February 2026 Watershed News | | |
A red-shouldered hawk along the Sunset Loop Trail, Palo Seco Canyon, Joaquin Miller Park.
Photo by Andrew Aldrich
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Friends of Sausal Creek is a volunteer-based, community organization. We appreciate your support of our education, monitoring, and restoration programs in the
Sausal Creek Watershed.
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Upcoming Events
Lower Watershed Walk and Talk
Saturday, March 7, 10 a.m. - 1 p.m.
| | | | Join Friends of Sausal Creek for a walk and talk visiting three restoration sites in the lower Sausal Creek Watershed (below I-580): Wood Park, Barry Place, and Austin Square. Speakers will share about the history, goals, and ongoing work happening at each site. We will start at Dimond Park and walk through the Lower Dimond and Foothill neighborhoods; the walk will be about 4 miles roundtrip, with an option to return to Dimond on the bus. | |
EBRPD District Plan Meetings
Various Dates and Times Starting February 25
| | | | The East Bay Regional Park District (EBRPD) is seeking community input to develop its next District Plan. Now is a great time to join the conversation and share your thoughts on the future of the Park District. See what was said in Round 1 and view virtual meeting dates here. | |
Site of the Month
Beaconsfield Canyon
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In 2007, Wendy Tokuda and Richard Kauffman organized the first work party at Beaconsfield Canyon, and have been leading restoration efforts at the site ever since. Once slated for development, this 5.5 acre city-owned open space in upper Montclair harbors four different habitats and a wealth of native plants, including a stand of locally rare black cottonwood trees. Volunteers meet the last Saturday of most months, 9 a.m. -12 p.m., and are hoping to welcome new community members to the group.
Following up on this great article Richard wrote in 2022 about how they got started, our site leaders shared how the canyon has transformed over the years, their connection to the space, and what this work means to them.
FOSC: Nearly two decades into monthly workdays, what feels most different about Beaconsfield today compared to when you first looked over the fence? What do you hope the next 20 years will bring?
Wendy: It used to be kind of creepy- dark and overgrown with weeds. There was a broken computer and other garbage at the end of the trail. Someone had set up a few folding chairs there, and tiki torches where I assume they would gather at night. It was even more of a fire waiting to happen than Richard could see below his fence. We hauled out tires, wine bottles, and our best prize- an old washing machine.
Now, it’s a little nature preserve, where families come, where people walk their dogs and moms bring their babies. It’s our green oasis.
I hope more people come to the canyon to volunteer and enjoy its beauty. These green spaces will become more and more important, as we keep building and paving, and as the planet keeps warming. Climate change makes us feel so helpless, but volunteering to restore habitat is the perfect antidote. It’s something we can all do right in our own backyard. Plus it’s good for your mind and soul!
Check the events calendar for upcoming workdays at Beaconsfield Canyon.
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What Your Giving Grows
Pallid Manzanitas Take Root!
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Big news from the FOSC nursery, made possible by your support!
This year, our nursery team successfully rooted 70 pallid manzanitas (Arctostaphylos pallida) from cuttings of wild plants under a California Department of Fish and Wildlife permit, and earlier this month, we outplanted 20 nursery-grown plants in the watershed. These federally protected, California-endangered manzanitas are found only in Alameda and Contra Costa counties.
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Out of roughly 2,000 plants known to exist, about 200 grow in our watershed, under our care, at two sites near Chabot Space and Science Center and the Big Trees trail.
By growing and reintroducing these rare plants in their native habitat, we’re helping to ensure their survival for generations. Donate today to keep critical conservation like this going.
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Spring Stream Team 2026
Calling Oakland High Schoolers!
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Registration is open for Spring Stream Team 2026! Oakland high school students are invited to apply for this paid environmental internship, offered in partnership with The Youth Employment Partnership (YEP).
This isn’t your typical after-school job. Stream Team interns will get out on the water for a kayak cleanup of the Oakland Estuary where Sausal Creek meets the Bay with our partner org I Heart Oakland-Alameda Estuary, propagate native plants in our nursery, observe wildlife including birds and rainbow trout. They’ll build professional skills by learning to lead restoration crews and connecting with environmental professionals for career pathway mentorship.
Eligible students (ages 15-18, Oakland residents) can earn up to $3,000 this spring, with the opportunity for extension into Summer Team Oakland to earn an additional $2,000—all while making a real difference in their community.
Know a student who would be a great fit? Please share this opportunity with them and apply today!
Our Spring Stream Team program is made possible with generous support from the Kathryn & Robert Riddell Fund at the East Bay Community Foundation.
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EBMUD Central Reservoir Drainage
Community PSA
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In mid- to late February, EBMUD will temporarily drain Central Reservoir as part of planned system testing. Released water will flow into Sausal Creek, resulting in higher-than-normal flows from East 27th Street downstream, comparable to a moderate winter storm.
The dewatering is expected to last two to three days. EBMUD will monitor chlorine levels closely and will wait until residuals are not detectable before releasing water into the creek.
| | Photo by Andrew Alden from Oakland Geology. | | |
This work supports EBMUD’s plan to replace Central Reservoir with three modern concrete tanks to improve drinking water quality, protect against environmental contamination, and reduce earthquake risk. Additional information can be found here.
For questions about this project, or if you notice issues related to this water release, please contact EBMUD Community Affairs at construction-south@ebmud.com or 510-287-0544. For after-hours assistance, please contact: 1-866-403-2683. You may also contact FOSC at info@sausalcreek.org.
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Weirs and Wildlife
Student Research on Sausal Creek Fish Habitat
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Julia Lambert, Madeleine Page, Laura Rothman, and Ella Abbruzzese, UC Berkeley students in Matt Kondolf’s Restoration of Rivers and Streams class recently conducted a research project at the Dimond Canyon reach of Sausal Creek. The purpose of the study was to present how different in-stream structures affect fish habitat in the creek.
The Dimond Canyon reach contains both concrete weirs installed by the Works Progress Administration (WPA) in the late 1930s and rock weirs installed by a public works restoration project in the early 2000s.
The students found that the older concrete WPA weirs, originally designed for channel stability, are over-designed and act as barriers to fish passage. In contrast, the rock weirs were designed specifically to improve fish habitat while allowing upstream fish passage, providing better ecological connectivity.
FOSC Board President Dr. Rob Leidy mentored the students and assisted with fish sampling at several weirs. We’re proud to collaborate with and support student research on Sausal Creek, which advances our understanding and restoration of this and other urban waterways. If you’re interested in conducting a research project in the Sausal Creek watershed, we’d love to hear from you! Please contact info@sausalcreek.org.
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We need volunteers in the watershed now more than ever!
Join us for one of our many workdays.
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Friends of Sausal Creek is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. Our mission is to restore, maintain, and protect the Sausal Creek Watershed.
We educate future generations, involve the community in local environmental stewardship, and collaborate with agencies and other nonprofits to have a positive impact on the local ecosystem.
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Photo credits:
Andrew Aldrich, Elena Stenger, EBRPD, Eliana Thompson, Ella Matsuda, Andrew Alden, Kate Berlin
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