The Highway 1 Pedestrian Bridge connects the east and west banks of the San Lorenzo River at the northernmost point of the Santa Cruz Riverwalk. Photo courtesy of and © Mark Yashinsky.

Many towns have rivers running through them. Often, the river has been integrated into urban planning and is a vital resource used and loved by the community. In some towns, however, the rivers presence has been marginalized, and people are not really aware of their local river nor do they interact with it. In these cases, the health of the river ecosystems and the entire watershed may also have been compromised. Many towns and cities in the latter case are now working hard to revitalize their rivers, improve watershed health, and help local people make a personal connection to their river.

In Connecticut, Riverfront Recapture has been working since 1980 to integrate the Connecticut River into the lives of people living in Hartford and East Hartford. In Pennsylvania, the Susquehanna Greenway Partnership is trying to create a network of vibrant “River Towns” up and down the Susquehanna River that are actively engaged with the river.

In the city of Santa Cruz, California, the San Lorenzo River has been largely cut off from the people due to large levees built in the 1950s for flood control. Since 2013 the Coastal Watershed Council has been working to make the San Lorenzo River a healthier watershed that is used and loved by it’s surrounding community.

The Highway 1 Pedestrian Bridge is a tangible example of what a community can do to increase access and enjoyment of an urban river. Before the Pedestrian Bridge was built it was difficult for pedestrians and bicyclists to cross the northern section of the urban river. It is illegal to take a bike on the Highway 1 overpass, so river-goers would have to travel down to Water Street to cross.

The Highway 1 bridge travels over the San Lorenzo River. On the highway, it is illegal for pedestrians or bikes to cross the river. Photo courtesy of and © Coastal Watershed Council.

These issues were addressed when the City of Santa Cruz and the local community came together and approved the the San Lorenzo Urban River Plan in 2003. The plan’s overarching goal was to restore native plants and to enhance fish and wildlife habitat in and along the river. They also hoped to create a space to enjoy the river’s natural beauty without compromising the needed levee structures. The pedestrian bridge and the Santa Cruz Riverwalk (the two-mile long City Park on the top of the levees) were created from this plan.

The new Pedestrian Bridge is lowered into place in 2009. Photo courtesy of and © Syblon Reid General Engineering Contractors.

The construction of the public Pedestrian Bridge was a major success for the city. In addition, the project received the American Public Works Association Monterey Bay Chapter 2010 Project of the Year Award. The bridge is 270 feet long, and is a great place to pause and observe the river meandering upstream and commuters traveling downstream.

A major goal of the San Lorenzo Urban River Plan was to “create a unique sense of space, but not to compete with the river’s natural beauty or impede the functionality of the levees.” The project’s authors pushed for interpretive signs, educational material surrounding the river and increased public awareness regarding the San Lorenzo River. The report gathered information from walking tours, public meetings, and from the experiences of similar interpretive trail projects that have proven to be successful.

Envisioning The River’s Future

Today the Santa Cruz Riverwalk is frequented by families, cyclists, joggers, and parents gently pushing their children along in strollers. It’s one of the best transportation corridors in Santa Cruz and it seems that every day more people are coming to spend time along the San Lorenzo River. However, many people still don’t think of visiting the river and many aren’t sure if it is safe.

Walking, biking and other recreational activities are popular on the Santa Cruz Riverwalk. Photos courtesy of and © Crystal Birns Photography.

Once transformed, the safe inviting feel and aesthetics of the Santa Cruz Riverwalk draws us in and reminds us why this town came to be here in the first place. When we spend time along the river, it transforms us, taking us back to when we first connected to nature as a child. Now lets help connect our own children to nature – just like we did.

Photo courtesy of and © Crystal Birns Photography.

In 2013, the Coastal Watershed Council founded the San Lorenzo River Alliance, a diverse coalition of organizations with expertise in water, business, government, and arts: this group works every day to reconnect a healthy watershed to a vibrant community. So far, the Coastal Watershed Council and San Lorenzo River Alliance have gathered community input, activated prior commitments from local leaders, and enhanced habitat and recreational opportunities along the river.

The San Lorenzo River Alliance was formed in December 2013 to revitalize the San Lorenzo River to a healthy watershed connected to a vibrant community in Santa Cruz.

Learn more about the work of the Coastal Watershed Council and the San Lorenzo River Alliance here.

Take the Self-Guided Mobile Tour

This piece is part of the San Lorenzo River Tour by the Coastal Watershed Council. Download the free app with many tours of the Santa Cruz area and beyond.

The San Lorenzo River, 2010. Photo © J. Klinger

The intrinsic beauty of northern California’s San Lorenzo River camouflages the challenges and efforts of maintaining the health of the river ecosystem. The river has been changed, altered, and influenced by people as seen by the presence of levees and dredging operations. Runoff from roads into storm drains carry pollutants and bacteria to the river system sure to degrade water quality.

The Drudgery of Dredgery

The native residents of Santa Cruz knew better than to build permanent structures on the banks of the San Lorenzo River. Spanish settlers learned their lesson and built the Mission and Branciforte Villa on high ground surrounding the San Lorenzo River, using the floodplain only as grazing area for farm animals. But eventually, we made our way down in elevation from the safe high grounds. In fact, downtown Santa Cruz was built right on the banks of the San Lorenzo River and right in the middle of the river’s floodplain.

Ecologically speaking, floodplains are naturally occurring areas that help transport and store flood waters. When a floodplain is developed with homes and businesses it can no longer function as the effective flood relief system nature intended without being a risk to the people that moved in. Due to recurring severe floods, most notably the Christmas Flood of 1955 (read about it here), the Army Corps of Engineers built flood control levees along the urban San Lorenzo River in 1959.

Imagine the San Lorenzo River surging during a winter storm and you can see the danger of living within a river’s floodplain. Photo courtesy of and © the Santa Cruz Museum of Art and History.

Sediment buildup is common in sections of levees. The segment of the river where the Santa Cruz Riverwalk meets Josephine Street is wider and less steep than portions of the river upstream. When river water hits this area it slows down and deposits sand, silt and clay. For a long time, the levees were maintained with ongoing sediment removal (dredging). The goal was to increase the speed at which water could flow through the river during a flood.

Frequent dredging is costly and is only a temporary fix since sedimentation continuously fills in river beds. The last dredging event occurred in the 1980s. As part of that project, a channel bar in the middle of this portion of the river was built to act as a floodplain and a habitat for riparian vegetation. Since that time, different flood control tactics have been implemented like sediment disking and raising the levees and bridges.

The Water In An Urban River

Think about your neighborhood. Do you ever see someone washing something in the driveway with soap? Do you ever see puddles from oil leaks or an escaped piece of trash blowing in the wind? All of these pollutants from city streets, sidewalks and landscapes are washed into storm drains as it rains polluting your local creek or stream.

Ten storm drains enter the San Lorenzo River. Water runoff from a rain storm can carry these pollutants that eventually affect water quality. Pollution of this type is called non-point source pollution because it is not from a single point like a factory, but a myriad of sources throughout the watershed.

Debris and litter is just one type of pollutant that can affect an urban river. Photo © the Coastal Watershed Council.

Also affecting the San Lorenzo’s water quality is sediment. Sediment is made up of fine particles such as dirt, clay, silt, decaying plant matter and even decomposing aquatic insects. Large sources of sediment come from erosion that exposes soil along the sides of creeks and rivers. Sediment in water makes it difficult for fish and other aquatic insects to breathe, as suspended sediments can clog the gills of fish. If you’ve ever experienced smog in the air, it’s like this for fish, but worse. As the sediment settles it can bury gravel beds and smother fish eggs and aquatic insects. Cloudy water also diffuses light and heats up the river water.

Bacteria in the river can come from multiple sources such as failing septic systems, leaky sewer lines, pet waste and wildlife. High levels of bacteria have the potential to be harmful to those who come in contact with it. Keep reading to find out how the San Lorenzo River Alliance is working to figure out what is the source of the bacteria in the San Lorenzo.

Soil and fertilizer runoff can be harmful to waterways because of sediment build-up and added nutrients that degrade water quality. Photo by Lynn Betts, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service.

In the San Lorenzo River, nutrient pollution can come from runoff from lawns and fields containing fertilizers, animal waste, wash water, leaking sewer lines, failing septic systems and excessive dumping of vegetative material. Nutrients are necessary for healthy plant growth, but too much can lead to algal blooms that deplete oxygen in water.

Currently, the San Lorenzo River does not meet some federal and state water quality objectives nor does it support some beneficial public uses including swimming, fishing, use as drinking water or irrigation. What this means is you can’t swim in the river and that public utilities have to work harder to clean up the water before it makes it to your tap. Also, compromised fish habitats may mean less fish in the river.

A Cleaner River than You Might Think

Knowing the source of the pollutants in the San Lorenzo River is the first step to working to reduce them. Working together, the San Lorenzo River Alliance’s Water Quality Working Group is using cutting-edge techniques to find out the source of bacteria in the San Lorenzo River and reduce it. Volunteer to support this project here.

Coastal Watershed Council staff and volunteers collecting water samples from Branciforte Creek, a tributary of the San Lorenzo. Photo © the Coastal Watershed Council.

Bacteria are everywhere including the environment and in our bodies. Many of them are beneficial; some are not. Epidemiologists recognize bacteria from humans as posing high threats to public health, but traditional tests required of municipalities can’t tell scientists the origin of bacteria found in rivers and creeks. The San Lorenzo River has historically record high levels of fecal indicator bacteria. However, the question arises as to how much of it is influenced by human input?

The Coastal Watershed Council and the San Lorenzo River Alliance released a technical memo in June 2015 indicating little to no human contribution to bacteria levels in the lower San Lorenzo River. Results from the six months of testing from May to October 2014 showed that bacteria associated with human sewage was rarely if ever present. Additional testing is warranted to verify these results under varying conditions, but the findings represent a challenge to the notion held by many that the river and watershed supplying including two-thirds of Santa Cruz’s drinking water are badly polluted.

Coastal Watershed Council volunteers and staff record water quality measurements taken at the San Lorenzo river mouth in May 2014. Photo courtesy of and © the Coastal Watershed Council.

The report details the efforts of eighteen months of work by the San Lorenzo River Alliance’s Water Quality Working Group, including the City and County of Santa Cruz, the Surfrider Foundation Santa Cruz Chapter, the Central Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board and CWC. The working group tested for specific sewage-associated chemical and microbiological constituents to learn more useful information, with the intention of identifying and addressing human sources of bacteria in the watershed. The group plans to repeat the study during regular, non-drought conditions and will need volunteers like you to help! Sign up today here.

Learn more about the work of the Coastal Watershed Council and the San Lorenzo River Alliance here.

Take the Self-Guided Mobile Tour

This piece is part of the San Lorenzo River Tour by the Coastal Watershed Council. Download the free app with many tours of the Santa Cruz area and beyond.

1. Sources Used

   • San Lorenzo Urban River Plan. City of Santa Cruz. June 24, 2003.
   • Flood Control Failure: San Lorenzo River. Gary B. Griggs, Lance Paris. Environmental Management. 1982. Volume 6, Issue 5,pp 407-419.

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]]> /blog/living-on-an-urban-river-water-quality/feed/ 1 /santacruz/living-along-an-urban-river/ /santacruz/living-along-an-urban-river/#respond Mon, 23 Nov 2015 13:30:21 +0000 /?p=5313

White-crowned x golden-crowned sparrow hybrid. Photo taken at the San Lorenzo River mouth. Photo courtesy of and © John Garrett.

The San Lorenzo is the largest (and possibly the most beautiful) watershed in Santa Cruz County, spanning 135 square miles. The last stretch of the river with predominantly fresh water (little to no seawater influence) runs from the Highway 1 bridge to the Water Street bridge. This section of the urban river is home to a host of unique plant species including California sycamore, creek dogwood, and thimble berry.The generous populations of trees and shrubs in this section of the San Lorenzo River provide for a variety of beautiful bird species.

Song sparrow. Photo by Factumquintus.

Sparrows and finches are among the most numerous birds. Song sparrows and house finches nest in the shrubs and trees along the banks all year round. Other year-round residents include black phoebes and swallows which often build nests on the nearby bridges.

House finch. Photo by John Benson.

The violet green swallow, cliff swallow and the rough-winged swallow are cavity nesters meaning they build mud nests on bridges or buildings. They also dig holes along the muddy riverbank to nest in. Swallows are most commonly seen during their breeding season which spans late March to July.

Violet green swallow. Photo by Alan Vernon.

Seasonal winter visitors include the white crowned sparrow and lincoln’s sparrow as well as the american and lesser goldfinches.

White crowned sparrow. Photo by Wolfgang Wander.

Listen to some of these bird songs here:

• song sparrow
• house finch
• violet green swallow
• cliff swallow
• rough-winged swallow

  If you happen to go out along the San Lorenzo and snap some pictures of the local birds we would love to share them. E-mail them to julia@mobileranger.com. We credit all photographers!

  Learn more about the work of the Coastal Watershed Council and the San Lorenzo River Alliance here.

  Take the Self-Guided Mobile Tour

  This piece is part of the San Lorenzo River Tour by the Coastal Watershed Council. Download the free app with many tours of the Santa Cruz area and beyond.

  

  

  

  1. Sources Used

     • Lower San Lorenzo River and Adjacent Areas. scbirdingguide.org
     • San Lorenzo Urban River Plan. City of Santa Cruz. June 24, 2003.
     • Flood Control Failure: San Lorenzo River. Gary B. Griggs, Lance Paris. Environmental Management. 1982. Volume 6, Issue 5,pp 407-419.
  Like our content? Subscribe to our mailing list and get 2-3 blog posts a week via e-mail.
  You might also get entered into a lottery and win a cool Mobile Ranger prize. Check the top-right sidebar of this page for details on any current blog subscription giveaways!
  
  
  
  ]]> /santacruz/living-along-an-urban-river/feed/ 0 /santacruz/san-lorenzo-river-whats-in-a-watershed-part-ii/ /santacruz/san-lorenzo-river-whats-in-a-watershed-part-ii/#respond Mon, 09 Nov 2015 13:30:47 +0000 /?p=7187

  The Soquel Avenue Bridge spans across the San Lorenzo River. Photo © Coastal Watershed Council.

  The San Lorenzo River was once home to very large numbers of coho salmon and steelhead trout. Tourists from across the state visited Santa Cruz to fish in downstream fishing holes. Many residents relied on healthy fish stocks for their livelihoods.

  A Fishy Situation

  Today, under the federal Endangered Species Act, coho salmon are listed as a federally endangered, steelhead are listed as threatened, and the San Lorenzo River is listed as critical habitat. Coho have not been seen in the San Lorenzo River for almost 20 years and though steelhead still come to the San Lorenzo from the Pacific to spawn, their numbers have been greatly reduced.

  

  Plentiful steelhead trout and coho salmon attract fishermen from across the state to the San Lorenzo River. Photo courtesy of and © Santa Cruz Public Libraries.

  Sedimentation, from very fine sediments like clay and silt to coarser sediments like gravel, is seen as a major threat to these fish. The San Lorenzo River faces heavy inputs of fine sediments because of the erosive nature of the upstream mountains. These sediments have been shown to decrease survival of salmonid eggs. If the eggs do hatch, there is a significant relationship between the proportion of fine sediment and the survival of young salmon, or fry. One study showed that a 1% increase in fine sediments results in an average of a 17% reduction in the odds of survival for Pacific salmonids, with slight variations between the different species.

  

  City of Santa Cruz staff conduct an annual fish count in the San Lorenzo River lagoon to gauge the size of the population of steelhead trout in the San Lorenzo River watershed. Photo courtesy of and © the City of Santa Cruz Water Department.

  In normal conditions you can grab your fishing pole and fish the San Lorenzo from December 1st, through March 7th, each Saturday, Sunday, Wednesday and on any legal holiday during that time. However, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife banned fishing on the San Lorenzo River during the recent seasons. Because of the severe drought, the State Department felt that closing the rivers was a clear course of action, to protect the already low populations of fish in the river.

  Drought Alert

  If you receive water from the City of Santa Cruz, it comes from three sources: water that’s been stored in Loch Lomond Reservoir, surface water from the San Lorenzo River, or water outside the San Lorenzo Watershed from north coast stream surface water.

  

  Santa Cruz residents display ‘Doing Our Part to Save Water’ signs on withering lawns. Photo courtesy of and © of Soquel Creek Water District.

  About 50% of it comes from free flowing water in the San Lorenzo River. Since March 2014, Santa Cruz County has been classified as being in a state of “Exceptional Drought”, a title designated by the US Drought Monitor. This is the driest classification possible.

  

  Volunteers measure the transparency of the water at Loch Lomond at the Great American Secchi Dip in 2015. Transparency is one measure of water quality. Photo courtesy of and © Coastal Watershed Council.

  Take the Self-Guided Mobile Tour

  This piece is part of the San Lorenzo River Tour by the Coastal Watershed Council. Download the free app with many tours of the Santa Cruz area and beyond.

  

  

  

  1. Sources Used

     • Impact of fine sediment on egg-to-fry survival of Pacific Salmon David W. Jensen, E. Ashley Steel, Aimee H. Fullerton & George R. Pess, Reviews in Fisheries Science, Vol. 17, No. 3, 2009.
     • Fishing banned in Santa Cruz, Carmel, Big Sur Rivers. KSBW.com, Jan. 30, 2014.
     • Dam Removed on Branciforte Creek. Resource Conservation District of Santa Cruz County, May 22, 2014.
     • Assessed Waterbody History Report for CAR3041205119990223104548 (Branciforte Creek). Environmental Protection Agency, 2012.
     • City of Santa Cruz — 2015 Water Supply Outlook.
     • Branciforte Creek Dam Removal. California Fish Passage Forum.
  Like our content? Subscribe to our mailing list and get 2-3 blog posts a week via e-mail.
  You might also get entered into a lottery and win a cool Mobile Ranger prize. Check the top-right sidebar of this page for details on any current blog subscription giveaways!
  
  
  
  ]]> /santacruz/san-lorenzo-river-whats-in-a-watershed-part-ii/feed/ 0 /santacruz/san-lorenzo-river-whats-in-a-watershed-part-i/ /santacruz/san-lorenzo-river-whats-in-a-watershed-part-i/#respond Thu, 05 Nov 2015 13:00:30 +0000 /?p=5709

  A juvenile steelhead trout from Laguna Creek caught during the City’s summer lagoon surveys in 2013. Photo courtesy of and © Jeff Hagar.

  If you live in a watershed, does that make you an aquatic creature? Of course not! A watershed is the geographic area that drains to a common surface or water body. It’s made up of not only the rivers, lakes, aquifers, creeks, and streams, but also the area of land surrounding these bodies of water.

  

  A watershed is the area of land where all of the water drains to the same river, creek or stream. In this diagram, the watershed boundary is marked with the dotted purple line. Photo courtesy of and © Central Sierra Environmental Resource Center.

  San Lorenzo River Watershed

  Have you visited the towns of Santa Cruz, Felton, Ben Lomond, Brookdale or Boulder Creek? Have you spent time in Fall Creek State Park, Henry Cowell State Park, Pogonip Open Space, Quail Hollow Ranch Park or Castle Rock State Park? If so, you’ve visited the San Lorenzo River watershed. This is the largest watershed in Santa Cruz County, spanning 135 square miles. One of the best ways to go explore the entire watershed is to get in your car and travel up the winding roads of Highway 9, that is, if you don’t get car-sick.

  

  See if you can trace the San Lorenzo River from the Boardwalk to the Santa Cruz Mountains and find out if you live in or are visiting the San Lorenzo Watershed. Map courtesy of and © Santa Cruz County Geographic Information Systems.

  Much of the watershed is comprised of the Santa Cruz Mountains, which are part of the Pacific Coast Range. These mountains are made of sedimentary rock which is slowly being uplifted. The watershed is very prone to erosion, which results in the high levels of sedimentation throughout the river and in downstream reaches that are the most important for salmonid habitat.

  The San Lorenzo River watershed has varying discharge and rainfall depending on where you are. Rainfall can be less than 25 inches per year near the ocean, to up to 60 inches in the higher mountain elevations. Wherever it falls in the watershed, much of it drains to the sea. The hydrograph below shows the amount of water flowing into the sea at the mouth of the San Lorenzo between 2012 and 2014. The values range from only a few cubic feet per second in the summer to hundreds of cubic feet per second during winter storms. Particularly strong winter storms can result in discharge rates over 1000 cubic feet per second. Large storms also deposit lots of sediment into the river at once.

  

  Hydrograph showing mean discharge of San Lorenzo River at Santa Cruz from January 2012 to January 2014, in cubic feet per second. Graph © of USGS.

  We use the San Lorenzo River watershed for a variety of reasons, and we use it a lot. Rock and sand quarries, logging and human occupancy are the three major human uses. These activities all contribute to sediment build up in the water column, which negatively affects river health. Septic systems and livestock surrounding the river increase pathogen and nitrate levels. All of our actions within the watershed can affect this important river ecosystem.

  The San Lorenzo River watershed contains not only the San Lorenzo River, but also the river’s tributaries including Boulder Creek, Zayante Creek, Carbonera Creek and Branciforte Creek.

  Branciforte Creek: A Dam Removed

  The lower portion of Branciforte Creek, like the San Lorenzo River, is contained within a system flood control structures. However, unlike the San Lorenzo, there’s not much vegetation and plant life within the concrete walls of the Branciforte Creek channel.

  

  The channelized lower portion of Branciforte Creek meets the San Lorenzo River in downtown Santa Cruz. Photo courtesy of and © Coastal Watershed Council.

  From this confluence, Branciforte Creek travels up into the Happy Valley area of Santa Cruz along the road aptly named Branciforte Drive. You can visit the upper areas of Branciforte Creek by visiting Delaveaga Park and then taking a short hike to the riverbank.

  In 2013, a dam was removed on Branciforte Creek. The dam, constructed in 1931, was no longer serving its initial purposes for water supply, recreation and fire protection. Its removal came after a push by local, state, and federal resource agencies to remove barriers to salmonid migration.

  

  Dam on Branciforte Creek before removal. Photo courtesy of and © Resource Conservation District of Santa Cruz County.

  

  Dam removal in progress on Branciforte Creek in 2013. Photo courtesy of and © Resource Conservation District of Santa Cruz County.

  

  Immediately after removal of dam on Branciforte Creek. Photo courtesy of and © Resource Conservation District of Santa Cruz County.

  

  Two years after the dam was removed, a healthy ecosystem thrives here on Branciforte Creek. Photo courtesy of and © Resource Conservation District of Santa Cruz County.

  The Resource Conservation District of Santa Cruz County brought down the dam, with partners like American Rivers, NOAA and the County of Santa Cruz. The dam was removed and wood structures, vegetation and erosion control measures were installed. This project opened almost three miles of upstream spawning and rearing habitat for salmonids and will hopefully encourage the removal of other fish passage barriers throughout Branciforte Creek and San Lorenzo River.

  Take the Self-Guided Mobile Tour

  This piece is part of the San Lorenzo River Tour by the Coastal Watershed Council. Download the free app with many tours of the Santa Cruz area and beyond.

  

  

  

  1. Sources Used

     • Impact of fine sediment on egg-to-fry survival of Pacific Salmon David W. Jensen, E. Ashley Steel, Aimee H. Fullerton & George R. Pess, Reviews in Fisheries Science, Vol. 17, No. 3, 2009.
     • Fishing banned in Santa Cruz, Carmel, Big Sur Rivers. KSBW.com, Jan. 30, 2014.
     • Dam Removed on Branciforte Creek. Resource Conservation District of Santa Cruz County, May 22, 2014.
     • Assessed Waterbody History Report for CAR3041205119990223104548 (Branciforte Creek). Environmental Protection Agency, 2012.
     • City of Santa Cruz — 2015 Water Supply Outlook.
     • Branciforte Creek Dam Removal. California Fish Passage Forum.
  
  
  Like our content? Subscribe to our mailing list and get 2-3 blog posts a week via e-mail.
  You might also get entered into a lottery and win a cool Mobile Ranger prize. Check the top-right sidebar of this page for details on any current blog subscription giveaways!
  
  
  
  ]]> /santacruz/san-lorenzo-river-whats-in-a-watershed-part-i/feed/ 0 /tour/san-lorenzo-river-tour/ /tour/san-lorenzo-river-tour/#comments Mon, 19 Oct 2015 16:30:05 +0000 /?p=6693

  The San Lorenzo River flows from the Santa Cruz Mountains and enters the Monterey Bay beside the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. Photo courtesy of and © Chuck Perez, Slow Adventures.

  Read the stories that will help you get to know the San Lorenzo River.
  The San Lorenzo River will take you from the Pedestrian Bridge near Highway 1, along willow lined waterways, past cultural hotspots and end where the river meets the sea at the Boardwalk. This three mile walking tour has ten stops that will reveal hidden pockets of biodiversity, early settlor history and some of the river’s watershed secrets. This tour was made possible by the Coastal Watershed Council (CWC). It is one component of the CWCs vision to have the San Lorenzo River become a healthy watershed connected to a vibrant community. We highlight a few stops below but the main content can be found in the mobile app or read in blog form at the bottom of this page.

  

  A screen shot of the stops and the interactive map feature in the self-guided mobile tour.

  
  The San Lorenzo hosted the “Venetian Water Carnival” for decades. Long Live Queen Anita!
  

  The main stage, gondolas, and floats for the Venetian Water Carnival.
  Picture courtesy of and © Santa Cruz Public Library.

  Look out for the many critters that make their homes in and around the San Lorenzo River.

  

  Snowy egret. Photo courtesy and © Vivienne Orgel

  Nearing the mouth of the river, discover the balancing act of the needs for public safety and flood control.

  

  The San Lorenzo River lagoon was breached in 2014 as waters threatened the Santa Cruz Boardwalk. Photo courtesy of and © Dan Coyro / Santa Cruz Sentinel.

  

  

  

  Can’t get to the San Lorenzo River? No Problem.
  Read the stories below: blog-style!
  
  
  • San Lorenzo River Tour Blog

  • 

    Bridging the Gap Between River and Community: The Pedestrian Bridge

    Many towns have rivers running through them. Often, the river has been integrated into urban planning and is a vital resource used and loved by the commun ...

    December 21, 2015 (1) Comment

  • 

    Living on an Urban River: Water Quality

    The intrinsic beauty of northern California's San Lorenzo River camouflages the challenges and efforts of maintaining the health of the river ecosystem. T ...

    December 10, 2015 (1) Comment

  • 

    Living Along an Urban River: Birds of the San Lorenzo River

    The San Lorenzo is the largest (and possibly the most beautiful) watershed in Santa Cruz County, spanning 135 square miles. The last stretch of the river ...

    November 23, 2015 (0) Comments

  • 

    San Lorenzo River: Whats in a Watershed: Part II

    The San Lorenzo River was once home to very large numbers of coho salmon and steelhead trout. Tourists from across the state visited Santa Cruz to fish in ...

    November 09, 2015 (0) Comments

  • 

    San Lorenzo River: What’s in a Watershed: Part I

    If you live in a watershed, does that make you an aquatic creature? Of course not! A watershed is the geographic area that drains to a common surface or w ...

    November 05, 2015 (0) Comments

  • 

    Soquel Avenue Bridge and Flooding on the San Lorenzo River

    There have been several bridges at the site of the present-day Soquel Bridge. This location has served as an essential crossing point throughout the river ...

    October 18, 2015 (0) Comments

  • 

    Water Street Bridge: A Bridge Built to Last

    Can you guess how many different bridges have stood at this location? The Water Street Bridge was first built at this location in 1882. The first bridges ...

    September 24, 2015 (4) Comments

  • 

    The Santa Cruz Boardwalk: A Walk Back in Time

    The San Lorenzo River mouth marks the end of a 29 mile long river as it enters the Monterey Bay. If you are there you can see birds diving underwater, peo ...

    September 14, 2015 (10) Comments

  • 

    Riverside Bridge: A Bridge Too Long

    As you travel around Santa Cruz, chances are, you have crossed the San Lorenzo River. In the City of Santa Cruz, there are four street crossings over the ...

    May 06, 2015 (0) Comments

  • 

    Where the San Lorenzo Meets the Ocean: Managing the Lagoon.

    The complex balance of humans and nature on the San Lorenzo River is prominently seen in the ongoing conversation about how to manage the river lagoon. Pr ...

    March 11, 2015 (0) Comments

  • 

    Where the San Lorenzo Meets the Ocean: What’s There?

    Depending on when you visit the river mouth, the river may or may not be flowing out to the bay. The interplay between sand moved by ocean currents and th ...

    March 08, 2015 (0) Comments

  • 

    San Lorenzo Park: Bowling on the Floodplain!

    All of downtown Santa Cruz is essentially built on the natural floodplain of the San Lorenzo River. Structures to control flooding along the river have be ...

    December 14, 2014 (0) Comments
  ]]> /tour/san-lorenzo-river-tour/feed/ 1 /santacruz/soquel-avenue-bridge/ /santacruz/soquel-avenue-bridge/#respond Mon, 19 Oct 2015 04:23:19 +0000 /?p=5697

  Soquel Avenue Bridge. Photo © Coastal Watershed Council.

  There have been several bridges at the site of the present-day Soquel Bridge. This location has served as an essential crossing point throughout the river’s history. In 1874 a covered bridge stood at this location and was one of three main crossings on the San Lorenzo River. When constructed the bridge was 800 feet long, and cost $15,000 to build. The covered portion made it one of California’s longest covered bridges at 530 feet.

  

  Here you can view the plaque that discusses the history and current state of the once covered bridge. Photo courtesy of and © Graham Freeman.

  In 1890 a trestle was added to the Soquel Bridge to accommodate a horse car on the east side. This was later converted to a trolley line. In 1921, the bridge was replaced with a concrete and steel girder bridge. This was widened to four lanes in 1967, and a four-span concrete I-girder bridge was constructed on the north side. The bridge has been continuously widened and reconstructed throughout the years to accommodate a growing population, and to improve the overall flood capacity of the San Lorenzo River.

  The Christmas Flood of 1955

  “The Christmas Flood of 1955” occurred on December 22, around 10:00 pm, and pushed water into downtown further than it had ever been. Water reached a depth of 10 feet on Pacific Avenue. Chaos ensued as people scrambled onto roof tops, telephone poles, and trees to wait through the night. Businesses were ruined, cattle were lost. Nine people died: two of them in their houses and the other 7 were swept out to sea. Personal accounts of Santa Cruz residents who remember this flood event can be found here.

  

  In the flood of 1955, the river covered much of downtown. Photo courtesy of and © Santa Cruz Public Library.

  To reclaim “wrecked areas”, several streets like Garfield and Eagle Streets were removed. San Lorenzo Park, Front Street shopping center and banks near the Veteran’s Memorial building were built.

  Levee Construction

  In September of 1955, Santa Cruz had been considering a “non-intrusive plan” for levee construction along the San Lorenzo River to regulate flow. Following the Christmas Flood of 1955, the Army Corps of Engineers took action swiftly and the project was made even larger. The riverbank vegetation was replaced with rock levees. The levee construction greatly altered the natural flow of the river. When it was completed in 1959, the public criticized the levee for turning the river into a drainage ditch. Santa Cruz residents have argued for more natural riverbank conditions ever since.

  

  Levee construction officially ended in 1959. There was a lot of controversy on whether the levees were necessary and people still debate over the correct innovations for flood control today. Photo courtesy of and © City of Santa Cruz Economic Development Department.

  By the 1970s it was clear that the levees resulted in silt accumulation and decreased wildlife from the loss of riparian vegetation. These issues continue into the present day. Although parts of the river have been partially restored to include more vegetation, there is still little compared to the riparian habitat that once lined the San Lorenzo.

  Flood of 1982

  The flood of 1982 was devastating for the city of Santa Cruz and remains in the memories of many local residents. The flood began on January 4th when the river flooded over its banks and flowed towards the County Building. The next morning, a crack appeared in the Soquel Avenue Bridge. Soon after, the eastbound lanes collapsed taking with them telephone lines that connected the east and west sides of the river. During the flooding, 22 people died, the majority in the mountains when the heavy rainfall caused mudslides.

  

  During the peak flow of the 1982 storm surge, the Soquel Avenue Bridge was damaged. The above photo was taken a day after the water subsided. Photo courtesy of and © City of Santa Cruz Economic Development Department.

  Take the Self-Guided Mobile Tour

  This piece is part of the San Lorenzo River Tour by the Coastal Watershed Council. Download the free app with many tours of the Santa Cruz area and beyond.

  

  

  

  1. Sources Used

     • San Lorenzo River Performance Evaluation. US Army Corps of Engineers.
     • Levees Project.
     • The Soquel Avenue Bridge.
     • Santa Cruz County History - Disasters & Calamities.
     • The History of Floods on the San Lorenzo River in the City of Santa Cruz. Daniel McMahon.
     • Floods and Flood Control on the San Lorenzo River in the City of Santa Cruz. Daniel McMahon.
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  ]]> /santacruz/soquel-avenue-bridge/feed/ 0 /santacruz/water-street-bridge-a-bridge-built-to-last/ /santacruz/water-street-bridge-a-bridge-built-to-last/#comments Thu, 24 Sep 2015 13:30:10 +0000 /?p=5260

  Two horse-drawn carriages pass each other on the first Water Street bridge, built in 1882. Photo courtesy and © of Santa Cruz Public Library.

  Can you guess how many different bridges have stood at this location? The Water Street Bridge was first built at this location in 1882. The first bridges were made from wood, and often collapsed during strong flooding events. To make the bridge stronger, it was rebuilt out of concrete in 1908 by Union Traction Company. It was a three-hinge, reinforced concrete arch bridge that was constructed to carry workers and visitors on trolley cars into downtown Santa Cruz.

  

  The Water Street Bridge crosses the San Lorenzo River from San Lorenzo Park on its east side to the edge of downtown Santa Cruz on its west side. Photo courtesy and © of Coastal Watershed Council.

  A second arch bridge was constructed next to the original in 1914, but the center piers of the arch bridges restricted San Lorenzo flood flows, and were removed. In 1967, a new bridge was built adjacent to the older arch bridge, but this bridge did not meet the earthquake standards required for bridges, and the bridge was modified yet again. In 1996, the city began a ten-month, 5.9 million-dollar project to replace the northern half of the bridge. The city also added bike lanes, sidewalks and railings, levee path under crossings, decorative streetlights and pedestrian overlooks.

  Bridging Environment and Art

  

  Two students install their mosaic along the Laurel Street bridge. Photo courtesy and © of Kathleen Crocetti.

  If you walk across the Water Street, Laurel Street, or Soquel Bridges, you will notice the colorful mark left by Kathleen Crocetti and her students. Kathleen Crocetti and her students from Mission Hill Middle School have installed a variety of mosaic projects on the city’s bridges. The mosaics are themed on each bridge. Can you tell what the theme is for the Water Street Bridge?

  

  A mosaic of a bird on the Water St. Bridge. Photo courtesy and © of the Coastal Watershed Council.

  The Water Street Bridge contains mosaics of the plants and animals of the San Lorenzo watershed. The Soquel Bridge features agricultural images from Santa Cruz crops like artichokes and berries. Last but not least, the Laurel Street Bridge contains local ocean lifeforms including tiny anemone to giant whales.

  The mosaic work on the bridge was created from a meaningful connection between students, community, art, and nature. Projects like this connect the City of Santa Cruz to the San Lorenzo River and help foster connections between people and the river through art.

  

  ‘Fishing Rods’ created by Nielsen Design Studios hangs off of the Water St. Bridge. This is one of ten installations created for the Ebb & Flow River Arts Project in June 2015. Photo courtesy and © of Nick Ibarra.

  Another art project connecting the community to the San Lorenzo River is the Ebb & Flow River Arts Project, which culminated in a huge river arts celebration drawing hundreds of people to the San Lorenzo River and Santa Cruz Riverwalk on June 6, 2015. Learn more about it here.

  

  A look beneath the present day Water Street bridge. Photo courtesy and © of Crystal Birns Photography.

  Hanging On The Water Street Bridge

  Water Street Bridge is involved in a less glamorous, more haunting aspect of Santa Cruz’s past. On the morning of May 3, 1877, the bodies of two men, Francisco Arias and Jose Chamales, were found hanging from the bridge. The night before, a lynch mob of 150-300 people had taken the men from the local jail, where they stood accused of murder, to the bridge to hang them. The prisoners were allowed a few last words, which they spoke in Spanish, and a final shot of whiskey before they were hanged.

  The events at Water Street Bridge reflected a larger mentality towards Californios, or men of Mexican and Native American descent. Anti-Mexican hostility had been growing since the early days of the Gold Rush, and the hanging of Arias and Chamales was unfortunately just one of the acts of violence of this nature in Santa Cruz.

  Take the Self-Guided Mobile Tour

  This piece is part of the San Lorenzo River Tour by the Coastal Watershed Council. Download the free app with many tours of the Santa Cruz area and beyond.

  

  

  

  1. Sources Used

     • Hanging on the Water Street Bridge. Geoffrey Dunn. Santa Cruz Public Libraries.
     • Art in Action. Dave De Give. Santa Cruz Good Times. May 29, 2012.
     • Santa Cruz in 1882: Water Street Gets a New Bridge. W.C.Casey. November 3, 2013.Santa Cruz Patch.
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  ]]> /santacruz/water-street-bridge-a-bridge-built-to-last/feed/ 4 /santacruz/boardwalk/ /santacruz/boardwalk/#comments Mon, 14 Sep 2015 13:30:49 +0000 /?p=5229

  The San Lorenzo River flows from the Santa Cruz mountains and enters the Monterey Bay beside the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. Photo courtesy and © of Chuck Perez, Slow Adventures.
  

  The San Lorenzo River mouth marks the end of a 29 mile long river as it enters the Monterey Bay. If you are there you can see birds diving underwater, people moving along the Riverwalk path, and what you can’t miss is the the large, colorful amusement park rides at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, located just next to the river. Today the Boardwalk is recognized as one of the best beachside amusement parks in the world.Throughout its history it has brought hordes of visitors to Santa Cruz and the San Lorenzo River mouth.

  Before the Boardwalk: The Saltwater Plunge

  The boardwalk, built in 1904 by Fred Swanton, a local businessman, sits on the remains of bathhouses constructed in the 1860s. In 1864, a recent divorcee, Mary Lidell, and her son opened the first saltwater baths west of the Mississippi at the mouth of the San Lorenzo River. Their baths’ popularity encouraged many other families to construct saltwater bathhouses of their own in the area. Bathing tourism was very popular during this time, and many felt that the saltwater of the Pacific had healing and health-promoting qualities.

  

  Neptune’s Casino sits along the San Lorenzo river mouth where it meets the Monterey Bay. Photo courtesy of LocalWiki.org.

  By 1893, the multitude of bathhouses were consolidated into a single enterprise, called The Neptune Baths (nicknamed Salt Water Plunge), located in the area that Neptune’s Kingdom still stands in today. Although the bathhouses have long since been transformed into roller coasters and arcades, their popularity led to a tourism boom and contributed to new development and settlement along the river.

  Boardwalk History

  In 1904 Fred Swanton expanded the saltwater baths into Neptune’s Casino. The casino included 500 dressing rooms, a heated indoor saltwater swimming pool “The Plunge”, a café and grill, ballroom, and two rooftop gardens. Unfortunately, Swanton was faced with a multitude of setbacks, from fires to earthquake damage to misguided investments and consequently sold Neptune’s Casino and the surrounding boardwalk to the Santa Cruz Seaside Company in 1912. They run the Boardwalk to this day.

  

  The Wild Mouse ride pictured here was one of three new thrill rides added to the Boardwalk in the 1950s and 60s. In the distance you can see beach-goers enjoying the San Lorenzo river mouth. Photo courtesy and © of the Seaside Company.

  If you visit the boardwalk, be sure to ride the carousel, which was built between 1910 and 1912. The Giant Dipper is one of the last classic wooden roller coasters of the 20th century, built in just 47 days in 1924. Although the boardwalk was damaged in the 1989 Loma Prieta Earthquake, many of the original structures still remain. The area is continuously alive with the crowds that have been gathering since the first bathhouses were constructed.

  

  The Giant Dipper as seen above became a National Historic Landmark in 1987. Photo courtesy of LocalWiki.org.

  Lost Boys Bridge

  If you are a fan of vampire flicks from the 1980s, you may recognize the railroad trestle bridge from scenes in The Lost Boys. In the film, teenage vampires hang from the side of the bridge.

  The railroad trestle has not been in use since 2010, but it once connected Santa Cruz to Monterey in the south, and up north to the Davenport cement plant. Currently, the bridge is used by pedestrians crossing from East Cliff Drive to the Boardwalk and to link the two river paths running along the San Lorenzo River.

  

  The Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk is situated along the San Lorenzo River where it meets the Monterey Bay. Photo courtesy of the Coastal Watershed Council.

  Unfortunately, there have been a number of accidents throughout the years. In 2009 a man fell off of the trestle bridge and in 2012 a woman fell. Both individuals survived. In 2014 a dog fell off the bridge and was rescued by boardwalk security officers after being pulled underwater by a sea lion. The officers performed CPR on the animal and were able to bring him back to life! So please stay on the walking path of the bridge and enjoy the views and sounds of the boardwalk, beach and vampires who may be hanging beneath you.

  Surf City USA

  Did you know that it was here at the San Lorenzo River mouth in 1885 that three Hawaiian princes brought surfing to mainland USA? They rode 15 foot, 100 pound longboards carved from redwood from the Santa Cruz Mountains. Prior to levee construction there used to be surfable waves at the river mouth. Today, the river rarely creates sand bars large enough to produce decent surfing waves at this location.

  

  The monument to the three princes at Lighthouse Point.

  Over a century later in 2009, a bronze plaque, was sent to Santa Cruz honoring the princes for introducing surfing to the mainland. The plaque can be found by the lighthouse on West Cliff Drive. Reception of the plaque has reopened a long-standing debate about who can claim to be the “real” Surf City between Santa Cruz and Huntington Beach. Either way, the three princes ushered in the beginnings of surfing in Santa Cruz.

  Until recently, two of the three salt-stained boards were stowed away in a museum in Honolulu, Hawaii. Thanks to the staff at the museum who recognized the longboards significance, they eventually made their way back to Santa Cruz. The local surfing community welcomed the longboards arrival in 2015, and they are proving to be a wondrous reminder of Santa Cruz history and surfing in general.

  Today, you can find the original boards at the Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History. These heavy but durable boards will bring feelings of nostalgia to anyone who views them, as they remind us of a simpler time when our Californian culture was in the midst of its shaping. If you choose to stop by the museum on the first friday of the month, admission is free!

  Take the Self-Guided Mobile Tour

  This piece is part of the San Lorenzo River Tour by the Coastal Watershed Council. Download the free app with many tours of the Santa Cruz area and beyond.

  

  

  

  1. Sources

     • Cultural Preservation--Hundreds Witness Santa Cruz Homecoming of Historic Hawaiian Surfboards. Kara Guzman. Santa Cruz Sentinel. June 25, 2015.
     • The Origins of Surfing in Santa Cruz --Riders of the Sea Spray. Geoffrey Dunn , Kim Stoner. SantaCruzhotelgroup.com website
     • A First in Hot Bathing --How a War and a Divorce Figured in the Birth of the Boardwalk in 1868. Ross Eric Gibson. Santacruzpl.org website.
     • Resort and Recreation Development: Waterfront, beach, and boardwalk. Susan Lehmann. Santacruzpl.org website.
     • San Lorenzo River Trestle #1. Derek Whaley. Santacruztrains.com website.
     • California’s Original Beach Party -- Entertaining Visitors for Over A Century. BeachBoardwalk.com website.
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  ]]> /santacruz/boardwalk/feed/ 10 /santacruz/riverside-bridge-a-bridge-too-long/ /santacruz/riverside-bridge-a-bridge-too-long/#respond Thu, 07 May 2015 04:33:19 +0000 /?p=3322

  The Riverside Bridge in 2015.

  As you travel around Santa Cruz, chances are, you have crossed the San Lorenzo River. In the City of Santa Cruz, there are four street crossings over the San Lorenzo River and each of these four bridges have a unique story.

  The Riverside Avenue Bridge and its forerunner the “Cut Bias” Bridge, created an important crossing point between downtown Santa Cruz and the booming Riverside Hotel across the river in the late 1800s. After damage to the Riverside Bridge in the 1955 flood, a levee structure was built surrounding the lower San Lorenzo River, forever changing its course.

  RIVERSIDE HOTEL

  Just across the river, the Riverside Hotel used to stand as a fine destination for the many tourists who flocked to the San Lorenzo riverside and Santa Cruz beaches. In 1877, Fred Barson, a Santa Cruz resident, saw the rising influx of tourists in the city, and the relative lack of high-end hotels to house visitors. He remodeled his house into a three-story mansion hotel, and landscaped the grounds with ornamental beds, statues and fountains. The hotel was very popular throughout the late 1800s and boasted a clubhouse, tennis court, archery range, trails and a ballroom, among many other luxurious amenities.

  

  The Riverside Hotel along the banks of the San Lorenzo River. Photo courtesy of and © Santa Cruz Public Libraries.

  THE CUT BIAS BRIDGE

  Once his hotel became well-known throughout the state, Barson realized the need for a bridge across the San Lorenzo near the Riverside Hotel. At this time, the only bridge across the river was the Soquel Bridge, and temporary footbridges that were constructed during the busier seasons. In 1888 Barson spent $4,769 to bring a truss kit bridge to connect his fine hotel to downtown Santa Cruz. The bridge he bought turned out to be too long for the spot it was to cross, so they moved the southern portion west and it had a weird angle to the river.

  

  The Cut Bias Bridge circa 1900. Its spans the San Lorenzo River, connecting the Riverside Hotel to downtown Santa Cruz. Photo courtesy of and © Santa Cruz Public Libraries.

  The new street was named Riverside Avenue, and the original bridge was referred to as the “Cut-Bias Bridge” because of its unusual angle. In 1930, the “Cut-Bias Bridge” was replaced with the concrete Riverside Bridge, which was built to the correct length. This bridge was severely damaged in the 1989 Loma Prieta Earthquake and was subsequently replaced. So today’s bridge is the third bridge to grace this crossing.

  Riverside Gardens Park, located on the site of former Riverside Hotel, is the newest addition to the recreational areas in Santa Cruz. Walking distance from downtown, this park has a children’s playground, picnic benches and exercise equipment. The park is also host to the first public fruit orchard in the city.

  Back in the day Riverside Hotel was famous for its extensive fruit orchards producing the best pears in the country. Hundred years later locals bring it back following the growing trend of community city gardens. The public garden is a collaborative work of the non-profit Santa Cruz Tree Project, Andy Moskowitz, David Shaw and citizens of the Lower Ocean Neighborhood. In addition to the free fresh fruit, the garden provides educational resources for the community on food cultivation and sustainable living.

  

  Riverside Gardens Park in 2015. Photo © Coastal Watershed Council.

  Take the Self-Guided Mobile Tour

  This piece is part of the San Lorenzo River Tour by the Coastal Watershed Council. Download the free app with many tours of the Santa Cruz area and beyond.

  

  

  

  1. Sources Used

     • Beach Hill: 1883-1899. W.C. Casey. January 15, 2014. Santa Cruz Patch.
     • Bridges Span Santa Cruz’s Past: From Felton’s Covered Redwood Span to West Cliff Drive’s Iron Landmark. Ross Eric Gibson. Santa Cruz Public Libraries website.
     • Bridges to Somewhere: Eastside Santa Cruz in the 1870s. W.C. Casey. October 30, 2012. Santa Cruz Patch.
     • Neighbors Break Ground on Riverside Community Orchard. Fruitcruz.org website.
     • An Orchard Blooms: Community Members Create Community Orchard in riverside Gardens Park. Nala Rogers. February 5, 2015. Santa Cruz Sentinel.

The San Lorenzo River lagoon was breached in 2014 as waters threatened the Santa Cruz Boardwalk. Photo courtesy of and © Dan Coyro / Santa Cruz Sentinel.

The complex balance of humans and nature on the San Lorenzo River is prominently seen in the ongoing conversation about how to manage the river lagoon. Protection of endangered and threatened species of fish is required by the Endangered Species Act, and that effort matches the environmental ethic of the Santa Cruz community.

Conventional wisdom is that we should let nature take its course, and not manually breach the lagoon with shovels or machinery. Done poorly, artificially breaching the lagoon sweeps fish out to sea, instead of allowing them to thrive in the lagoon. During the recent drought, however, the lagoon remained closed so long that water quality suffered (higher water temperature, low oxygen in the water), which also isn’t good for fish. Separately, rising water levels through the lower river caused problems for city streets, stormwater drains, and along the basements and foundations of homes and businesses near the river.

In 2014, an emergency breach of the lagoon was permitted when water levels threatened properties near the river, including the historic Santa Cruz Boardwalk. Fish biologists, hydrologists and other experts were on hand to ensure minimal impact to the critical fish species who call the lagoon home for part of their life cycle.

Balancing Act

As always along the river, it’s a constant balancing act between the needs for public safety and flood control, other human needs and wants like recreation, and protection of habitat for species we all value. The City of Santa Cruz is working on both an interim and a long term plan for lagoon management with agencies like the Coastal Commission, Army Corps of Engineers, Regional Water Quality Control Board and state and federal fisheries regulators.

Beneath the shimmering water of the San Lorenzo River lagoon live juvenile steelhead trout, tidewater gobies and other riverine species. Photo © Coastal Watershed Council.

Take the Self-Guided Mobile Tour

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The San Lorenzo flowing into the Monterey Bay. Photo Localwiki contributor Graham Freeman.

Depending on when you visit the river mouth, the river may or may not be flowing out to the bay. The interplay between sand moved by ocean currents and the river creates a seasonal sandbar at the rivermouth. When we get enough runoff from the rain, high river flows come downstream and break through the sandbar, and the river drains visibly into the ocean.

The river looks quite full. Photo: Crystal Birns Photography

When the river’s flow is too little to push the sand out of the way, the sandbar disconnects the river from the ocean and creates a lagoon. Fresh water is still flowing into the sea, its just below ground through the beach sand! When this happens, the water in the lagoon is called brackish; it’s a mix of saltwater from Monterey Bay and freshwater from the San Lorenzo Watershed. The lagoon can even convert to 100% freshwater over time as water flows down through the river.

The San Lorenzo River with a large winter lagoon in 2014. Photo © Dan Coyro / Santa Cruz Sentinel.

Fish Need the Lagoon

The lagoon is critical habitat for many species of fish. Anadromous fish like the threatened steelhead trout and endangered coho salmon start their lives in freshwater, travel to the ocean, and return to the freshwater to breed. Ocean species like starry flounder and topsmelt use the lagoon as a nursery. Juvenile steelhead and coho salmon rely on seasonal freshwater and brackish water conditions in lagoons to make the transition from freshwater to saltwater. When lagoon conditions are optimal, plentiful food helps them grow quickly, which results in greater ocean survival while a large habitat area allows them to evade predators.

Another endangered species relying on lagoon conditions is the very small Tidewater Goby. These fish, less than two inches in length, can breed year-round, but rely on the calm summer conditions in the lagoon for maintaining sufficient population numbers to respond to rapidly changing lagoon conditions. While this species is fairly tolerant of a wide range of water quality conditions, the population size may suffer if sandbars fail to form, or if closed lagoons are artificially breached and rapidly drained.

Underwater tidewater Goby. Photo © Don Alley, D.W. Alley & Associates.

Plants Along the River

The plants along the river today are a mix of native and non-native species. Some of the most common native species include the arroyo willow, the California blackberry, and the coffeeberry. Can you spot some? This is what they look like:

Coffeeberry. Image Wikipedia.

California Blackberry. Image Wikipedia.

Arroyo Willow. Image Wikipedia.

Many of the plant species that are most easy to see are non-native. This is the case for the towering eucalyptus trees that line the path on the east side of the river. The eucalyptus trees were intentionally planted to help stabilize the steep bank and to reduce sedimentation in the river. Riprap, or more simply put large loose rock, was used to stabilize the less steep portion of this reach of the San Lorenzo. The rock became habitat for weedy and non-native species. Other non-native species include fennel, pampas grass, and kikuyu grass.

Pampas Grass. Image Wikipedia.

Fennel. Image Wikipedia.

Eucalyptus. Image Wikipedia.

Look for the Birds

While most human visitors come to Santa Cruz during the summer months, lots of birds spend their winter on the banks of the San Lorenzo River. Look for Buffleheads, Common Goldeneyes, and Common Mergansers. Towards the trestle bridge you may see shorebirds like Yellowlegs, Dowitchers, Peeps, and the Semipalmated Plover as they pass through Santa Cruz on their migration routes.

Bufflehead ducks in the San Lorenzo River lagoon. Photo © Rebecca Barnes.

Spotted Sandpipers can be found along the bluffs of the river mouth, but if it’s not mating season, don’t expect to see these handsome birds in pairs as they are not very social birds. Seafaring birds like gulls are present all winter but are most numerous in their flocks during the month of January. Birds also like to nest in the eucalyptus, and throughout different seasons you can find Double-crested Cormorants, Peregrine Falcon, and even the occasional Osprey hanging around the river just like you are! Click on the bird names below to go to eNature.com and listen to their sounds:
Double-crested Cormorant
Peregrine Falcon
Osprey

The River’s Future

Imagine seeing the river mouth before urban development, when this important habitat was teeming with fish, birds and native plant species. You’ll still see some of these here today, but with increased attention on beneficial management practices imagine what could be. The Coastal Watershed Council (CWC) advocates for the preservation and protection of coastal watersheds through the establishment of community-based watershed stewardship programs. They along with the San Lorenzo River Alliance are working to change how people think about and can use the San Lorenzo River.

Take the Self-Guided Mobile Tour

This piece is part of the San Lorenzo River Tour by the Coastal Watershed Council. Download the free app with many tours of the Santa Cruz area and beyond.

Modern Day San Lorenzo River and San Lorenzo Park, Santa Cruz, California. Note San Lorenzo Park is the only point not hemmed in tightly by buildings, roads or parking lots. Image courtesy Google Earth.

All of downtown Santa Cruz is essentially built on the natural floodplain of the San Lorenzo River. Structures to control flooding along the river have been built since the 1860s. Bulkhead Street, just north of the clock tower, occupies the exact ground of an 1860s era bulkhead or dyke meant to keep water out of the Pacific/Front Street area. After very damaging floods in 1955, the Army Corps of Engineers built flood control measures (levees) all along the San Lorenzo River through downtown Santa Cruz.

San Lorenzo Park runs right along the San Lorenzo River and today, is the only stretch in downtown Santa Cruz not hemmed in tightly by a levee on both sides. The park opened in 1964, and is designed to allow for some storage of water in flood events. In fact, the park is built on flood deposits from the 1955 floods. The area did flood in the very large storms of winter 1982.

Aerial photo of downtown Santa Cruz, June 5, 1956. Black arrow points to the sands left behind by the San Lorenzo River in the 1955 floods and the present day location of San Lorenzo Park. Photo from the collection of Gary Griggs.

Looking downstream from the Water Street Bridge on January 4th, 1982. The floodwaters are covering San Lorenzo Park. Photo from the collection of Gary Griggs.

Play Structures, Ducks and…Lawn Bowling!

As the largest open space along the lower San Lorenzo River, this park is a great place for music, recreation and events. It features a duck pond, large playground area, and a world-class lawn bowling green.

The duck pond at San Lorenzo Park. Photo courtesy Local Wiki Santa Cruz.

The play structure at San Lorenzo Park. Photo courtesy Local Wiki Santa Cruz.

Lawn bowling began at San Lorenzo Park in 1964. The object of the game is to is to roll weighted balls so that they stop close to a smaller ball called a “jack” or “kitty”.

The Santa Cruz Bowls Club doesn’t play on just any field. Just like our local surfing community, they take it to the next level and have created a World Class Green. It’s a 120 foot by 120 foot grass surface, graded so that a bowl can be rolled upon the surface and will travel at specific speeds to meet world standards for tournament play. The Santa Cruz Bowls Club has hosted two national championships in recent years, sending winners to international competitions.

Photo © of Santa Cruz Bowls Club.

The artificial green that you can play on today replaced the grass green in 2007 and levels the playing field for men, women and players of all ages. The artificial turf allows focus on strategy and skill rather than the previously needed speed and strength to push over bumpy soil and unpredictable grass patches. This new turf also benefits the San Lorenzo River, as it eliminates the need for pesticide use to maintain the manicured green. For more information on how to get involved with the club, check out the Santa Cruz Lawn Bowls website [http://www.sclawnbowls.org/index.html] or head out to the green and see the action for yourself!

Events at the Park

Gay Pride

Look around the park. You’re seeing an important piece of the history of local gay pride. It was here in 1975 where the first Santa Cruz Pride event was celebrated with a potluck, workshops, music, a picnic and a giant tug of war. The event is the third oldest Pride Parade in California, and is marked by dancing, music, and high community spirit. The post-parade rally and festival continued to be held in the park until 2010 when they were moved downtown in an effort to curb costs.

2007 Santa Cruz Pride Festival in San Lorenzo Park.
Photo © Corlyce M. Olivieri.

Pop Up Museum

The Coastal Watershed Council and Museum of Art & History hosted a Pop Up Museum on the river in May 2014, where community members were invited to share their photographs, postcards, special objects and memories of the river and offer suggestions for the future of the San Lorenzo. Events like the Pop Up Museum, and community forums hosted by the Coastal Watershed Council open the conversation regarding how to address concerns with the river, and how to fully appreciate our local freshwater sources.

People contributing photos and comments at the Pop Up Museum at San Lorenzo park. Photo courtesy of the Coastal Watershed Council.

Water Music

San Lorenzo Park is a great place for community members to meet one another, listen to live music on the Duck Island Stage, and enjoy the views of the San Lorenzo River. And if you take a stroll over the pedestrian bridge leading out of the park and to downtown Santa Cruz, take a moment to stop and look down at the river. There’s birds on the river bank and sometimes fish in the water that you might be able to spot with this excellent vantage point.

Water Music celebrated the music of John Cage, September 2014, at the San Lorenzo Park’s Duck Island Stage. Photo © Coastal Watershed Council

Other notable events at the San Lorenzo Park:

Santa Cruz Rejuvenation Festival
Santa Cruz Bluegrass Fair
Santa Cruz Earth Day Festival

Take the Self-Guided Mobile Tour

This piece is part of the San Lorenzo River Tour by the Coastal Watershed Council. Download the free app with many tours of the Santa Cruz area and beyond.

The river offered deep holes that were perfect for fishing and swimming. In the 1870s, girls would swim in old summer dresses, and boys in union suits or cut-off flour sacks. But in Rennie Slough and many other swimming holes, the surrounding vegetation was thick enough that swimming nude was the norm. Think about how times have changed since then!

The Venetian Water Carnival

The Venetian Water Carnival was an annual event along the San Lorenzo River in Santa Cruz from 1895 to 1927. It was based on water carnivals in Venice, Italy. The City fathers hoped it would bolster the idea that Santa Cruz was the “Florence of the West.”

At a time when hardly anyone had electricity in their home, this event was at the forefront of modern technology and was a huge party! It featured strings of lights powered by an electric generator, fireworks, and late night concerts. A giant projector flashed “Santa Cruz Venetian Water Carnival” as guests sat on the side of the river to watch the events.

The carnival opened with a great show. Miss Anita Gonzales, the carnival queen, stood at the beach as ships from the all-steel Pacific Fleet “bombarded” the city and sent launches ashore in mock battles. There, Queen Anita would cry “Peace shall prevail this carnival week!” and a floral parade would ensue down Pacific Avenue. The last day of the carnival was “Hi-Jinks Day,” complete with a masquerade, burlesque, and a fat man in a dress who was crowned “hobo queen.”

After the boardwalk opened in 1904 and grew in popularity the impetus for the water carnival slowly started to fade. The last water carnival took place in 1927 but it provided the inspiration for other local festivals, like Capitola’s begonia festival, beginning in 1954.

River Recreation Today

You are not likely to see anyone fishing, swimming, or boating on the San Lorenzo River anymore. Today, there are mixed feelings towards recreational uses on the river. Water quality is poor so people don’t swim in the river, with the exception of unknowing tourists at the river mouth. Fishing is still allowed seasonally on the river, but only from the banks. Boating in the river, including kayaking, is not legal. There are also public safety concerns with homeless populations that tend to locate near the river, and with illegal activities that occur on the river path.

A Different Future?

The San Lorenzo River Alliance is working to change how people think about and can use the San Lorenzo River. Smiles were in abundance for the first event of the River Paddle Series in October 2013. The Coastal Watershed Council partnered with the City of Santa Cruz to host the series in order to connect the public with the river, and to work towards opening up the lower river for recreational use, which is currently prohibited by Santa Cruz City Municipal Code.

The river paddles, which continued into 2014, have energized people to spend time by the river and continue to draw positive attention to the lower stretch of the San Lorenzo River. The hope is that eventually we can enjoy the river as fully as if we still had famous swimming holes, top fishing spots, and boisterous water carnivals.

Take the Self-Guided Mobile Tour

This piece is part of the San Lorenzo River Tour by the Coastal Watershed Council. Download the free app with many tours of the Santa Cruz area and beyond.

The main stage, gondolas, and floats for the Venetian Water Carnival.
Picture courtesy of and © Santa Cruz Public Library.

The Venetian Water Carnival was an annual event along the San Lorenzo River in Santa Cruz from 1895 to 1927. It was based on water carnivals in Venice, Italy. The City fathers hoped it would bolster the idea that Santa Cruz was the “Florence of the West.”

At a time when hardly anyone had electricity in their home, this event was at the forefront of modern technology and was a huge party! It featured strings of lights powered by an electric generator, fireworks, and late night concerts. A giant projector flashed SANTA CRUZ VENETIAN WATER CARNIVAL as guests sat on the side of the river to watch the events.

Venetian Water Carnival (1895). Queen Anita’s gondola arriving.
Picture courtesy of and © Santa Cruz Public Library.

Girls dressed in white pose for a picture aboard a float during the Venetian Water Carnival on the San Lorenzo river. Picture courtesy of and © Santa Cruz Public Library.

Gondolas and floats decorate the San Lorenzo River for the Venetian Water Carnival.
Picture courtesy of and © Santa Cruz Public Library.

The carnival opened with a great show. Miss Anita Gonzales, the carnival queen, stood at the beach as ships from the all-steel Pacific Fleet “bombarded” the city and sent launches ashore in mock battles. There, Queen Anita would cry “Peace shall prevail this carnival week!” and a floral parade would ensue down Pacific Avenue. The last day of the carnival was “Hi-Jinks Day,” complete with a masquerade, burlesque, and a fat man in a dress who was crowned “hobo queen.”

Grand stand and stage for the Venetian Water Carnival circa 1895.
Picture courtesy of and © Santa Cruz Public Library.

After the boardwalk opened in 1904 and grew in popularity the impetus for the water carnival slowly started to fade. The last water carnival took place in 1927 but it provided the inspiration for other local festivals, like Capitola’s begonia festival, beginning in 1954.

Take the Self-Guided Mobile Tour

This piece is part of the San Lorenzo River Tour by the Coastal Watershed Council. Download the free app with many tours of the Santa Cruz area and beyond.