Codornices Creek Watershed Restoration Action Plan (CCWRAP)

Benefits of Watershed and Fisheries Restoration on Codornices Creek

Codornices Creek is one of the most "open" creeks in the East Bay, with only 20 percent of its channel culverted. It thus provides a unique and ecologically essential open space corridor for the region, running from the Berkeley hills to the San Francisco Bay. Due to its predominantly open channel, Codornices Creek is one of the best candidates in the East Bay for creek restoration and daylighting projects.

But why restore a creek? Creeks, and their corresponding watersheds, are tremendous ecological assets. Creeks like Codornices provide bird, wildlife, and fish habitat, serve as wildlife migration corridors, support diverse vegetation, provide natural runoff control, help to create coastal wetlands, and are an essential part of the San Francisco Bay's natural water cycle. Additionally, they are places of natural beauty, relaxation, and recreation for residents of our cities.

Several restoration projects have occurred along Codornices Creek and several others are planned for the future. Citizens have donated thousands of volunteer hours to restore sections of the creek, monitor existing conditions, and put countless time and energy into forming policies and well-planned developments that protect what is left of our precious natural resources.

Full restoration and daylighting at feasible sites supports the City of Berkeley's commitment to the protection of its creeks as expressed both in the City's Creeks Ordinance and the Joint Watershed Goals Statement (passed by Berkeley and three neighboring cities in 1995).

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