Your Novato Creek Watershed
The Novato Creek Watershed is a 48 square mile basin and is the largest watershed in eastern Marin County. Its creeks flow through unincorporated Marin County and the City of Novato before crossing under Hwy 101, spreading out into tidal wetlands as it crosses under Hwy 37 and winds around Bel Marin Keys on its way out to San Pablo Bay near the mouth of the Petaluma River.
Novato Creek begins its 17 mile journey in the highlands between Red Hill and Mount Burdell and initially descends to the west. However, it soon turns south, then east through Stafford Lake County Park to feed into Stafford Lake. As it descends through farm and park lands paralleling Novato Blvd. it’s joined by Leveroni Creek and Bowman Canyon Creek before it enters the City of Novato at O’Hair Park. It winds out to the east through Miwok Park, San Miguel Park, and Pioneer Park and then comes back to running alongside Novato Blvd. at Grant Ave. The creek passes by the Novato Library at Lee Garner Park. Just downstream from the Novato Fair Shopping Center the creek is joined by Warner Creek and then Arroyo Avichi before turning east again crossing under U.S. Hwy. 101 and the SMART train trestle and then south as it flows through the wetlands area between Vintage Oaks and the Deer Island Preserve.
Warner Creek is formed by Vineyard, Wild Horse Valley, and Wilson Creeks, each running along the streets of the same name. Vineyard Creek being the longest with headwaters in Indian Tree Open Space Preserve. After gathering Wild Horse Valley Creek, Vineyard Creek flows east along Vineyard Rd. and through the Sinaloa Middle School campus before crossing under Wilson Road. It then turns north crossing under Center Ave. along Wilmac Ave. until it makes an abrupt turn to the southeast behind Rena Ct. where it becomes Warner Creek. Wilson Creek which begins at the north end of Indian Valley and starts down Wilson Ave. turns to the east just before Sinaloa Middle School and crosses under Mc Clay Rd. and jogs northeast until it turns north along Wyworry Ct., under Center Ave., and along Meyers Ct. where it joins with Warner Creek. Warner Creek continues southeast behind Lu Sutton School and crosses under Tamalpais Ave., then Diablo Ave. before curving under Novato Blvd. just north of Triangle Plaza on its way to the confluence with Novato Creek. Just 300 ft. south is the confluence with Arroyo Avichi which originates at the southern end of Indian Valley in the Indian Valley Open Space Preserve. The creek follows Indian Valley Rd. flowing northeast under Arthur St. and around the north side of Arroyo Avichi Park and in between Rancho Elementary and Nave Shopping Center before crossing under Novato Blvd and out to Novato Creek.
After crossing under Hwy. 37, Novato Creek ounce again loops to the east just before Bel Marin Keys Blvd. where it is met by Arroyo San Jose. Arroyo San Jose begins in the Ignacio Valley Open Space Preserve on the north side of Big Rock Ridge and flows down through the golf course. It is joined from the north by Ignacio Creek just below the golf course on Ignacio Blvd. Ignacio Creek originates in Indian Valley Open Space Preserve above the College of Marin campus and flows down along Ignacio Blvd. Arroyo San Jose continues along the south side of Ignacio Blvd. before crossing under and flowing east behind the Pacheco Plaza Shopping Center, then crosses under Enfrente Rd., Hwy 101, the SMART tracks, and Bel Marin Keys Blvd. Arroyo San Jose continues east where it is met from the south by Pacheco Creek at Pacheco Pond. Pacheco Creek originates in Pacheco Valley Open Space Preserve, flowing east along Pacheco Creek Dr. and Alameda del Prado and under Hwy 101. At the nave Dr. overcrossing where it then turns north behind Marin Valley Dr. and crosses under Bolling Dr. It continues north behind Hamilton Elementary before being piped from Main Gate Rd to Hamilton Parkway. From there it jogs west behind Novato Skatepark and then north again behind the Hamilton Marketplace continuing to the confluence with Arroyo San Jose at Pacheco Pond.
Novato Creek then flows north, then east around Bel Marin Keys where it’s met by its last tributary. Simmons Slough receives runoff from Green Point and Black Point before flowing under Hwy 37 and connecting with Novato Creek to the northeast of Bel Marin Keys. Novato Creek flows briefly south around bel Marin Keys before flowing northeast and entering the northwest corner of San Pablo Bay just south of Petaluma Point. The Novato Creek Watershed is one of the driest watersheds in Marin County and some of its tributaries go dry during the summer.
Salmonids (Steelhead trout and Chinook salmon) are found within the Novato Creek watershed. The Novato Creek watershed is known to support 11 extant fish species (7 native and 4 introduced). Native species include California roach, Chinook salmon, Sacramento pikeminnow, Sacramento sucker, Steelhead trout, Threespine stickleback, and Prickly sculpin. Introduced species include rainwater killifish, western mosquitofish, striped bass, and green sunfish.
Wetland-adapted species occur along the lower Novato Creek wetlands. Noteworthy species include San Pablo song sparrow, California black rail, Ridgeway’s rail, salt-marsh common yellowthroat, and the salt-marsh harvest mouse. Western pond turtles and naturalized bullfrogs are known to occur in Novato Creek.
Remember, storm drains connect streets to creeks. Simple changes can make a big impact. Novato Creek Watershed is Ours to Protect.