Lower Bidwell Park Sycamore Grove Restoration
The site is located in lower Bidwell Park in the City of Chico on Big Chico Creek. In the early 1900's fill material was dumped here to extend a ball field. The fill contained large pieces of concrete and blocked Big Chico Creek's access to its geomorphic floodplain. This combination of factors has resulted in accelerated bank erosion.
The project includes the removal of up to 800 cubic yards of concrete and asphalt from the stream and soil from the floodplain, reconnecting the stream with it's geomorphic floodplain. It also includes removal of nonnative vegetation by hand crews. The newly exposed floodplain will be vegetated with native willows, sedges, other native plants, and log veins will be placed to increase cover and reduce bank erosion. Over time the thick roots of the willow thicket will help create a deep undercut bank. This combination of factors will create a new habitat more conducive to rearing salmon. As high waters pass over the new floodplain and through the willow thicket they will drop quantities of fines, removing them from the stream system.
Photos
Click on a photo below to see a larger image.
Pre-restoration photos, showing concrete and erosion |
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Adding logs to slow water in the outer stream curve and decreasing erosion |
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Removal of non-native plants and after reworking the pedestrian path |
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Adding logs to slow water in the outer stream curve and decreasing erosion |
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Related Reports
Summary Report on the Fish Community at the Sycamore Pool Restoration Site
Prepared by Paul Maslin
July 5, 2001 (14KB PDF)
Sycamore Pool Pebble Count
5/14/01 (21KB PDF)
News
E-R Article: Nov. 11, 2003
On Foot: Young grasses, willows will grow to shore up the shore
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