Dutch Bill Creek
Encyclopedia
Dutch Bill Creek is a 6.5 miles (10.5 km) north-flowing stream
in the hills of western Sonoma County, California
which empties into the Russian River
at Monte Rio
about 7 miles (11 km) from the Pacific Ocean
.
to Monte Rio. It originates just north of Occidental and descends to the north. Lancel Creek enters from the east just south of the town of Camp Meeker
. Dutch Bill Creek continues through Camp Meeker, where it turns to the northwest, receiving the outflow of Baumert Springs. Alder Creek, Grub Creek, and Duvoul Creek enter from the right. Then the creek flows through Westminster Woods before feeding into the Russian River at Monte Rio, just west of the Bohemian Grove
.
in 1849 and started a new life as a homesteader near the source of this creek. In the 1870s, the North Pacific Coast Railroad
was built through the valley. In return for donating right-of-way to the railroad, Howard received a lifetime railway pass and got a station named after him.
As of December 2001, one year class of Wild Coho Salmon have been spawning in Dutch Bill Creek. In 2002 Dutch Bill Creek has been part of the captive broadstock program and since 2006 juvenile coho have been released in DBC as a part of this program.
In 2000 recommendations to improve salmonid habitat in Dutch Bill Creek were made following a 2007 habitat inventory conducted in accordance with the methodology presented in the California Salmonid Stream Habitat Restoration Manual. In 2009, the Gold Ridge Resource Conservation District (GRRCD), working with the Camp Meeker Recreation and Park District, removed the Camp Meeker Dam which had been identified as one of the worst barriers to salmon and steelhead passage in the Russian River
Watershed. Camp Meeker Dam had been built in the 1950s to create a seasonal swimming hole and beach area. In place of the dam, a prefabricated 80 foot steel pedestrian bridge was installed, improving public access across the creek, and stream banks were stabilized and revegetated, along with creation of a more natural meander and grade change. These improvements will help return the natural transport of gravel from upstream and provide better fish habitat. The GRRCD also removed a culvert barrier to fish passage at Market Street in nearby Occidental, California
.
Stream
A stream is a body of water with a current, confined within a bed and stream banks. Depending on its locale or certain characteristics, a stream may be referred to as a branch, brook, beck, burn, creek, "crick", gill , kill, lick, rill, river, syke, bayou, rivulet, streamage, wash, run or...
in the hills of western Sonoma County, California
Sonoma County, California
Sonoma County, located on the northern coast of the U.S. state of California, is the largest and northernmost of the nine San Francisco Bay Area counties. Its population at the 2010 census was 483,878. Its largest city and county seat is Santa Rosa....
which empties into the Russian River
Russian River (California)
The Russian River, a southward-flowing river, drains of Sonoma and Mendocino counties in Northern California. With an annual average discharge of approximately , it is the second largest river flowing through the nine county Greater San Francisco Bay Area with a mainstem 110 miles ...
at Monte Rio
Monte Rio, California
Monte Rio is a census-designated place in Sonoma County, California along the Russian River near the Pacific Ocean. The town of Guerneville lies east of Monte Rio, and Jenner is slightly north-west. The population was 1,152 at the 2010 census, up from 1,104 at the 2000 census...
about 7 miles (11 km) from the Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
.
Course
Dutch Bill Creek parallels the Bohemian Highway from the town of OccidentalOccidental, California
Occidental is a census-designated place in Sonoma County, California, United States. The population was 1,115 at the 2010 census, down from 1,272 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Occidental is located at...
to Monte Rio. It originates just north of Occidental and descends to the north. Lancel Creek enters from the east just south of the town of Camp Meeker
Camp Meeker, California
Camp Meeker, California is an unincorporated village located on the Bohemian Highway, between Occidental and Monte Rio. It has approximately 350 homes on properties ranging from a couple thousand square feet to many acres, some flat and sunny, some on steep narrow gauge railroad type one-way streets...
. Dutch Bill Creek continues through Camp Meeker, where it turns to the northwest, receiving the outflow of Baumert Springs. Alder Creek, Grub Creek, and Duvoul Creek enter from the right. Then the creek flows through Westminster Woods before feeding into the Russian River at Monte Rio, just west of the Bohemian Grove
Bohemian Grove
Bohemian Grove is a campground located at 20601 Bohemian Avenue, in Monte Rio, California, belonging to a private San Francisco-based men's art club known as the Bohemian Club...
.
History
"Dutch Bill" Howard (born 1823) was a Danish seaman who jumped ship at San Francisco BaySan Francisco Bay
San Francisco Bay is a shallow, productive estuary through which water draining from approximately forty percent of California, flowing in the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers from the Sierra Nevada mountains, enters the Pacific Ocean...
in 1849 and started a new life as a homesteader near the source of this creek. In the 1870s, the North Pacific Coast Railroad
North Pacific Coast Railroad
The North Pacific Coast Railroad was a common carrier narrow gauge steam railroad begun in 1874 and sold in 1902 to new owners who renamed it the North Shore Railroad and which rebuilt the southern section into a standard gauge electric railroad.The NPC operated in the northern California...
was built through the valley. In return for donating right-of-way to the railroad, Howard received a lifetime railway pass and got a station named after him.
Habitat and pollution
As of 2000, Dutch Bill Creek and several of its tributaries supported steelhead trout.As of December 2001, one year class of Wild Coho Salmon have been spawning in Dutch Bill Creek. In 2002 Dutch Bill Creek has been part of the captive broadstock program and since 2006 juvenile coho have been released in DBC as a part of this program.
In 2000 recommendations to improve salmonid habitat in Dutch Bill Creek were made following a 2007 habitat inventory conducted in accordance with the methodology presented in the California Salmonid Stream Habitat Restoration Manual. In 2009, the Gold Ridge Resource Conservation District (GRRCD), working with the Camp Meeker Recreation and Park District, removed the Camp Meeker Dam which had been identified as one of the worst barriers to salmon and steelhead passage in the Russian River
Russian River (California)
The Russian River, a southward-flowing river, drains of Sonoma and Mendocino counties in Northern California. With an annual average discharge of approximately , it is the second largest river flowing through the nine county Greater San Francisco Bay Area with a mainstem 110 miles ...
Watershed. Camp Meeker Dam had been built in the 1950s to create a seasonal swimming hole and beach area. In place of the dam, a prefabricated 80 foot steel pedestrian bridge was installed, improving public access across the creek, and stream banks were stabilized and revegetated, along with creation of a more natural meander and grade change. These improvements will help return the natural transport of gravel from upstream and provide better fish habitat. The GRRCD also removed a culvert barrier to fish passage at Market Street in nearby Occidental, California
Occidental, California
Occidental is a census-designated place in Sonoma County, California, United States. The population was 1,115 at the 2010 census, down from 1,272 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Occidental is located at...
.
Bridges
Dutch Bill Creek is spanned by several bridges:- Main Street in Monte Rio crosses on a pair of concrete continuous slabs built in 1953 and 1975
- Fir Road in Monte Rio crosses on a 98 feet (30 m) steel bridge built in 1974
- Market Street crosses on a 27 feet (8 m) concrete culvert built in 1958
- Bohemian Highway crosses 5.4 miles south of State Route 116California State Route 116State Route 116 is a state highway in the U.S. state of California in Sonoma County. The route runs from State Route 1 on the Pacific coast near Jenner to State Route 121 south of Sonoma.-Route description:...
on a 26 feet (8 m) concrete slab built in 1935.