Coyote Creek-Lower Reach Maintenance Project

Coyote Creek originates on the eastern face of the Marin Peninsula range and flows generally east entering the San Francisco Estuary in Richardson Bay.  The Coyote Creek watershed consists of approximately 3.6 square miles. The Coyote Creek flood control project was constructed in 1965 by the US Army Corps of Engineers.  The upper reach of the flood control project consists of approximately 2,950 feet of concrete channel and the lower reach of the project consists of 4,150 feet of earthen channel. The earthen section flows through the Bothin Marsh Open Space Preserve, a tidal salt marsh. Periodically the channel is surveyed to determine whether dredging is required to restore the channel to its design cross section. The Project seeks to increase “natural” scouring of the channel by increasing the tidal prism through improved connectivity between Bothin Marsh and Coyote Creek. This limits the frequency and extent of dredging activities in order to reduce environmental impacts and maintain costs.  The available area to be connected to the flood channel includes 32 additional acres of existing and proposed future marsh habitat.