Sources of Sediments in Strawberry Creek on UC Berkeley Campus

Strawberry Creek consists of two distinct ecological systems the water shed of the upper portion of the creek is disturbed oak-woodland habitat while the watershed of the lower portion of the creek is more urbanized. However, the sediment budget suggested that more sediment was lost from the vegetated upper canyon and accumulated in the urban lower creek than would be expected in this type of system. This project was designed to estimate the sediment accumulation and erosion of both the upper and lower stretches of strawberry creek over the course of the 1997 water year (Fall 1997 - Spring 1998). Seventeen cross-sectional profiles (14 at lower/3 at upper) between Fall 1997 and Spring 1998 were surveyed. Estimates of soil depositoon and erosion were calculated and the results showed: (1) more soil accumulation occurred at the lower creek. (2) Soil erosion was greater at the upper than the lower creek. (3) There is a negative correlation between the erosion pattern and vegetation distribution in these parts of the strawberry creek. There are few trees along the banks of the upper portion creek while they are abundant along the lower creek especially after the restoration project in 1987 which can explain this distribution of sediment. Methods to control distribution of soil loss and deposition strategies include: building more check dams, and planting more vegetation (native preferred at the upper portion of the Strawberry Creek.