Wetland Profile: San Bernardo Creek Published 10/30/2004
LOCATION
County San Luis Obispo
USGS Quadrangle Atascadero, Morro Bay North, Morro Bay South
Descriptive Location San Bernardo Creek drains into Chorro Creek.
Longitude & Latitude -120°48'39" W, +35°21'26" N
Wetland Complex Chorro Creek



OWNERSHIP, MANAGEMENT & LOCAL AUTHORITIES
Current Ownership
Owners Ownership Type Acreage Source
Private Private



LAND USE
On Site Use Source
Agriculture 1, 2
Open Space 1, 3
Adjacent Use Source
Agriculture 1, 2, 3
Open Space 1, 3
Comments
Comments Source
Onsite agriculture=grazing 1



HYDROLOGY
Tributary Influence
Tributary Influence Influence Gaging Station Source
East Fork 3
North Fork 3
Seep 1 3
West Fork 3
Wetland Alterations
Alterations Comments Contribution /
Removal
Amount
Date Source
Dams 3
Dredged Channel/Inlet Around farms 3
Groundwater Extraction 3
Non-point Source 2
Non-point Source Agriculture 3



WATER QUALITY
Monitoring Programs
Program Name Parameters Comments Website Source
Central Coast Ambient Monitoring Program Nutrients None http://www.ccamp.org/ 2
Snapshot Day Numerous At Highway 1; 2002-2004 http://www.coastal.ca.gov/publiced/
snapshot/snapshot1.html
5
MBNEP Volunteer Monitoring Program Numerous At Highway 1 http://www.mbnep.org/volunt.htm 6
Water Quality Data
Parameter Duration Comments Source
Dissolved Oxygen February 19, February 22, March 11, 1992 At Domenghini's Ranch 4
Flow Volume 3
Nutrients CCAMP; Nitrate & Phosphate 2
Nutrients February 19, February 22, March 11, 1992 At Domenghini's Ranch 4
Stream Profiling 3
Turbidity February 19, February 22, March 11, 1992 At Domenghini's Ranch 4
pH February 19, February 22, March 11, 1992 At Domenghini's Ranch 4



SOILS
Comments Source
Clay loam, Salinas silty loam 1



VEGETATION
Special Status Plants
Common Name Scientific Name Federal State Source
Brewer's spineflower Chorizanthe breweri None None 3
Jones's layia Layia jonesii None None 3
San Luis Obispo sedge Carex obispoensis None None 3
San Luis mariposa lily Calochortus obispoensis None None 3
Non Native Plants
The Non-native plant list is not intended to be a representative list of all plants found in the wetland. To learn more about all plants found in the wetland, including natives, please refer to the lists documented in the Vegetation Comments section.
Common Name Scientific Name Source
Annual grasses None 3
Bull thistle Cirsium vulgare 3
Eucalyptus (Blue gum) Eucalyptus globulus 3
Hoary cress Cardaria draba 3
Oats Avena spp. 3
Poison hemlock Conium maculatum 3
Vegetation Comments
Comments Source
List of all plant species in document 3
Vegetation maps & description of plant communities 3



ANIMALS
Special Status Animals
Common Name Scientific Name Federal State Source
California red-legged frog Rana aurora draytonii Threatened None 3
Southwestern pond turtle Clemmys marmorata pallida None None 3
Steelhead - south/central California coast esu Oncorhynchus mykiss irideus Threatened None 3
Non Native Animals
Common Name Scientific Name Source
Brown-headed cow bird None 3
Bullfrog Rana catesbeiana 3
European starling Sturnus vulgaris 3
Wild turkey None 3
Animal Comments
Comments Source
Fish sampling site map 3
Mitigation of steelhead habitat 3
Trout size graphs 3
Amphibian Sources 3
Benthic Invertebrates Sources 3
Bird Sources 3
Insect Sources 3
Mammal Sources 3



WETLAND IMPACTING ACTIVITIES
In the Wetland
Activity Source
Active/Severe riparian erosion 3
Agriculture 2
Grazing 3
Adjacent to the Wetland
Activity Source
Active/Severe riparian erosion 3
Agriculture 2, 3
Grazing 3
Non-native plant invasion 3



SOURCES
Source Author(s) Year Published Document Name
1 Born Consulting Engineers 1992 Environmental Impact Study - Coastal Stream Diversion Project Phase II & San Bernardo Reservoir
2 Lopez, David A. 1999 Creek water analysis of San Luisito and San Bernardo Creeks.
3 Feldmeth and Associates 1991 Biological Resources and an Environmental Impact Analysis of the Phase II Coastal Stream Diversion and Storage Project (San Bernardo Creek Dam)
4 Brecheisen, Vicki 1992 Survey of Osos and Chorro Creeks with empasis on nitrate and phosphate concentration and their effect on Morro Bay and groundwater quality.
5 Snapshot Day None None
6 Morro Bay National Estuary Program 2004 Morro Bay National Estuary Program Volunteer Monitoring Program



The Wetland Profiles are not suitable for any regulatory purpose, and should not be the basis for any determination relating to the natural resource characteristics of any particular site or geographic area as well as impact assessment or mitigation. Please read the CCWGIS disclaimer for more details.