Zayante Creek

Zayante Creek (Ohlone: Sayant) is a 10.3-mile-long (16.6 km) stream within the San Lorenzo River watershed in Santa Cruz County, California, United States. The U.S. government has designated Zayante Creek as impaired with respect to sediment.[3] Lompico Creek, a tributary of Zayante Creek, is listed for impairment by pathogens.[4] In the period 1998 to 2000 a restoration project was conducted for this stream to improve anadromous fish passage, rearing and spawning.[5] There has been a permanent U.S. Geological Survey gauging station on Zayante Creek which has operated since the year 1959; the mean altitude of the Zayante Basin, carved within the western slopes of the Santa Cruz Mountains, is 1,000 feet (300 m).[6] Significant tributaries to Zayante Creek are Lompico Creek and Bean Creek.

Zayante Creek
Zayante Creek is located in California
Zayante Creek
Location of the mouth of Zayante Creek in California
Native nameSayant (Awaswas language)[1]
Location
CountryUnited States
StateCalifornia
CountySanta Cruz
Physical characteristics
SourceSanta Cruz Mountains
 • locationCastle Rock Ridge[2]
 • coordinates37°9′21.81″N 122°0′4.85″W[2]
 • elevation1,000 ft (300 m)
MouthSan Lorenzo River
 • location
Felton
 • coordinates
37°2′52.82″N 122°4′4.87″W[2]
 • elevation
233 ft (71 m)[2]
Length10.3 mi (16.6 km)[2]
Basin features
River systemSan Lorenzo River
Tributaries 
 • leftMountain Charlie Gulch, Bean Creek
 • rightLompico Creek

Geology

Soils formations along the mainstem of Zayante Creek by ascending altitude are: Monterey Formation, Zayante Formation, Vaqueros Sandstone and Lompico Sandstone;[7] about midway through its course, Zayante Creek is bisected by the Zayante Fault.

Ecology

Several notable ecological features are present in the Zayante Creek watershed, including the occurrence of a rare forest type: maritime coast range ponderosa pine forest, which contains two endangered arthropods. Regarding specific avafauna species there are sightings of Townsend's warbler.[8]

See also

References
  1. Santa Cruz Mountain Bulletin - The Sayant and Achistaca
  2. U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Zayante Creek
  3. Federal impairment classification for Zayante Creek
  4. Central Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board: Impairment Listing for Lompico Creek (2006)
  5. State of California Zayante Creek Restoration Project
  6. U.S. Geological Survey Stream Gauge Summary
  7. 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
  8. David Suddjian, Santa Cruz Birds, Albatross, March/April 1993 (Vol 38, No. 4)


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