San Geronimo Creek facts for kids
Quick facts for kids San Geronimo Creek |
|
|---|---|
| Other name(s) | Arroyo De San Geronimo Arroyo Nicasio |
| Country | United States |
| State | California |
| Region | Marin County |
| District | West Marin |
| Cities | Forest Knolls, Lagunitas, San Geronimo, Woodacre |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Main source | California Coast Ranges 3 mi (5 km) west of Lucas Valley 37°59′42″N 122°38′22″W / 37.99500°N 122.63944°W |
| River mouth | Lagunitas Creek 161 ft (49 m) 38°0′17″N 122°42′32″W / 38.00472°N 122.70889°W |
San Geronimo Creek is a lovely stream located in Marin County, California, in the United States. It flows into a bigger stream called Lagunitas Creek, which is found just below Kent Lake.
Contents
Where Does San Geronimo Creek Flow?
San Geronimo Creek starts high up in the hills, west of a town called Fairfax. From there, it flows north towards Woodacre. Then, it turns west and runs alongside Sir Francis Drake Boulevard. It passes through the small villages of San Geronimo, Forest Knolls, and Lagunitas. Finally, the creek turns southwest and joins Lagunitas Creek at the edge of Samuel P. Taylor State Park.
Amazing Animals: Coho Salmon
San Geronimo Creek is part of the Lagunitas Creek Watershed. This area is super important because it's home to the largest group of wild coho salmon left in central California. These salmon are very special!
Why Are Coho Salmon Important?
The coho salmon here are part of a group called the "Central California Coast Evolutionarily Significant Unit," or CCC ESU. Sadly, these salmon are listed as "endangered." This means their numbers are very low, and they are at risk of disappearing forever. Both the state and federal governments are working to protect them.
Helping the Salmon
People are working hard to protect and restore the streams and natural homes for these fish in the San Geronimo Valley. A lot of the Lagunitas salmon, sometimes more than 40%, lay their eggs here each year. Also, about one-third of the baby salmon, called "fry," spend their entire young lives in these freshwater streams.
Where to See Salmon
If you want to see spawning salmon and trout, you can visit a place called Roy's Pools. It's about 5 miles (8.0 km) west of Fairfax. This spot has special "jump pools" and a "fish ladder" that help the fish move upstream.
Bridges Over the Creek
Many bridges cross over San Geronimo Creek. These bridges help people travel easily over the water. Here are a few examples:
- A concrete bridge at Meadow Way, built in 1965, is about 70 feet (21 m) long.
- Another concrete bridge at Lagunitas Road, built in 1964, is about 67 feet (20 m) long.
- A steel bridge at Mountain View Road was built in 1962 and fixed up in 1974. It's about 51 feet (16 m) long.
- An older concrete culvert at Montezuma Road was built in 1938 and is 33 feet (10 m) long.
- A concrete bridge on Sir Francis Drake Boulevard, built in 1929 and rebuilt in 1993, is 32 feet (9.8 m) long.
