Rodeo Creek facts for kids

Rodeo Creek is a stream in western Contra Costa County, California. It flows for about 8.3 miles (13.4 km) through the town of Rodeo. The creek eventually reaches San Pablo Bay. It is an intermittent stream, which means it does not always have water flowing in it, especially during dry seasons.

History of Rodeo Creek

People have known about Rodeo Creek for a long time. The area around the creek, called Rodeo Valley, was first shown on maps in 1860. The creek itself appeared on maps in 1865.

Where Rodeo Creek Flows

The area that collects water for Rodeo Creek is called its watershed. This watershed covers about 10 square miles (26 km²). Water flows into the creek from many smaller streams. These streams start on the slopes of Franklin Ridge.

Rodeo Creek generally flows north or northwest. It travels for about 8.3 miles (13.4 km) until it reaches San Pablo Bay. Part of the creek, about 1.1 miles (1.8 km) long, has a special channel. This channel helps control floods in the town of Rodeo.

Over the years, some changes have happened near the creek. Since 1874, a railroad track, now part of the Union Pacific Railroad, has run along the shoreline where the creek meets the bay. In 1890, a dam and reservoir were built on the creek. Later, these were taken down to help build the Interstate 80 highway. Another highway, Highway 4, also crosses Rodeo Creek further upstream.

Amazing Animals and Plants

The Rodeo Creek area is home to many interesting animals and plants. Some of these species are considered threatened or endangered, meaning they need special protection.

Animals of the Watershed

In the middle part of the watershed, you might find:

• Western pond turtle (Actinemys marmorata): A type of turtle that lives in ponds and slow-moving water.
• Alameda whipsnake (Masticophis lateralis euryxanthus): A fast-moving snake that likes grassy areas.
• Cooper's hawk (Accipiter cooperii): A bird of prey that hunts smaller birds.

In both the middle and lower parts of the watershed, you can find the California red-legged frog (Rana draytonii). This frog is also endangered and needs wet places to live.

Plants of the Watershed

The Rodeo Creek watershed is mostly covered in grasslands. However, there are also different types of woodlands. You can find areas with coast live oak (Quercus agrifolia) and California bay laurel (Umbellularia californica) trees. These grow on hillsides that face north. There are also valley oak (Quercus lobata) woodlands.

What's really special is the variety of oak trees here. The watershed has an unusually high number of different oak species, with five types found in the area!

The watershed is also home to the only known group of a very rare flower called the Contra Costa goldfields (Lasthenia conjugens). This flower is federally endangered, which means it is protected by the government.

Fish in Rodeo Creek

Scientists have studied the fish in Rodeo Creek. In the past, they looked for steelhead trout but did not find any. Some structures built in the 1960s to control floods can make it harder for fish to swim upstream. However, even earlier activities in the late 1800s likely had a big impact on fish that swim from the ocean to freshwater to lay eggs.

In 1984, surveys found other types of fish in the lower part of the creek. These included:

• Hitch
• Sacramento pikeminnow
• California roach
• Sacramento sucker
• Three-spined stickleback
• Non-native mosquito fish

Protecting the Land

The John Muir Land Trust (JMLT) helps protect land in the Rodeo Creek watershed. They own two large properties: the 702-acre Fernandez Ranch and the 483-acre Franklin Canyon property. These lands help keep the natural environment safe for all the plants and animals that live there.