Tuesday Meeting Revisits Ambitious Regional Watershed Restoration

CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CA — A regional effort to restore creeks, wetlands, and wildlife habitat across Contra Costa County in on the agenda of a Tuesday night public meeting.

Lafayette’s Creeks Committee will review updates tied to the long-running Walnut Creek Watershed Restoration Plan beginning with a special 6:30 p.m. site visit before the regular meeting convenes.

Among the agenda items, landscape architect Jeanine Strickland will discuss the Walnut Creek Watershed Council’s ongoing restoration planning work for the 146-square-mile Walnut Creek Watershed project.

The restoration effort involves the Walnut Creek Watershed Council, the Contra Costa County Flood Control District, and the Contra Costa Resource Conservation District. The plan focuses on fish and wildlife habitat, water quality, flood risks, and long-term creek maintenance demands.

The Walnut Creek Watershed stretches from San Ramon north to Martinez and includes Moraga, Orinda, Concord, and Walnut Creek. The watershed contains roughly 309 miles of creek channels — nearly one-quarter of all mapped creek channels in Contra Costa County — crossing urban neighborhoods, protected open space, grazed lands, and suburban waterways.

Committee members are also scheduled to revisit several ongoing creek-related projects, including repairs to a trail and bridge near Leigh Creekside Park, creek bank restoration work, future grant funding targets, and youth outreach programs focused on creek stewardship.

Additional updates are expected on the West Reach Project and broader Walnut Creek Watershed Council activities, while committee members finalize remaining budget expenditures for the year.

The agenda is available through the City of Lafayette agenda portal for information about meeting times and locations.

The regular meeting begins at 7 p.m. inside Lafayette City Offices, Room 265.