Strawberry Creek Bank Stabilization Study (1988)

Strawberry Creek represents one of eight Berkeley creeks flowing between the Coast Range and San Francisco Bay. Both the South Fork and most of the North Fork of the Creek flow in open channels through the main campus. In the 2.4 miles between the Bay and the UC Berkeley campus, the Creek is mostly contained in culverts. In the campus reach, Strawberry Creek provides numerous benefits. In addition to its functional role of providing drainage and flood conveyance, it serves as valuable riparian and wildlife habitat, and provides for visual, educational, and recreational activities. These values have declined over time as the creek has been neglected. Sewage discharges, building encroachment, alteration of the upstream watershed and channel/bank erosion have led to a gradual degradation of both water quality and the riparian corridor along the creek. Recognizing these problems, the University, through the Department of Facilities Management, has recently initiated both policy and technical actions to restore the creek.