San Geronimo Valley Landowner Assistance Program- Restoring Coho Habitat

The habitat enhancement features constructed through this project include large wood structures that will decrease water velocities along the channel edge during winter flows and increase channel bed scour to create deeper pools that will provide summer rearing habitat with cover. During the winter, the slow channel edge water velocities adjacent to the structures will provide refuge for salmonids so that they are not flushed out of the system. The structures are also expected to increase the frequency of deep pools with cover that provide summer rearing habitat in the vicinity of winter refuge habitat (aka habitat connectivity). Additionally, the confluence with Cintura Creek was modified through excavation and large wood placement to create an alcove-like feature that is expected to provide winter rearing and refuge habitat away from the main channel.

This project includes two main objectives; to provide a demonstration restoration project to build capacity for San Geronimo Valley residents wanting to conduct salmonid habitat enhancement and to install critical coho salmon summer-winter habitat, addressing the key limiting factor for the watershed. This will be carried out by the installation of large wood, rootwads, inset floodplains, an alcove and the overall enhancement of the riparian corridor via erosion control and native plantings.