Grayson Creek
Encyclopedia
Grayson Creek is a stream
in Contra Costa County in northern California
that flows northeasterly 7.4 miles (11.9 km) from its origin in Briones Regional Park
to Pacheco Slough
four miles east of Martinez
. Pacheco Slough
, in turn, connects to Suisun Bay
. The Grayson Creek subwatershed is part of the Walnut Creek (California) watershed and includes the cities of Pleasant Hill
and Pacheco, California.
Murderer's (aka Murderous) Creek is also located in Pleasant Hill. Murderous Creek was named when the surveyors found a victim hanging from a tree near the stream. Today the creek has practically disappeared but can be found below the hillside near Pleasant Hill Road and Withers Avenue.
Phase I Feasibility Study is ongoing to evaluate Grayson and Murderer's Creeks for a federal flood control project that will improve flood protection in the highly populated floodplain, while leaving the creek in its natural state, to:
The current effort has evolved from a history of battles between environmentalists and government planners, beginning with a 1984 Contra Costa County Planning Department proposal to convert the East Fork of Grayson Creek, Murderer's Creek and Matson Creek to concrete lined channels. This led to the formation of a citizen's group called Friends of Creeks in Urban Settings or FOCUS (now an affiliate of the Urban Creeks Council), founded by Beverly Ortiz, a faculty lecturer of California State University, East Bay
.
Stream
A stream is a body of water with a current, confined within a bed and stream banks. Depending on its locale or certain characteristics, a stream may be referred to as a branch, brook, beck, burn, creek, "crick", gill , kill, lick, rill, river, syke, bayou, rivulet, streamage, wash, run or...
in Contra Costa County in northern California
Northern California
Northern California is the northern portion of the U.S. state of California. The San Francisco Bay Area , and Sacramento as well as its metropolitan area are the main population centers...
that flows northeasterly 7.4 miles (11.9 km) from its origin in Briones Regional Park
Briones Regional Park
Briones Regional Park is a park maintained and operated by the East Bay Regional Park District in the U.S. state of California. The park is located in the rolling, grassy hills between the eastern and western regions of Contra Costa County near Lafayette, Orinda, Pleasant Hill and Martinez...
to Pacheco Slough
Pacheco Creek
Pacheco Creek is a waterway in central Contra Costa County, California.-See also:* List of watercourses in the San Francisco Bay Area...
four miles east of Martinez
Martinez, California
Martinez is a city and the county seat of Contra Costa County, California, United States. The population was 35,824 at the 2010 census. The downtown is notable for its large number of preserved old buildings...
. Pacheco Slough
Pacheco Creek
Pacheco Creek is a waterway in central Contra Costa County, California.-See also:* List of watercourses in the San Francisco Bay Area...
, in turn, connects to Suisun Bay
Suisun Bay
Suisun Bay is a shallow tidal estuary at in northern California, USA. It lies at the confluence of the Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers, forming the entrance to the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta, an inverted river delta...
. The Grayson Creek subwatershed is part of the Walnut Creek (California) watershed and includes the cities of Pleasant Hill
Pleasant Hill, California
Pleasant Hill is a city in Contra Costa County, California, United States, in the East Bay of the San Francisco Bay Area. The population was 33,152 at the 2010 census. It was incorporated in 1961...
and Pacheco, California.
Murderer's (aka Murderous) Creek is also located in Pleasant Hill. Murderous Creek was named when the surveyors found a victim hanging from a tree near the stream. Today the creek has practically disappeared but can be found below the hillside near Pleasant Hill Road and Withers Avenue.
Flood control and restoration
On New Year’s Eve 2005, Grayson/Murderer’s Creeks overflowed, flooding approximately 80 homes and causing $2M-$3 M in damages (a 35-40 year rainfall event). In December 1997 the creeks also escaped their banks and flooded with a similar amount of damage during an 18 year storm event. Murderer’s Creek escaped its banks again on January 4, 2008. A United States Army Corps of EngineersUnited States Army Corps of Engineers
The United States Army Corps of Engineers is a federal agency and a major Army command made up of some 38,000 civilian and military personnel, making it the world's largest public engineering, design and construction management agency...
Phase I Feasibility Study is ongoing to evaluate Grayson and Murderer's Creeks for a federal flood control project that will improve flood protection in the highly populated floodplain, while leaving the creek in its natural state, to:
- Reducing/eliminating the potential for future flooding;
- Providing habitat for migratory birds, fish and other wildlife; and
- Allowing for linkages with recreational and park land.
The current effort has evolved from a history of battles between environmentalists and government planners, beginning with a 1984 Contra Costa County Planning Department proposal to convert the East Fork of Grayson Creek, Murderer's Creek and Matson Creek to concrete lined channels. This led to the formation of a citizen's group called Friends of Creeks in Urban Settings or FOCUS (now an affiliate of the Urban Creeks Council), founded by Beverly Ortiz, a faculty lecturer of California State University, East Bay
California State University, East Bay
California State University, East Bay is a public university located in the eastern region of the San Francisco Bay Area. The university, as part of the 23-campus California State University system, offers over 100 areas of study...
.