Arroyo Burro Estuary and Mesa Creek Restoration Project

The Creeks Division began constructing the Arroyo Burro Estuary and Mesa Creek Restoration Project in June 2006. Located at the end of the Arroyo Burro Beach parking area and within the Douglas Family Preserve, the project will restore coastal estuarine, riparian and coastal sage scrub habitats and improve water quality in Mesa Creek, the estuary, and at Arroyo Burro Beach. The project involves daylighting a section of Mesa Creek which currently flows underground through a culvert. This project also includes fish passage enhancements to benefit the endangered Steelhead Trout, and the expansion of the estuary to benefit the Tidewater Goby. In early 2006, members of the California Conservation Corp removed vegetation and cleared the site as part of the first phase of the project. The groundbreaking ceremony took place June 8^th 2006.

Restoration funds have been focused on this estuary because it is highly degraded in terms of water quality and wildlife habitat. The estuary has been greatly reduced in size (in the early 1900’s the estuary was over 500 feet wide and is now approximately 50 feet wide) and a large portion of Mesa Creek has been diverted into a cement culvert. In addition, a number of invasive plants have colonized disturbed areas within the estuary. Water pollution is an issue at the estuary with a number of samples every year exceeding the State contact standards for bacteria.

Click here to view construction photos.

The restoration is funded in part with a grant from the State Coastal Conservancy, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the California Wildlife Conservation Board and Federal Funds from U.S. Congresswoman Lois Capps. This project was also partially financed by the County of Santa Barbara’s Coastal Resource Enhancement Fund, a partial mitigation of impacts from the following offshore oil and gas projects:  Point Arguello, Point Pedernales, Santa Ynez Unit, and the Gaviota Terminal.

© Copyright 2003, City of Santa Barbara. We welcome your comments and suggestions. Send messages and inquiries to Liz Smith.