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Big Chico Creek: Headwaters to the Mouth

.by Nani Teves, Big Chico Creek Watershed Alliance

Big Chico Creek begins its impressive 45 mile journey from a series of springs on Colby Mountain. It is here at the interface between the Sierra Nevada and the Cascade Mountains where the creek takes its time flowing through coniferous forests and the youngest geologic formation, the Tuscan. The majority of water that flows in Big Chico Creek is gained in the upper third of the watershed which receives an average of 75 inches of precipitation annually. As the creek drops in elevation into the canyon, harder geologic layers such as the Lovejoy Basalt in upper Bidwell Park restrict the creek, resulting in pools (like Bear Hole) and drops (like the waterfall at Higgins Hole). The pools are also used by spring-run Chinook salmon during the summertime as they carry out their life cycle. Soon enough the creek is again meandering through the softer Chico Formation where it flows through CSU, Chico and the City of Chico, and eventually through almond and walnut orchards. It is in the urban portion of the watershed where water quality degrades, including elevated levels of fecal coliform in the summer, stream temperature increases, and a steady source of garbage. Because the rainfall Students out in Big Chico Creek measuring flow with the Big Chico Creek Citizen’s Monitoring Program (the Stream Team). averages 20 inches annually in the valley and the soil is so permeable, many summers the creek infiltrates and dries up before meeting with the Sacramento River.

The quality of water that flows through Big Chico Creek and its tributaries is a culmination of the natural processes and human activities that occur throughout the entire watershed. The invasive broom plant causes a fire hazard and degrades wildlife habitat in the canyon area. The Valley and Blue Oaks are not regenerating adequately to ensure ecological survival. The parking lot sheds water with pollutants to storm drains flowing directly to the creek.

Also affecting the quality of the creek’s flow is the declining groundwater under the Chico Urban area, which has dropped an average of 15 feet over the last 31 years.

However, the creek is also the cumulative effect of the many people who have come together to work towards improving the health of Big Chico Creek. People are learning about the issues and taking action, such as the Broom Education and Eradication Program (BEEP), a citizens group working tirelessly to remove broom from the Forest Ranch area. Friends of Bidwell Park and the City of Chico gather volunteers weekly to pull exotic plants and replant with natives in Bidwell Park. The Big Chico Creek Citizen’s Monitoring Program consistently collects water quality samples in the creek to track changes and to focus restoration efforts.

Kids and Creeks lead students on environmental education field trips along local creeks to foster connections with nature and instill a sense of stewardship. Streaminders works along riparian areas restoring the creeks flow and habitat. And the Big Chico Creek Watershed Alliance collaborates for education and restoration from the headwaters to the mouth. It is through all these individual and group efforts that the natural functions of Big Chico Creek are being protected and restored.

To learn more about the Big Chico Creek Watershed, including watershed history, wildlife, hydrology, ways to get involved, and more go to www.bigchicocreek. org. Or spend a day exploring the watershed on one of the Alliance’s field trips, by sending an e-mail to coordinator@bigchicocreek.org to be kept in the loop on dates and outings.

From the Spring 2010 issue of the Environmental News.