Branciforte Creek
Branciforte Creek is a 5.8-mile (9.3 km) long[2] watercourse in Santa Cruz County, California, United States. Branciforte Creek rises on the western slopes of the Santa Cruz Mountains and discharges to the San Lorenzo River, which in turn empties into the Pacific Ocean. Within the State of California Branciforte Creek is classified within the Central Coast Basin.[3] As of the year 2002, the State of California has designated Branciforte Creek as impaired with respect to turbidity and pathogens. The Branciforte watershed consists of 6,231 acres (25.22 km2), approximately 70 percent of which is covered with mixed evergreen forest, conifer forest and other undisturbed habitats.[4]
| Branciforte Creek | |
|---|---|
 A channelized stretch of Branciforte Creek within Santa Cruz | |
  Location of the mouth of Branciforte Creek in California | |
| Location | |
| Country | United States |
| State | California |
| Counties | Santa Cruz |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Source | Santa Cruz Mountains |
| • location | near Laurel |
| • coordinates | 37°5′1.81″N 121°58′12.85″W[1] |
| • elevation | 1,000 ft (300 m) |
| Mouth | San Lorenzo River |
• location | Santa Cruz |
• coordinates | 36°59′12.82″N 122°0′49.87″W[1] |
• elevation | 43 ft (13 m)[1] |
| Length | 9 mi (14 km)[1] |
| Basin size | 7.1 sq mi (18 km2) |
| Basin features | |
| Tributaries | |
| • left | Crystal Creek |
| • right | Blackburn Gulch, Tie Gulch, Granite Creek, Redwood Creek, Carbonera Creek |
In 2001, a stream restoration project was funded by the State of California to remove barriers to anadromous fish migration in Branciforte Creek, with emphasis upon enhancing juvenile migration.[5][6] Ongoing flood control maintenance is performed on certain lower reaches of Branciforte Creek.[7]
References
- U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Branciforte Creek
- California State University, Sacramento: Profiles of Santa Cruz County Watersheds Archived July 22, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
- Branciforte Creek classification within California watersheds
- C.Michael Hogan, Leda Patmore, David Crimp et al., San Lorenzo Basin Groundwater Recharge and Water Quality Study, Earth Metrics Incorporated, Association of Monterey Bay Area Governments, July 7, 1978
- Senate Bill 271, State of California, Sacramento, Ca. (2001)
- State of California Stream Restoration Project: Branciforte Creek Archived September 28, 2006, at the Wayback Machine
- AMBAG, Clearinghouse Newsletter: 2004 Federal Flood Control Program for Branciforte Creek (2004)
