The Public Works Department recommends the following guidelines for maintaining a creek on your property:
Remove all debris and foreign object, including bottles and cans, construction debris, fallen tree limbs, and any other litter. We
recommend storing outdoor furniture and other backyard items at least
10 feet away from the top of the bank to avoid anything washing into the
creek during a heavy storm. Sheds or other small structures closer
than 10 feet from the top of the bank should be anchored to the ground.
Cut vegetation along the creek banks up to the top of the bank (flood line). This
includes shrubs, tules, pampas grass, cattails, and bamboo, but not low
ground cover. Do not clear-cut the creek slopes. If you cut a plant,
cut it at the ground level, but leave the roots in the ground. Remove
hanging vines that could block the natural flow of water. Trim berry
vines to the top of the bank.
Prune back any tree limbs hanging within two feet of the top of the bank. Prune
from the creek banks up to the top of the bank (flood line). If there
are trees growing within the stream channel that could cause an
obstruction to the flow of water, contact the California Department of
Fish and Wildlife for direction. A single, living tree with a diameter
of 2-inches or greater need not be removed, provided it is not leaning
toward the creek. If you do cut a tree, cut it at the ground level, but
leave the roots in the ground.
Any work to alter a creek requires a permit. Widening,
filling, or dredging requires permits from the City, the Department of
Fish and Wildlife, the State Regional Water Quality Control Board, and
the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
These diagrams illustrate the above guidelines and are provided by the Contra Costa County Public Works Maintenance Division.