at Pacheco Slough, which then connects to Suisun Bay.
Grayson Creek is part of the larger Walnut Creek water system. It runs through or near the cities of Pleasant Hill and Pacheco, California.
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Meet Murderer's Creek
Murderer's Creek is another stream that flows into Grayson Creek. It's a seasonal creek, meaning it doesn't always have water. It's also found in Pleasant Hill.
Why the Name?
This creek got its unique name from a historical event in 1849. Today, parts of Murderer's Creek have disappeared. However, you can still find it winding through neighborhoods near Pleasant Hill Road.
Current Challenges
The parts of Murderer's Creek that are left often get too much water. This water comes from county roads and buildings nearby. Because of this, homes along the creek are having problems with the ground washing away. This is called erosion.
Stopping Floods and Helping Nature
Grayson Creek and Murderer's Creek have caused floods in the past. For example, on January 10, 2017, Sequoia Elementary School was flooded by Grayson Creek. On New Year's Eve in 2005, both creeks overflowed. This flooded about 80 homes and caused millions of dollars in damage. The creeks also flooded in December 1997 and January 2008.
Working Towards Solutions
The United States Army Corps of Engineers is studying Grayson and Murderer's Creeks. They want to create a project to help control floods. The goal is to protect homes in the area.
This project also aims to keep the creeks in their natural state. This means:
- Stopping future floods from happening.
- Creating homes for birds, fish, and other wildlife.
- Connecting the creeks to parks and fun outdoor areas.
A History of Care
For many years, people have worked to protect these creeks. In 1984, there was a plan to turn parts of Grayson Creek and Murderer's Creek into concrete ditches. This idea led to a group of citizens forming "Friends of Creeks in Urban Settings," or FOCUS. This group wanted to protect the natural creeks.
