Strawberry Creek is an integral part to both the U.C. Berkeley campus
and to the City of Berkeley. In the early days, the creek was an important
water source and also gave the area a natural sense of beauty. Inevitably,
development and urbanization brought significant change to the composition
and flow of the creekUrban runoff from streets and buildings during rainy
seasons raised peak flows and caused extensive erosion of the streambanks
(Charbonneau et al. 1990). Thus, urban runoff is one of the biggest water
pollution problems. As with the process of erosion, sediment deposition and
transport play a crucial role in determining the overall health of a stream
Large amounts of sediment deposition can have a negative effect on the
ecosystem of a stream (Derich 1995)The sediment can cover gravel beds and
fill in the small spaces where invertebrates live and feed (NRC 1992)Besides
harming the habitat life of aquatic organisms, sediment can also clog dams,
culverts, pipes, sewage systems, and change water flow patterns.
