San Francisquito Creek is “one of the last unchannelized” urban streams of the bay area. Being an urban stream requires the creek to handle a multitude of issues related to local species habitats, flooding and erosion controls, land use problems, pollution prevention, and governing body conflicts. At the soil site, urbanized land is approximately 70% of the surrounding area thereby making urban runoff and soil filtration two key factors for the problems of pollution and creek erosion. In the watershed area, erosion control is necessary for the containment and soil filtration of pollutants. Pollutants commonly found locally are attributed to garden fertilizers and pesticides, and roadway chemicals – lead, zinc and hydrocarbons. Containment allows for soil microorganisms to breakdown pollutants for consumption and to allow chemical reactions to take place with soil elements.
Julienne Bautista 