San Geronimo Creek
San Geronimo Creek is a stream in Marin County, California, United States, which feeds into Lagunitas Creek below Kent Lake.[2]
| San Geronimo Creek | |
|---|---|
| Etymology | Spanish language |
| Location | |
| Country | United States |
| State | California |
| Region | Marin County |
| District | West Marin |
| Cities | Forest Knolls, Lagunitas, San Geronimo, Woodacre |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Source | California Coast Ranges |
| • location | 3 mi (5 km) west of Lucas Valley |
| • coordinates | 37°59′42″N 122°38′22″W[1] |
| Mouth | Lagunitas Creek |
• coordinates | 38°0′17″N 122°42′32″W[1] |
• elevation | 161 ft (49 m)[1] |
| Discharge | |
| • location | inkwells |
Course
The creek rises in the hills west of the town of Fairfax. It descends northward to Woodacre, where it turns westward and parallels Sir Francis Drake Boulevard through the villages of San Geronimo, Forest Knolls, and Lagunitas. It then turns southwestward and joins Lagunitas Creek at the eastern edge of the Samuel P. Taylor State Park.
Ecology
San Geronimo Creek is within the Lagunitas Creek Watershed, which is home to the largest-remaining wild run of coho salmon in central California. These coho are part of the "Central California Coast Evolutionarily Significant Unit," or CCC ESU, and are listed as "endangered" at both the state and federal level.
Efforts are also being made to protect and restore streams and habitat in the San Geronimo Valley, where upwards of 40% of the Lagunitas salmon spawn each year and where as much as 1/3 of the juvenile salmon (or fry) spend their entire freshwater lives.
Spawning salmon and trout may be viewed at Roy's Pools, located about 5 miles (8.0 km) west of Fairfax. There are jump pools and a fish ladder.[3]
Bridges
At least seven bridges span San Geronimo Creek:[4]
- at Meadow Way, 0.5 miles (0.80 km) south of Sir Francis Drake Boulevard, a concrete continuous slab 70 feet (21 m) long, built in 1965.
- at Lagunitas Road, 0.03 miles (0.048 km) south of Sir Francis Drake Boulevard, a prestressed concrete tee beam 67 feet (20 m) long, built in 1964.
- Mountain View Road at Sir Francis Drake Boulevard, a steel bridge 51 feet (16 m) long, built in 1962 and reconstructed in 1974.
- at Montezuma Road 0.03 miles (0.048 km) south of Sir Francis Drake Boulevard, a concrete culvert 33 feet (10 m) long, built in 1938.
- at Sir Francis Drake Boulevard 7.6 miles (12.2 km) east of State Route 1, a concrete tee beam 32 feet (9.8 m) long, built in 1929 and reconstructed in 1993.
- at Creamery Road, 0.04 miles (0.064 km) south of Sir Francis Drake Boulevard, a concrete Tee Beam 23 feet (7.0 m) long, built in 1948.
- at San Geronimo Valley Drive, 0.04 miles (0.064 km) east of Nicasio Valley Road, a concrete tee beam 22 feet (6.7 m) long, built in 1929.
References
- U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: San Geronimo Creek
- TopoQuest map, USGS, retrieved July 6, 2008
- "Where to see Salmon in Marin County" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on July 28, 2011. Retrieved August 12, 2010.
- "National Bridge Inventory Database".