Pine Gulch Creek facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Pine Gulch Creek |
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|---|---|
| Country | United States |
| State | California |
| Region | Marin County |
| City | Bolinas, California |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Main source | 37°58′46″N 122°45′41″W / 37.97944°N 122.76139°W |
| River mouth | Bolinas Lagoon Bolinas, California 0 ft (0 m) 37°55′19″N 122°41′15″W / 37.92194°N 122.68750°W |
| Basin features | |
| Tributaries |
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Pine Gulch Creek is a stream in western Marin County, California. It flows south for about 7.6-mile-long (12.2 km). This creek eventually empties into Bolinas Lagoon.
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Where Pine Gulch Creek Flows
Pine Gulch Creek flows alongside State Route 1. Two other creeks join it. Copper Mine Gulch enters from the east. Then, McCormick Creek joins from the west near Pablo Point. The creek then goes under Olema-Bolinas Road. Finally, it flows into the west side of Bolinas Lagoon, just north of the town of Bolinas.
History of Pine Gulch Creek
For hundreds of years, the Coastal Miwok Native American tribe lived in western Marin County. They used Pine Gulch Creek for many generations. You can still find artifacts from their tribe along the creek today.
Fish Life and Water Levels
Pine Gulch Creek used to be home to many fish. These included Rainbow Trout and Coho Salmon. However, these fish mostly disappeared from the creek. This happened because people used too much water from the creek for irrigation. This lowered the water levels.
In 2001, these fish species started to make a small comeback. Their populations have continued to grow since then. This is partly thanks to a special effort by the Marin County Resource Conservation District. They worked to limit how much water was taken from the creek. This helped raise water levels to a safer point for fish to live.
Local farmers have also helped with this effort. They built a series of ponds to water their fields. This means they do not need to use Pine Gulch Creek as much for water.
Creek Habitat and Human Impact
Pine Gulch Creek once supported both steelhead trout and Coho salmon. The salmon population became very small due to too much fishing. They disappeared after 1968. However, they reappeared in 2001. Since then, their numbers have been growing steadily. This is helped by new rules about how much water can be taken from the creek.
Many farmers in the area have changed their ways. They now use ponds filled with rainwater to water their crops. This helps the fish populations grow in the creek. Some of these farmers include Dennis and Sandy Dierks of Paradise Valley Produce, Peter Martinelli of Fresh Run Farm, and Warren Webber of Star Route Farms.
Bridges Over the Creek
There is one main crossing over Pine Gulch Creek. It is a concrete slab bridge on Olema-Bolinas Road. This bridge is 42-foot (13 m) long. It is located about 1.3 miles south of State Route 1. This bridge was built in 1986.
