About the Watershed
A watershed is an area of land that captures rain by surface and underground drainages and sends it into creeks and streams. The creeks merge, becoming larger as the water moves downstream. The creek system eventually drains into a bay or ocean. Watersheds provide many important functions, such as storing water in wetlands and floodplains that naturally filter out the pollutants found in urban storm water runoff.
Arcade Creek is about 16 miles long and is fed by many tributaries. It's the main creek in the Arcade Creek Watershed, the 38-square-mile area of land that covers sections of the cities of Sacramento and Citrus Heights, and the County of Sacramento.
Click on the image below to view a high resolution copy of the watershed map.
How our Day-to-Day Lives Impact the Watershed
The Arcade Creek basin has experienced a great deal of change in the last 60 years. What was once primarily farmland is now predominantly residential, commercial, and industrial uses. This type of vast development has brought with it more impervious surfaces such as roads, parking lots, and buildings. Stormwater that previously soaked into the ground or moved slowly through the watershed now flows quickly into storm drains and into the creek channel, increasing the risk of flooding. As the water moves over these surfaces, it picks up runoff from garden and lawn watering, water main and sewer leakage, household and garden chemicals, vehicle waste, and unmanaged animal waste - all of which greatly impacts water quality in the area and the wildlife that depends on it.
The Arcade Creek Watershed has tremendous potential for improvement. The City of Sacramento and its partners are committed to improving the area so that this special place can be fully enjoyed by nearby residents and local wildlife. A healthy Arcade Creek Watershed benefits everyone by:
- Providing clean water for our homes. Improving water quality in Arcade Creek will also benefit downstream resources in the Sacramento River and the Sacramento Bay-Delta - two significant water supplies for the Sacramento region and beyond.
- Reducing flooding by naturally slowing storm waters. Decreasing floodwater damage is important to home and business owners along the creek; for protection of roads, bridges, utilities, and other public works; and for the region's overall economy.
- Providing valuable habitat for wildlife to flourish. Urban development has destroyed and broken up habitat, reduced the number of upstream areas animals can escape to during floods, and introduced new predators such as domestic cats and dogs.
- Offering recreational opportunities for families, schools and neighbors. Providing additional formal access points and trails in the remaining natural areas of the watershed will help minimize high-impact informal trails and creek crossings and improve public safety. Additional education about the benefits of the watershed will also improve the recreation experience.
- Enhancing the urban community with open-space settings that take us away from busy city life. Arcade Creek offers a unique natural setting for area residents to enjoy a more natural setting in their urban environment. A restored, more inviting local nature area may encourage residents to recreate closer to home rather than driving longer distances to access nature areas outside of the area.
