Encompassing almost 18,500 acres of newly-acquired public lands, this vast area was purchased by the Contra Costa Water District (CCWD) as part of the Los Vaqueros Project. The project includes a 1,400 acre reservoir that will begin filling next year. CCWD’s primary purposes for purchasing these lands are to protect reservoir water quality and the area’s environmental resources; and, secondarily, to provide recreational benefits. The watershed is home to many threatened and endangered species of animals, including the San Joaquin kit fox, golden eagle, burrowing owl, California tiger salamander, red-legged frog and fairy shrimp.

The Los Vaqueros watershed poses remarkable possibilities for recreation and for knitting together a biological and recreational treasure trove of public lands. It will connect four regional parks. the watershed adjoins the existing Morgan Territory Regional Park and Round Valley Regional park owned by East Bay Regional Park District to the West, Brushey Peak Regional Park owned by the Livermore Area Recreation and Parks District to the south, and Vasco Caves Preserve to the east. All these lands, combined with the neighboring Mt Diablo State Park, will form about 50,000 acres of contiguous public open space - one of the largest and most significant of its kind in Northern California.

The strategic location of the Los Vaqueros watershed, coupled with its large size, create opportunities for developing an extensive trail network. This includes linkages to regional trails that extend through other park lands and beyond. One of these, the Diablo Trail, will go as far as Shell Ridge to connect the watershed to Walnut creek, while another still in the making, the Marsh Creek Trail, could eventually link it with the San Joaquin Delta.

To many area residents, the Los Vaqueros watershed will be place to roam in, to learn from and enjoy. Well over half of the District’s lands will be available for a variety of recreational and interpretive pursuits. These include biking, horseback riding, fishing, sail and electric-powered boating and potentially camping. A variety of potential facilities are being evaluated in three alternative recreational scenarios. Among them are visitor and environmental education centers, a swimming lagoon downstream of the dam, picnicking and staging areas, an equestrian center, a marina and boat launch, a fishing pier, playgrounds and play fields and a hike-in camping facility. To protect water quality, swimming and other body contact sports, as well as gas-powered boats, will not be allowed in the reservoir. Swimming is still under consideration for a separate facility in the watershed. The public has been continually invited to comment on the recreational opportunities that will be shown in the three alternatives.

If one connects the significance of the watershed’s varied plant communities and wildlife, its rich historical and Native American background, its proximity to regional parklands and growing suburbs and the District’s commitments to preserve and enhance its environmental resources, what become apparent is how recreation, environmental education and environmental protection can work together. One way of realizing their combined potential is through the development of suitable partnerships in watershed stewardship or care of resources.

To achieve this, CCWD has begun exploring possible partnerships. Potential partnerships include environmental groups, recreation and sports-related groups, institutional entities, local schools and colleges and community and civic organizations.

Among the possible activities in this program are trails development, building and maintenance, docent-led tours of the watershed’s cultural and natural resources, along with biological monitoring and habitat restoration such as native grasslands and riparian plants.

The future of the Los Vaqueros Watershed offers exciting possibilities for connecting parks and habitats through trails - and connecting people with the environment through partnerships.

Groups that are interested in partnering with CCWD as part of a potential Los Vaqueros Watershed Program should request and "Expression of Interest Form" from Resource Management Planner, John Steere, at (510) 688-8363.

Los Vaqueros Environmental Activities

The Los Vaqueros Reservoir Project will provide a reliable source of higher quality water for CCWD customers. A secondary benefit is the 18,500 acres of protected open space that surrounds the reservoir. Flora and fauna in the watershed will be protected and plant communities will be restored and enhanced as part of the mitigation program for the project. Some of the mitigation activities in the watershed include:

Oak and riparian habitats: several hundred acres of valley and blue oaks are being restored with the planting of seedlings and acorns. Over two thousand have already been planted. A variety of cottonwood, red willow, California rose, California buckeye and elderberry seedlings are also being planted along Kellogg Creek. All plant materials and acorns were collected from the watershed and grown in a nursery that specializes in wild land native plant materials.

Wetland habitat: nearly 19 acres of wetlands are being created by excavating shallow depressions for season wetlands and constructing small earthen embankments for semi-prominent marshes. Plants, seed and topsoil were collected on site and installed in the new wetlands. Another 30 acres of existing wetlands are being enhanced by fencing from cattle and installing check dams in streams to keep channels from eroding.

Bird and fish habitat: bird boxes and brush piles are being constructed for nesting and protection. About 20 oaks will be left standing in the reservoir to provide perching sites. Other oaks in the reservoir footprint have been cabled together to make a series of 33 "pinwheels" that will offer fish habitat when the water arrives.