Restoring a creek for rising waters

In the southernmost reach of Sonoma County is the baylands landscape, which has experienced massive habitat transformation in the span of 150+ years, is undergoing another transformation – a $2 million creek rehabilitation of Lakeville Creek, located on our Sears Point Ranch Preserve, is the site for the Bay Area’s first Stage Zero creek restoration. It’s also the second project to be statutorily exempted from CEQA as part of California’s Cutting the Green Tape initiative, which fast-tracks restoration projects to achieve 30×30 and climate adaptation goals. With a talented team of experts, we have broken ground and made substantial progress in a just a matter of weeks.

Earlier this year, Sonoma Land Trust was awarded $2.2 million from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) for this first-of-its-kind project in the region. Working in collaboration with Prunuske Chatham, Inc (PCI), and Dixon Marine, the site has quickly transformed into a formidable construction zone with large land moving equipment visible from Lakeville Road.

Over a six-week period, the equivalent of 1,000 dump trucks filled with soil is being moved from the upper reach of the property to fill the eroded channel. Ecologists are visiting to study the natural habitat in the project area and relocating the small number of frogs, snakes, and other creatures to safety during construction. Representatives from the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria and local archeologists are conducting cultural resource monitoring to ensure that any resources are properly handled. We are on schedule to complete the land movement phase in early October, filling the channel.

The work moves into a second phase which requires a few good rains before introducing 30,000 new plants to the site. Until then, they are growing in strength at a local nurserywaiting for their big moment later this winter.

Check out the progress being made on our website and across our social media channels.