City of Oakland California

Healthy watersheds are a vital component of a healthy urban environment. Oakland's watershed is comprised of 15 main creeks, over 30 tributaries, Lake Merritt and the Estuary. These creeks and waterways provide numerous functions, both ecological and hydrological. In addition to their recreational and aesthetic benefits, creeks enhance biodiversity, provide habitat, recharge groundwater and reduce erosion. Because of these unique and precious resources, the City of Oakland has made the environmental protection of its creeks and waterways a priority. Oakland’s watershed programs focus on:

• Protecting and enhancing creek habitat and water quality
• Limiting water pollution caused by urban development and runoff
• Minimizing trash & illegal dumping in our waterways
• Educating residents and businesses about watershed impacts and pollution prevention
• Cultivating stewardship of our watershed resources through volunteerism

Lake Merritt Gateway to Bay is Reopened
The City of Oakland recently removed the dam, culverts and twelve-lane "mini-freeway" at 12th Street, widening the tidal channel that connects Lake Merritt to the Oakland Estuary and San Francisco Bay. The opening was celebrated on February 22, 2013 and included invited speakers and a colorful parade of kayaks, whale boats and dragon boats. The new channel is a 100-foot-wide, free flowing tidal channel that will help enhance the Lake's water quality. The channel widening was discussed in these recent articles in the San Jose Mercury News, San Francisco Chronicle and CBS news.  

Sausal Creek Restoration Project
The Sausal Creek Restoration Project in Dimond Park will remove 250 feet of underground culvert and concrete spillway, restore creek habitat, protect endangered infrastructure and will provide trout passage to upstream habitat. More information on the project is available.

Ban on Single-Use Bags
As of January 1, 2013, Alameda County's reusable bag ordinance is in effect and prohibits stores that sell packaged food or alcohol from giving away single use bags at checkout. This ban on single-use bags will help reduce waste and litter from entering our waterways. A recent article discusses some of the reaction to the ban. For more information on the ban or to report non-compliance, please visit StopWaste.  

New Restrictions on Pest Control Operators in Your Home
Consumers looking to hire a professional pest control operator should be aware of new regulations on pesticide use around homes, other structures and landscaped areas. Perimeter spraying of pesticides can cause water pollution and other more sustainable pest management options can be found on BayWise.org.

Slow the Flow, Save the Creeks
The Oakland Rain Barrel Program was a three year initiative (2010 - 2012) that provided subsidized rain barrels to Oakland residents, schools, churches and nonprofits. The progam also provided cistern demonstration projects, education workshops and green job training for youth interns. The subsidized rain barrel program is now closed.  We appreciate your interest in rainwater harvesting. Through this program's efforts, city residents have established roughly 400,000 gallons of rainwater harvesting capacity. Thank you for being a good water steward!  

Please review the information and resources on rainwater catchment systems.

The City's Creek to Bay Protection Program strives to prevent pollution and other degradation of Oakland's creeks, Lake Merritt and the Estuary through watershed stewardship and education.  The program is partially funded by grants from the Alameda County Flood Control and Water Conservation District. The Creek to Bay Protection Program supports:

• Community-based and Citywide Creek Cleanups, including Creek to Bay Day and Earth Day
• Creek Adoptions through Oakland Adopt a Spot  
• Lake Merritt Water Quality Improvements via the Clean Lake Initiative 
• Watershed Education through dissemination of watershed outreach materials

Oakland's creeks are a valuable resource to the City. Creeks help to remove water pollutants, provide flood control and stormwater drainage, offer wildlife habitat and improve quality of life by enhancing access to our natural environment. With funds from county, state and federal grants – and most importantly, with community support – the Watershed and Stormwater Management Program has been able to begin restoring certain stretches of Oakland creeks and setting aside specific areas to enhance creek protection.

To see our current and past Watershed Projects visit our project page.

The City has installed an art project that draws attention to the creeks and watersheds of Oakland.

Former creeks, now buried in culverts, are memorialized by a series of bronze relief sculptures embedded into sidewalks at locations above these culverts. The pieces portray stepping stones surrounded by native fauna that inhabit the creeks such as Rainbow Trout, Pacific Chorus Frogs, California Newts and dragonflies. Each site features five bronze “stepping stones” inviting the visitor to step across as if crossing a creek.

The Watershed & Stormwater Management Program works to reduce polluted stormwater runoff–protecting the water quality in our creeks and San Francisco Bay. Runoff that occurs from a rain event is called stormwater runoff and is a natural hydrologic process. Stormwater pollution occurs in urban areas and in land that has been disturbed. Water running over these areas carries dirt, oil, trash and plastic and other pollutants into our creeks, lakes and Bay. Oakland collaborates with neighboring cities in a countywide effort to reduce stormwater pollution. For more information on stormwater programs, please visit the Clean Water Program. 

Fats, Oil, Grease - FOG
Liquid cooking oil and fat from animal products solidifies and clogs pipes. Pouring FOG down your household drain contributes to sewage problems near your home or even further down the pipeline. Pipes blocked with fats, oil and grease can result in a sewage backup into your home, sewage over flows into city streets, parks and waterways causing a public health risk and threatening our environment. Please see the FOG Brochure for more information and locations where you may safely discard your FOG.

In December 1997, the City of Oakland amended the stormwater ordinance to include guidelines for development and construction projects taking place in or near creeks. The intent of the ordinance is to minimize negative impacts to creeks associated with development or construction on  creekside properties. For more information on this ordinance, the Creek Protection Permit and application materials, please visit Oakland’s Community and Economic Development Building Services website.

• Permitting Guide
• How to Comply
• Click here for a print-friendly version of the Ordinance

"Creeks 101" is an educational slide show outlining what is a creek, why creeks are important, and the beneficial and deleterious impacts of different types of development on creeks.