A study that identifies restoration opportunities in the Rose Creek Watershed has recently been completed by San Diego Earthworks, thanks to funding from the California Coastal Conservancy. Through extensive field work, data collection, mapping and modeling, The Rose Creek Watershed Wetland, Riparian and Water Quality Restoration Opportunities Analysis recommends 19 specific restoration projects to improve one of our region's most beautiful recreational and environmental assets.

This native sycamore tree has been damaged as a result of changes  to the canyon's natural water flow.

"Because the majority of the watershed was fully developed by the mid 1980's, few, if any best management practices (BMPs) were implemented to help mitigate for the increase in impervious surfaces," explains the report. "The lack of BMPs has allowed for not only increases in flows, but has also caused a substantial increase in the pollutants entering Rose and San Clemente Creeks compared to historic conditions."

A fully functioning watershed stores rainwater by spreading out the water flow across a floodplain. This decreases the water's speed, reduces flood peaks, and distributes the water throughout the environment over a longer period of time. When impervious surfaces such as roads and sidewalks are added as a result of urbanization, the natural flow of rainwater is modified and diverted. The increased amount and speed of the rainwater flow causes "channel incision," meaning the creek deepens into the canyon valley bottom while creating steep slopes on either side. This process causes problems for watershed ecosystems, such as restricting water flow to the root systems of native trees, making the water more "muddy" (which affects water quality and aquatic plant growth), and increasing flooding during storms.

Non-native grasses dominate Rose Canyon Site 3.

The report suggests a variety of specific restoration strategies and techniques to reverse the effects of channel incision and enhance the watershed's natural structure at 19 sites. For example, Rose Canyon Site 3 is severely incised, with no access to a floodplain where water can be captured and stored. This has resulted in a dominance of non-native grasses. Step pools and site grading are recommended techniques to restore the floodplain.

The report was prepared by cbec, inc., eco-engineering, Trestles Environmental Corporation, and KTU+A for San Diego EarthWorks. The project was identified as an Action Item in The Rose Creek Watershed Opportunities Assessment, the long-term planning document that identifies ways to improve the watershed. The report can be reviewed online and the input files can be made available. Please contact the Rose Creek Watershed Coordinator for more information. 

Students from Curie Elementary School in University City and their parent chaperones learn about Rose Canyon wildlife.

Friends of Rose Canyon has been leading nature walks to educate students in University City about Rose Canyon and the Rose Creek Watershed for several years. Their "Sense of Wonder" Project is designed to provide experiences for schoolchildren that inspire a lifelong sense of wonder through guided nature walks in nearby canyons. They partnered with the Rose Creek Watershed Alliance to reach additional schools in the watershed. An Environmental Champions grant from San Diego Gas & Electric is currently helping continue this program for University City schools and expanding it to new schools in Clairemont and Pacific Beach. 

A big thank you goes out to San Diego Gas & Electric for funding this effort to build environmental stewardship throughout the watershed's schools. Forty excursions are already scheduled for this Spring in order to introduce as many students as we can to the beautiful nature in our watershed. 

SDTT members examine a possible animal track.

Did you know that San Diego County is home to more plant and animal species than any other comparable region in the United States? A variety of wildlife use the natural areas and canyons within the Rose Creek Watershed everyday, but they're often hard to see. That's where the San Diego Tracking Team (SDTT) comes in. This group of volunteers conducts wildlife surveys along trails throughout the County. During their surveys, they identify tracks and other animal signs such as scat. They hope to find species of interest such as the bobcat and coyote, because their presence means that the ecosystem is healthy.

Data from their surveys is important because it has influenced planning decisions throughout the region. For example, SDTT data showing that top predators and other wildlife such as gray foxes often use a particular tunnel to move from one area to another can validate the need to fund maintenance of that infrastructure.

One team conducts regular surveys in Rose Canyon Open Space Park. They have followed raccoon and striped skunk tracks for several hundred yards along the main trail, which proves that humans aren't the only ones that use it. They also often find evidence of the elusive bobcat throughout the canyon.

The Rose Canyon Team is always looking for new volunteers. "For those who love nature, tracking can add a whole new dimension to their enjoyment of the outdoors", says SDTT's President Fred Kramer. "So, take SDTT's one-day class for volunteers and participate in a wildlife survey. It's not only fun, but the data collected supports our conservation activities." Visit their website to learn more about this organization and how you can get involved.

Convener: San Diego EarthWorks

San Diego EarthWorks convened the Rose Creek Watershed Alliance in 2004 as an informal organization of stakeholders to help plan the future of the 23,000-acre Rose Creek Watershed. They developed a planning document to encourage watershed improvements called The Rose Creek Watershed Opportunities Assessment. The Assessment includes recommendations to improve the watershed's biological, cultural and recreational attributes and was accepted by the San Diego City Council in 2008.