Rincon Creek

GENERAL

Source

Site Lower Rincon Creek

Map White Ledge Peak, USGS 7.5' quadrangle.

Location Rincon Creek empties into the ocean at Rincon Point, just east of the City of Carpinteria. Rincon Creek, for much of its length, forms the boundary between Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties. The primary focus of the profile is from the ocean to Casitas Creek approximately 2.2 miles upstream.

Contacts Urban Creeks Council; 805-964-3105

Carpinteria Creek Committee; 805-684-2286

Approximate Wetland Acreage The lagoon on the ocean side of Highway 101 is approximately 0.5 acres and the riparian corridor along the creek extends for approximately 2 miles upstream from Highway 101 to Casitas Creek.
3, 11

Approximate Historic Acreage Not specified

Ownership Owner Acres Source

Riparian areas of the Creek are in private ownership. Not specified 3

LAND USE

Source

Land Use Designation Ventura County's Local Coastal Program (LCP) designates the area adjacent to the creek south of Highway 101 as residential and north of 101 as agricultural. Santa Barbara's LCP designates the area from the mouth of the creek to approximately 0.5 miles upstream as residential and from there to the National Forest boundary as agricultural. Both Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties have designated the riparian corridor along the creek as an Environmentally Sensitive Habitat Area.
7, 8

Onsite Use The Highway 101/Route 150 interchange and the Southern Pacific Railroad were built on fill across the creek approximately .2 mile inland from the ocean; a housing development and roads sit atop the banks between the ocean and Highway 101; upstream from the highway, the creek corridor is sparsely developed with agricultural fields and orchards on either side
3

Historic Use As one of the few perennial streams in the area, the creek was probably a source of freshwater water for native Americans. Ranching and agriculture were established in the creek canyon by the 1870's.
5, 1

Adjacent Use The mouth is surrounded by residential development; for approximately 2 miles upstream of the Highway 101 interchange, land adjacent to the creek is primarily in orchards; the rest of the watershed is in the Los Padres National Forest.
1, 3

Historic Adjacent Use Archaeological sites in the Carpinteria Valley indicate that initial habitation probably occurred in the area about 9000 years ago. Agriculture and ranching in the valley were begun by the Spanish in the late 1790's.
5, 9

HYDROLOGY

Source

Tidal Influence Vegetation in the lagoon indicated that surf and high tides overtop the beach barrier and mix with freshwater inflows into the lagoon. The frequency and pattern of over topping are unknown.
11

Watershed Area 9300 acres
4

Tributaries and Flow Tributary Flow Source

Rincon Creek The creek is perennial with the flow occasionally interrupted during the summer; the typical summer flow approximately 1.5 miles upstream of the mouth is about 4 cfs. With the exception of the culvert under Highway 101, the creek bed is natural. 1, 4

Dams None

Other Sources Runoff from Highway 101 and the surrounding residential area enter the lagoon at several locations.
11

WATER QUALITY

Source

General Rincon Creek is not identified on the RWQCB's 303(d) list. Designated beneficial uses are; MUN, AGR, GWR, REC1, REC2, WILD COLD, WARM, MIGR, SPWN, RARE, EST, FRESH, and COMM. The lower reach of the creek is reported to be highly turbid due to agricultural runoff carried into Rincon Creek by Casitas Creek.
6, 4

Dissolved Oxygen (DO) No data located.

Water Salinity No data located.

Sedimentation Reports from visual observations indicate that sedimentation from agricultural related erosion along Casitas Creek compromises the water quality and silt/clay have filled the spaces between the larger boulders and cobbles.
1, 4

SOIL

Source

Soil Mouth area and the canyon floor is an alluvial fan composed of cobbles and gravel infilled with silty and clayey sands.
1

Habitat Acres Vegetation

Estuarine (fresh/brackish water lagoon) Not specified (from the creek mouth at the Pacific Ocean to Highway 101, approximately 0.2 mile ) 1997 - bulrush, river bulrush, willows and non-native vegetation. 11

Creek Channel (emergent) Not specified. 1995 - bulrush, tules, horsetail and duckweed. 1

Riparian Not specified (a narrow band along the creek from Highway 101 to Casitas Creek, approximately 2 miles) 1995 - areas downstream of mile post 1.1 are dominated by sycamores and willows, and upstream by alders, cottonwood and willows. 1

ANIMAL USE

Source

Birds Surveys 1988 - 1996; 81 species observed within the creek's riparian corridor, including two special status species; yellow warbler# and yellow-breasted chat#.
5

Fish Stream surveys in April and May 1993 using electrofishing and visual observations; no fish were seen or captured.
2, 4

Benthic Invertebrates No data located.

Insect No data located.

Other Wildlife 1995 - monarch butterflies, Pacific treefrog, and small mammals; 1997 - anecdotal reports indicate that coyote, bobcat, woodrat and chipmunks are regularly seen in the area.
1, 5

Special Status Species 1995 - yellow warbler# and yellow-breasted chat#.
5, 1

OUTLOOK

Source

Enhancement Status As a part of Caltrans' proposed bridge replacement and roadway realignment project (from mile post 0.9 to 1.8), paved spillways under the two existing bridges would be removed and rock weirs constructed to reduce the current five feet elevation change to one foot increments to allow for fish passage. Also as a part of the project it is proposed to modify the culvert under Highway 101 to allow for upstream migration of anadromous fish (steelhead trout).
1

Watershed Management No watershed management plans are in effect.
11

Pressure Heavy siltation of the creek below the confluence with Casitas Creek, caused by erosion of agricultural lands, has reduced the quality and quanity of spawning grounds, and reduced the water quality in the lower creek.
1, 4

SOURCES

1 California Department of Transportation and Federal Highway Administration. 1995. Final environmental impact report/statement: replacement of two bridges on Ricon Creek. 146 pp., plus appendices. This EIR/EIS describes the proposed realignment of approximately 0.9 miles of State Route 150 and replacement of two bridges within the realignment area. The proposed realignment begins one mile east of Pacific Coast Highway near Carpinteria. Environmental studies in the report include potential impacts to farmland, biological resources, visual resources, air and water quality, and floodplains. The report also discusses related issues of impediments to potential anadromous fish passage due to the culverts at Highway 101. Summary data on the flora and fauna of Rincon Creek are included in the body of the report, and undated lists of birds, non-avian vertebrates, and vegetation are provided in the appendices.

2 Carpanzano, C. M. 1996. Distribution and habitat associations of different age classes and mitochondrial genotypes of <Oncorhynchus mykiss> in streams in southern California. UC Santa Barbara, Master's Thesis. 54 pp. plus appendices. This study examines the relationship between different populations of rainbow trout and their habitat in ten creeks in Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties. Creeks surveyed were Rincon, Agua Caliente, Gaviota, Santa Paula, Piru, Fox Salsipuedes, Matilija, and the Ventura River. No fish were found in Rincon Creek and data from Rincon Creek was not used in the analysis. Limited information is provided on the vegetation, habitat types and stream morphology of Rincon Creek.

3 Department of Water Resources, Division of Land and Right of Way, Photogrammetry Section. 1993. Aerial Photograph 4-14-93, Rincon Point, No. 2999. Nine by nine inch aerial color photograph of Rincon Point; scale 1:12,000

4 Douglas, P., & C. Carpinzo; for the California Department of Forestry. 1993. Stream survey of Rincon Creek, Santa Barbara County June 15, 1993. (Report provided by California Department of Transportation.) 3 pp. This report/survey of Rincon Creek was designed primarily to identify the number and species of fish in the creek. The method used for this survey was visual inspection and electrofishing. A description of the morphology of the creek, vegetative cover, substrate composition and discharge rate is provided. No fish were found in the creek.

5 Holmgren, M.; Associate Director, Museum of Systematics and Ecology, UC Santa Barbara. February 1997. Personal communication of unpublished bird surveys along Rincon Creek from 1988 to 1996.

6 California Regional Water Quality Control Board, Central Coast Region. 1994. Water quality control plan. 122 pp., plus appendices. The plan designates beneficial uses and associated water quality objectives for inland surface waters, ground waters, coastal waters, and wetlands for counties of Santa Cruz, San Benito, Monterey, San Louis Obispo, and Santa Barbara as well as the southern one-third of Santa Clara, and small portion of San Mateo, Kern and Ventura Counties. It includes a discussion of applicable policies and statutory requirements and identifies measures for achieving water quality objectives. It also describes ongoing monitoring and assessment programs.

7 Ventura County. 1980 with amendments. The coastal plan: Ventura County general plan and area plan for the Coastal Zone. 144 pp., plus appendices bound separately. The Ventura County's Local Coastal Program is the Land Use Plan for the unincorporated portions of the coastal areas in Ventura County. It addresses the County's significant coastal issues with a combination of land use designation, resource protection, and development policies. Specific issues evaluated include environmentally sensitive habitats, archaeological and palenteontological resources, agriculture, commerical fishing, recreation and access, hazards, beach erosion, energy and industrial facilities, public works, housing and the location and planning of new development.

8 Santa Barbara County. 1982 with amendments. Santa Barbara County Coastal Plan. 239 pp., plus appendices. This coastal land use plan is a separate element of the County's General Plan. The purpose of the land use plan is to protect coastal resources, provide greater access and recreational opportunities for the public's enjoyment, while allowing for orderly and well-planned urban development and the siting of coastal-dependent and coastal-related industry. The plan proposes that firm urban-rural boundaries be established which will have the effect of redirecting growth from an outward expansion to one of infilling.

9 Ferren Jr., W. R. (ed). 1985. Carpinteria Salt Marsh: environment, history and botanical resources of a southern California estuary. The Herbarium, U. C. Santa Barbara, Pub. No. 4. 300pp. This publication contains a description of the physical environment and history of the marsh and the adjacent Carpinteria Valley, a detailed investigation into the biological resources, and a review of opportunities and constraintsfor the future protection of the marsh. The appendices contain a detailed classification of upland and wetland vegetation from original survey work, and an annotated and illustrated catalogue of the vascular plants

10 California Coastal Commission. 1995. Staff report and recommendation of consistency certification for Caltrans' proposed realignment of Route 150. 17 pp., plus attachments. This staff report contains a brief summary of the project, reviews the effects of the project on environmentally sensitive habitats and describes the stream bank alteration caused by the project. Mitigation requirements for disruption of the creek during construction and the filling of a small portion of the wetlands are evaluated. This report recommends that the Commission find the project consistent with the California Coastal Management Program. (This report is not cited in the profile.)

11 Pritchett, D.; US Fish and Wildlife Service, Ventura Office. May 7, 1997. Personal communication of unpublished notes from a field investigation of Lower Rincon Creek on April 26, 1997.

Webmaster: wetlands@resources.ca.gov

GENERAL			Source
Site	Lower Rincon Creek
Map	White Ledge Peak, USGS 7.5' quadrangle.
Location	Rincon Creek empties into the ocean at Rincon Point, just east of the City of Carpinteria. Rincon Creek, for much of its length, forms the boundary between Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties. The primary focus of the profile is from the ocean to Casitas Creek approximately 2.2 miles upstream.
Contacts	Urban Creeks Council; 805-964-3105
	Carpinteria Creek Committee; 805-684-2286
Approximate Wetland Acreage	The lagoon on the ocean side of Highway 101 is approximately 0.5 acres and the riparian corridor along the creek extends for approximately 2 miles upstream from Highway 101 to Casitas Creek.		3, 11
Approximate Historic Acreage	Not specified
Ownership	Owner	Acres	Source
	Riparian areas of the Creek are in private ownership.	Not specified	3


LAND USE			Source
Land Use Designation	Ventura County's Local Coastal Program (LCP) designates the area adjacent to the creek south of Highway 101 as residential and north of 101 as agricultural. Santa Barbara's LCP designates the area from the mouth of the creek to approximately 0.5 miles upstream as residential and from there to the National Forest boundary as agricultural. Both Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties have designated the riparian corridor along the creek as an Environmentally Sensitive Habitat Area.		7, 8
Onsite Use	The Highway 101/Route 150 interchange and the Southern Pacific Railroad were built on fill across the creek approximately .2 mile inland from the ocean; a housing development and roads sit atop the banks between the ocean and Highway 101; upstream from the highway, the creek corridor is sparsely developed with agricultural fields and orchards on either side		3
Historic Use	As one of the few perennial streams in the area, the creek was probably a source of freshwater water for native Americans. Ranching and agriculture were established in the creek canyon by the 1870's.		5, 1
Adjacent Use	The mouth is surrounded by residential development; for approximately 2 miles upstream of the Highway 101 interchange, land adjacent to the creek is primarily in orchards; the rest of the watershed is in the Los Padres National Forest.		1, 3
Historic Adjacent Use	Archaeological sites in the Carpinteria Valley indicate that initial habitation probably occurred in the area about 9000 years ago. Agriculture and ranching in the valley were begun by the Spanish in the late 1790's.		5, 9


HYDROLOGY			Source
Tidal Influence	Vegetation in the lagoon indicated that surf and high tides overtop the beach barrier and mix with freshwater inflows into the lagoon. The frequency and pattern of over topping are unknown.		11
Watershed Area	9300 acres		4
Tributaries and Flow	Tributary	Flow	Source
	Rincon Creek	The creek is perennial with the flow occasionally interrupted during the summer; the typical summer flow approximately 1.5 miles upstream of the mouth is about 4 cfs. With the exception of the culvert under Highway 101, the creek bed is natural.	1, 4
Dams	None
Other Sources	Runoff from Highway 101 and the surrounding residential area enter the lagoon at several locations.		11


WATER QUALITY			Source
General	Rincon Creek is not identified on the RWQCB's 303(d) list. Designated beneficial uses are; MUN, AGR, GWR, REC1, REC2, WILD COLD, WARM, MIGR, SPWN, RARE, EST, FRESH, and COMM. The lower reach of the creek is reported to be highly turbid due to agricultural runoff carried into Rincon Creek by Casitas Creek.		6, 4
Dissolved Oxygen (DO)	No data located.
Water Salinity	No data located.
Sedimentation	Reports from visual observations indicate that sedimentation from agricultural related erosion along Casitas Creek compromises the water quality and silt/clay have filled the spaces between the larger boulders and cobbles.		1, 4


SOIL			Source
Soil	Mouth area and the canyon floor is an alluvial fan composed of cobbles and gravel infilled with silty and clayey sands.		1
Habitat	Acres	Vegetation
Estuarine (fresh/brackish water lagoon)	Not specified (from the creek mouth at the Pacific Ocean to Highway 101, approximately 0.2 mile )	1997 - bulrush, river bulrush, willows and non-native vegetation.	11
Creek Channel (emergent)	Not specified.	1995 - bulrush, tules, horsetail and duckweed.	1
Riparian	Not specified (a narrow band along the creek from Highway 101 to Casitas Creek, approximately 2 miles)	1995 - areas downstream of mile post 1.1 are dominated by sycamores and willows, and upstream by alders, cottonwood and willows.	1


ANIMAL USE			Source
Birds	Surveys 1988 - 1996; 81 species observed within the creek's riparian corridor, including two special status species; yellow warbler# and yellow-breasted chat#.		5
Fish	Stream surveys in April and May 1993 using electrofishing and visual observations; no fish were seen or captured.		2, 4
Benthic Invertebrates	No data located.
Insect	No data located.
Other Wildlife	1995 - monarch butterflies, Pacific treefrog, and small mammals; 1997 - anecdotal reports indicate that coyote, bobcat, woodrat and chipmunks are regularly seen in the area.		1, 5
Special Status Species	1995 - yellow warbler# and yellow-breasted chat#.		5, 1


OUTLOOK			Source
Enhancement Status	As a part of Caltrans' proposed bridge replacement and roadway realignment project (from mile post 0.9 to 1.8), paved spillways under the two existing bridges would be removed and rock weirs constructed to reduce the current five feet elevation change to one foot increments to allow for fish passage. Also as a part of the project it is proposed to modify the culvert under Highway 101 to allow for upstream migration of anadromous fish (steelhead trout).		1
Watershed Management	No watershed management plans are in effect.		11
Pressure	Heavy siltation of the creek below the confluence with Casitas Creek, caused by erosion of agricultural lands, has reduced the quality and quanity of spawning grounds, and reduced the water quality in the lower creek.		1, 4
SOURCES
1	California Department of Transportation and Federal Highway Administration. 1995. Final environmental impact report/statement: replacement of two bridges on Ricon Creek. 146 pp., plus appendices. This EIR/EIS describes the proposed realignment of approximately 0.9 miles of State Route 150 and replacement of two bridges within the realignment area. The proposed realignment begins one mile east of Pacific Coast Highway near Carpinteria. Environmental studies in the report include potential impacts to farmland, biological resources, visual resources, air and water quality, and floodplains. The report also discusses related issues of impediments to potential anadromous fish passage due to the culverts at Highway 101. Summary data on the flora and fauna of Rincon Creek are included in the body of the report, and undated lists of birds, non-avian vertebrates, and vegetation are provided in the appendices.
2	Carpanzano, C. M. 1996. Distribution and habitat associations of different age classes and mitochondrial genotypes of <Oncorhynchus mykiss> in streams in southern California. UC Santa Barbara, Master's Thesis. 54 pp. plus appendices. This study examines the relationship between different populations of rainbow trout and their habitat in ten creeks in Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties. Creeks surveyed were Rincon, Agua Caliente, Gaviota, Santa Paula, Piru, Fox Salsipuedes, Matilija, and the Ventura River. No fish were found in Rincon Creek and data from Rincon Creek was not used in the analysis. Limited information is provided on the vegetation, habitat types and stream morphology of Rincon Creek.
3	Department of Water Resources, Division of Land and Right of Way, Photogrammetry Section. 1993. Aerial Photograph 4-14-93, Rincon Point, No. 2999. Nine by nine inch aerial color photograph of Rincon Point; scale 1:12,000
4	Douglas, P., & C. Carpinzo; for the California Department of Forestry. 1993. Stream survey of Rincon Creek, Santa Barbara County June 15, 1993. (Report provided by California Department of Transportation.) 3 pp. This report/survey of Rincon Creek was designed primarily to identify the number and species of fish in the creek. The method used for this survey was visual inspection and electrofishing. A description of the morphology of the creek, vegetative cover, substrate composition and discharge rate is provided. No fish were found in the creek.
5	Holmgren, M.; Associate Director, Museum of Systematics and Ecology, UC Santa Barbara. February 1997. Personal communication of unpublished bird surveys along Rincon Creek from 1988 to 1996.
6	California Regional Water Quality Control Board, Central Coast Region. 1994. Water quality control plan. 122 pp., plus appendices. The plan designates beneficial uses and associated water quality objectives for inland surface waters, ground waters, coastal waters, and wetlands for counties of Santa Cruz, San Benito, Monterey, San Louis Obispo, and Santa Barbara as well as the southern one-third of Santa Clara, and small portion of San Mateo, Kern and Ventura Counties. It includes a discussion of applicable policies and statutory requirements and identifies measures for achieving water quality objectives. It also describes ongoing monitoring and assessment programs.
7	Ventura County. 1980 with amendments. The coastal plan: Ventura County general plan and area plan for the Coastal Zone. 144 pp., plus appendices bound separately. The Ventura County's Local Coastal Program is the Land Use Plan for the unincorporated portions of the coastal areas in Ventura County. It addresses the County's significant coastal issues with a combination of land use designation, resource protection, and development policies. Specific issues evaluated include environmentally sensitive habitats, archaeological and palenteontological resources, agriculture, commerical fishing, recreation and access, hazards, beach erosion, energy and industrial facilities, public works, housing and the location and planning of new development.
8	Santa Barbara County. 1982 with amendments. Santa Barbara County Coastal Plan. 239 pp., plus appendices. This coastal land use plan is a separate element of the County's General Plan. The purpose of the land use plan is to protect coastal resources, provide greater access and recreational opportunities for the public's enjoyment, while allowing for orderly and well-planned urban development and the siting of coastal-dependent and coastal-related industry. The plan proposes that firm urban-rural boundaries be established which will have the effect of redirecting growth from an outward expansion to one of infilling.
9	Ferren Jr., W. R. (ed). 1985. Carpinteria Salt Marsh: environment, history and botanical resources of a southern California estuary. The Herbarium, U. C. Santa Barbara, Pub. No. 4. 300pp. This publication contains a description of the physical environment and history of the marsh and the adjacent Carpinteria Valley, a detailed investigation into the biological resources, and a review of opportunities and constraintsfor the future protection of the marsh. The appendices contain a detailed classification of upland and wetland vegetation from original survey work, and an annotated and illustrated catalogue of the vascular plants
10	California Coastal Commission. 1995. Staff report and recommendation of consistency certification for Caltrans' proposed realignment of Route 150. 17 pp., plus attachments. This staff report contains a brief summary of the project, reviews the effects of the project on environmentally sensitive habitats and describes the stream bank alteration caused by the project. Mitigation requirements for disruption of the creek during construction and the filling of a small portion of the wetlands are evaluated. This report recommends that the Commission find the project consistent with the California Coastal Management Program. (This report is not cited in the profile.)
11	Pritchett, D.; US Fish and Wildlife Service, Ventura Office. May 7, 1997. Personal communication of unpublished notes from a field investigation of Lower Rincon Creek on April 26, 1997.