Concrete Ditch Transformed into Beautiful Habitat

The Alameda County Flood Control & Water Conservation District (“District”) recently completed a project to restore a section of Chabot Creek just upstream of Lake Chabot Road.

Located just south of the new Eden Township Healthcare District (ETHD) medical office building, the 130-foot long project site has been transformed into a park setting with an enhanced creek channel, native landscaping, and a vista point for passers-by.

The vista point includes a paved walkway and children’s artwork on the new bench, with a planned kiosk which will feature an informational panel about Chabot Creek and its place in the greater San Lorenzo Creek Watershed.

The flood control channel’s concrete bottom and northern wall have been removed to create an open section of creek. Biotechnical bank stabilization techniques, such as planted rock slope protection and biodegradable erosion control blankets, are “softer” than concrete, and have been installed along the northern bank.

Boulder clusters installed on the earthen bottom replaced the concrete which used to line the bed of the creek. Sculpted, colored concrete was placed on the remaining wall on the south bank, covering the soil nails drilled into the walls to improve long-term stability. Native, “bay-friendly” plants such as coastal live oaks, Manzanita, and willows have been planted in the new bank slopes. The new channel is engineered to handle flood waters while providing an oasis of creek habitat.

In 2009, as the design process for the new ETHD medical office building unfolded for this site, the District, the Alameda County Community Development Agency (CDA), the Friends of San Lorenzo Creek (FSLC), and ETHD seized the opportunity to restore the creek and build public awareness of the local watershed.

The District designed and constructed the project as part of their Flood Control Capital Improvements Project, with generous contributions from ETHD and Sutter Health towards project funds.

Bruce King from FSLC said, “As the project reaches completion, there’s a great opportunity to periodically get out of the car and watch the change in creek flow and habitat.” County planner Andrew Young (CDA) remarked that “It was a challenging process to engage all the interested parties in transforming the small but highly visible and symbolic segment of the creek – a confluence of two creek branches – from a nearly sterile concrete channel to a place that hopefully mirrors the healing goals of the health services – in healing a bit of the local
ecology.” Young thanked all those involved for contributing ideas, financial resources and most of all their commitment to the success of the project.

Dev Mahadevan, ETHD CEO, advised the public, “You should also stop at the Eden Medical Building at 20410 Lake Chabot Road to see the creek art from Castro Valley students in the hallways and the blue-creek design embedded in the parking lot. This parking lot design indicates where Chabot Creek flows underground.”

Hank Ackerman, PE, District Flood Control Program Manager, said “This project is a great example of different groups working towards a common goal to benefit the community, and reminds us of the watersheds running throughout our neighborhoods.”

--Information submitted by Alameda County Flood Control & Water Conservation District