Temescal Creek - Waters of Connection

Watershed Name
Temescal Creek Watershed

=== '''Location ''' === Temescal Creek flows from Thornhill Canyon in the Oakland hills through Lake Temescal Park, through neighborhoods of Oakland and Emeryville, and finally reaches San Francisco Bay at the Emeryville Crescent.

=== '''Risparian and Wetland Areas Worth Visiting ''' ===
 * Emeryville Crescent Marsh at Eastshore State Park, Golden Gate Audubon Bird Sanctuary
 * Intertidal Zone in “Bay Street” Emeryville Shopping Center(Shellmound interpretive sculpture)
 * Vignettes on Chiron Campus near 53rd St and near Horton St.
 * Temescal Creek Park, Emeryville
 * Native plant garden on San Pablo Ave. commercial property at 52nd St.
 * Temescal Condos at San Pablo Ave.
 * PostMark Temescal at Shattuck & 49th Street http://www.weloveoakland.com/include/features/temescal.pdf
 * Rockridge Greenbelt between Hudson and Clark Streets
 * Front yards in the “Uplands” subdivision, Berkeley
 * St. Albert’s Priory, private grounds, permission required
 * Vicente Canyon, Alvarado Rd., Willow Park.
 * Chabot Canyon, end of Chabot Rd, CalTrans land, and beside Roble Rd.
 * Lake Temescal Park
 * North Oakland Sports Field Hiking Trails
 * Claremont Canyon: Garber Park (Oakland), UC Berkeley Ecological Study Zones.
 * Oakland Firestorm Memorial Garden
 * Montclair Presbyterian Church Grounds
 * St. John’s Episcopal Church Grounds

Subwatersheds/Tributaries :
Harwood (Claremont), Chabot Canyon, Vicente Canyon, Caldecott(North and Ballfield branches), Thornhill Canyon

=== '''Volunteer  === === History ''' === History on the Friends of Temescal Creek website

Active Creek and Watershed Groups
Friends of Temescal Creek
 * Contact: Bruce Douglas - phone: 510-434-3840, email:[mailto:temcrk@mountaincurrent.net temcrk@mountaincurrent.net ]
 * Mission
 * Meetings: Annual Mettings (contact coordinator for information)
 * News
 * Nonprofit since: N/A
 * Founded:1997
 * Membership: 20 active members; 600 non-active
 * Partner:
 * Annual Budget: $1,000
 * Funding Sources: Private donations and project-specific grants
 * Paid Staff: none
 * Stewardship Activities: Participate in cleanup days
 * Education and Watershed Awarenewss Activities:
 * Workshops in collaboration with East Bay Watershed Center
 * PostMark Temescal Park installation
 * “Follow the Creek” Poster Series (on display at 51th St. & Telegraph)
 * Collaboration on Rockridge Greenbelt Interpretive Committee
 * Monitoring & Assessment Activities: Monthly water quality monitoring for water chemistry and quarterly bacteria testing. Contact: Joan Marie Wood ([mailto:joanmariew@earthlink.net joanmariew@earthlink.net])
 * Other Activities: Advocacy (e.g., working with cities and developers to ensure that new development is watershed-friendly)
 * Volunteer Opportunities
 * Needs:
 * Watershed Coordinator (support for regular meetings, web maintenance, project follow-up, etc.)
 * Measure DD project planning coordinator
 * Watershed plan continuation
 * Private residential creek and vegetation stewardship assistance

=== '''Stewardship Activities:  === === Assessment Activities:  === === Plans ''' ===
 * Temescal Creek Corridor in Emeryville. Friends of Temescal Creek for the City of Emeryville, 2000.
 * Intertidal Park Study. Woodward Clyde, 1989.

=== '''Projects  === === Hydrology  === === Water Quality  === === Fish  === === Soils  === === Creek Stories  === === Maps ''' ===
 * Oakland Museum Creek Map
 * ACME Map with photos
 * Maps and photos of Claremont Canyon

=== '''Local Agencies & Contacts ''' ===
 * City of Oakland- Kristin Hathaway, Environmental Services Division, 510-238-7571
 * City of Emeryville: Peter Schultze-Allen, Environmental Analyst, 510-596-3728
 * UC Berkeley: Steve Maranzana, Office of Environment, Health & Safety, 510-642-3073

Major Creek-side Property Owners and Contacts

 * East Bay Regional Parks District - Lake Temescal Regional Park- Francis Heath, Manager, phone: 510-652-1155
 * Eastshore State Park
 * CALTRANS District 4 - Chuck Morton, Senior Environmental Planner,phone: phone: 510-286-5681, [mailto:Chuck_Morton@dot.ca.gov Chuck_Morton@dot.ca.gov]; Office of Environmental Planning North - 111 Grand Ave. Oakland CA. 94623
 * BNSF Burlington Northern Santa Fe:
 * Lena Kent, Director Public Affairs, phone: 909-386-4140, email: lena.kent@bnsf.com
 * Bob Grimes, Director Public Projects, Northern California, Oregon; phone: 909-386-4474; 740 East Carnegie Drive, San Bernardino, CA 92408
 * Union Pacific Railroad - Jim Diel, Manager Environmental Field Operations, phone:916-789-5184; Roseville, CA
 * EBMUD (Claremont Corridor aqueduct and open space) - General Information: Media/Community Issues - Schools Programs, email: [mailto:pubinfo@ebmud.com pubinfo@ebmud.com]; phone: (510) 287-0138

=== ''' Community Organizations Active in Watershed Stewardship ''' === Nonprofit Status: a non-profit public-benefit organization; Leadership: RCPC is governed by a board of directors, comprised of the following volunteer board members: Vice Chair: Deborah Larson, Co-Secretary: Jessica Pitt, Co-Secretary: John Potis, Treasurer: Greg Yoch, David Hatfield’ Hiroko Kurihara, Susan Montauk, Theresa Nelson, Chad Thompson, Michael Whitfield.
 * Friends of Temescal Creek (www.aoinstitute.org/temescal)
 * San Pablo Golden Gate Improvement Association - Charles Porter, President, Address: PO Box 8797, Emeryville, CA 94622; Meetings: Quarterly Meetings @ Golden Gate Recreational Center 10am -12noon; Mission: 'The objectives of SPAGGIA are to help revitalize and upgrade the San Pablo Avenue business district, and the adjacent residential areas, through crime prevention and the elimination of blight.'
 * Emery Bay Village Condo Association - Address: 160 Emery Bay Drive, Emeryville, CA 94608 (off 53rd St.); Mission: 113 Units, Mid income and affordable. Site on Temescal Creek. Currently the culvert runs under 53rd St.
 * 47th Street Community Garden - Contact: Volunteer Coordinator: Kim Cole- (510) 336-0260/Andrea Pelous - (510) 923-9091 ; Address: 876 -47th Street, Oakland, CA 94608; Mission: Nestled among Coast Live Oaks, this garden provides both open space and the enjoyment of vegetable gardening in an urban setting. Garden accessible via Market Street public transit.Year Founded: 1984; Stewardship Activities: Active participants schedule potlucks and work-parties to keep the garden and common areas well maintained* Lily Luckett Community Garden
 * Lillie Luckett Community Garden - Address: 837 41st St. betw/ West & Market St.; Mission: Oakland Neighbors, adults and youth, come together to grow new life in the neighborhood
 * Temescal Neighbors Together - Phone: 655-1810; Address: TNT c/o 519 43rd St., Oakland, CA 94609;Newsletter: Temescal News and Views. Bi-Monthly. Editors: Kenny Mostern, Maile Nakamura, Viki Maxwell. Temescal_news@yahoo.com; Mission: To enhance the quality of life in our diverse community through revitalization of you homes, businesses schools and public services by providing an ongoing forum for community education, interaction and empowerment.
 * Temescal Green Panthers - Contact: Buck King; Phone: 655-8855; Meetings: 4th Saturday of the month, 8 or 9am at Temescal Café Telegraph Ave at 49th St.
 * Temescal Merchant's Association: Phone: 653-7196 Address: Location: Telegraph Avenue from 42nd Street to 57st Street; Meetings: Second Wednesday at Temescal Branch Library, 5202 Telegraph Ave.
 * Friends of Rockridge Greenbelt (FROG) Park Committee -Contact: Sally Fitzhugh, president; Phone: 653-6430; Email: sally_fitzhugh@pacbell.net and Eileen Fitzfaulkner: kwf@well.com; Address: RCPC/FROGPARK - 5245 College Ave, PMB 311 - Oakland CA 94618; Mission: Maintenance and community outreach for the Greenbelt Park, the creation of which the committee directed; Stewardship Activities: Quarterly cleanup days; Awareness Activities:Phase II funding to include creek interpretive artwork and displays; Volunteer Activities: Email Lisa Kaplan, head of the Volunteer Recruitment Committee,or call her at 653-5870, for more information about volunteering for the next FROG work party Lower Rockridge Parents Group Email: lowerrockridgeparents@yahoo.com
 * DMV Neighbors Association - Contact: Margaret Pinter - Phone: (510) 428-2714 or Jackie Hoeppner-Freitas Phone: 510 655 1767; Email: : kwattsf@pacbell.net; Stewardship Activities: Co leading of quarterly creek and park clean ups from DMV to Clarke St.
 * Rockridge Community Planning Council (RCPC)Contact: Daniel Ferdelman; Phone: 510-644-4228; Email: danielferdelman@yahoo.com; Address: 5245 College Avenue PMB 311, Oakland, CA 94618; Rockridge neighborhood starts roughly from the beginning of College Avenue, where it meets Broadway, on up College Avenue to the Oakland/Berkeley border, close to Alcatraz Avenue; Meetings: Rockridge Branch Library Community Room,5366 College (at Manila); Newsletter: RCPC publishes a printed newsletter each month: The Rockridge News. Stories from the Rockridge News are also available online here; Mission:
 * Preserve and enhance the unique character of the Rockridge neighborhood of Oakland, California
 * Promote the health, safety, and quality of life of its residents
 * Furnish a forum for community involvement
 * Provide leadership and representation of neighborhood interests.
 * Chabot Canyon Group: Contact: Laura Baker, [mailto:Lbake66@aol.com Lbake66@aol.com]; Mission: Protect the approx 10 acres of CalTrans owned open space surrounding neighborhood; Stewardship Activities: Planted natives in 1992, Conducted Vegetation management and planting in 2002. Collaborated with CalTrans and Watershed Center workshop; Monitoring & Assessment Activities: Participate annually in Audubon’s Christmas Bird Count.
 * Vicente Canyon Land Trust - Contact: Bill McClung Phone: 510-841-8447; Email: wmcclung@dnai.com; Address: 240 Alvarado Rd; Mission: Own, protect and naturalize 3 plus acres of hillside in the Vicente Canyon neighborhood; Stewardship Activities: Vegetation management.
 * Vicente Canyon Neighborhood Association - Contact: Matt Morse; Email: vcna@mac.com
 * North Oakland Voters Alliance (NOVA)- Contact: Bob Brokl & Al Crofts; Phone: (510) 655-3841; Address: PO Box 20486, Oakland, CA 94620; Mission: NOVA is comprised of North Oakland community members from the Berkeley border to Children's Hospital, and from Market Street to Claremont Ave.
 * North Hills Phoenix Association -Contact: Glenn Hammonds, President; Phone: (510) 273-9111; Email: president@NHPhoenix.org; Address: PO Box 20784, Oakland, CA 94620; Nonprofit; Status: A nonprofit organization formed by the homeowners in the area…north of Highway 24 and east of Highway 13
 * St. John’s Episcopal Church Ecology Group
 * Montclair Presbyterian Church Eco-Stewards - Phone: 510-339-1131 fax 510-339-0970;Email: [mailto:mpcfamily@mpcfamily.org mpcfamily@mpcfamily.org]; Address: 5701 Thornhill Drive, Oakland, CA 94611; Mission: We provide information on and creative responses to a variety of critical local and global environmental concerns that affect us personally and about which we can do something. Our committee cooperates with other ecology and religious groups to broaden the church's impact.
 * Volunteer Gardeners:Contact: Anita Halpern, Susan Montauk and John wagers; Phone: 510 653 0387; Mission: Created, maintains Colby Circle park at 61st and Colby. Maintains garden at Bushrod park near tennis courts. See Bushrod Community Garden, 584 59th Street (at Shattuck); Stewardship Activities: Keeps Oakland Parks on toes. Ref: Dan Gallagher, the ‘tree person”
 * Tremont Neighborhood Alliance - Contact: William Rogers ; Julie Twichel Phone: 510 653 8773; 510 843 4044 Email: william-@prodigy.net ; julietwich@aol.com
 * Norfolk-Burkingham Neighborhood Association - Contact:Lorraine Force -Phone: 510 848 7859 and Ann Hammonds - Phone: 510 704 9671; Address: Norfolk-Buckingham Neighborhood Association includes Bristol, Westmoreland, and Drury
 * Claremont Canyon Conservancy - Contact: Tamia Marg,Phone: 510-843-2226,Email: tmarg@california.co; Address: P.O. Box 5551, Berkeley, CA 94705; Claremont Canyon, just over the southern ridge of its better-known cousin, Strawberry Canyon, is the largest, relatively undeveloped canyon on the western slope of the Oakland/Berkeley Hills. Much of canyon's watershed is publicly owned by the East Bay Regional Park District, the University of California, East Bay Municipal Utility District and the City of Oakland, with about one fifth in private hands. Claremont Avenue traverses the length of the canyon, from its highest point at Grizzly Peak to its base at the grounds of the Claremont Hotel.Mission: Promotes long-term stewardship of the entire watershed, coordinated among the stakeholders to reduce wildfire hazards,improve public access and preserve or restore a healthy native ecosystem. Nonprofit Status: A citizen-based, non-profit organization; Volunteer Opportunities: Email: Tamia Marg: tmarg@california.com thrust has been in vegetation management. We are particularly interested in recruiting youth volunteers (high school, college level, scouts, etc.) who might like to have nature/outdoor experiences right here in their own "backyard".
 * St. John’s Episcopal Church Ecology Group - Contact: Margaret Bowman: Phone: 654-1823; Assessment Activities: BIRD MONITORING ALONG TEMESCAL CREEK is done on a monthly basis by Dolores Siegenthaler, usually early on the second Saturday or Sunday of the month. She invites companions, so if you would like to join her, call her.

=== '''Parks Near Creeks  === ===  Schools and Libraries in the Watershed ''' ===
 * Thornhill Elementary
 * Hillcrest Elementary
 * John Muir Elementary
 * Park Day School
 * Chabot Elementary
 * Peralta Elementary
 * Emerson Elementary
 * GoldenGate Elementary
 * Emeryville Child Development Center
 * Claremont Middle School
 * Carter Middle School
 * Oakland Technical High School
 * College Preparatory High School
 * Emeryville High School
 * Golden Gate Branch Library
 * Temescal Branch Library
 * Rockridge Branch Library
 * Montclair Branch Library

=== ''' Other Reference ''' ===
 * North Hills Phoenix Association Newsletter. April 2003 issue has interesting information on local trails, the Firestorm Memorial Garden, and fire safety.