San Anselmo Creek
Encyclopedia
San Anselmo Creek is an eastward flowing stream that begins on the eastern flank of Pine Mountain in the Marin Hills
of Marin County, California
. At its confluence with Ross Creek, it becomes Corte Madera Creek
.
, Sleepy Hollow
, and part of San Anselmo
, was granted to Domingo Sais in 1839. His family used the land for crops, sheep, horses, and cattle and fished San Anselmo Creek for salmon.
is considered to have the best trout habitat in the watershed. Rich electrofished five species of fish in San Anselmo Creek in 1999 of which rainbow/steelhead trout were the most abundant, followed by threespine stickleback, California roach, sculpin species, and Sacramento sucker.
Historically, Corte Madera Creek watershed supported Coho salmon
(Oncorhynchus kisutch) with observations recorded from 1926-1927, the 1960s, 1981, and the last sighting in 1984. While salmon were reported across the whole Corte Madera Creek watershed, Fry specifically observed coho in San Anselmo Creek in 1936. A spawning pair of Chinook salmon
(Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) was observed by Michael Cronin just below Saunders Avenue in San Anselmo
in 2003.
River otter (Lontra canadensis) were photographed on the creek in 2007 despite not being listed as native to Marin County in Grinnell's 1937 Fur-bearing Mammals of California.
Marin Hills
The Marin Hills are a series of steep high ridges and peaks in southern Marin County. They are a part of the long Pacific Coast Ranges mountain system. The centerpoint of these hills is the 2,571 foot Mount Tamalpais near Mill Valley...
of Marin County, California
Marin County, California
Marin County is a county located in the North San Francisco Bay Area of the U.S. state of California, across the Golden Gate Bridge from San Francisco. As of 2010, the population was 252,409. The county seat is San Rafael and the largest employer is the county government. Marin County is well...
. At its confluence with Ross Creek, it becomes Corte Madera Creek
Corte Madera Creek (Marin County, California)
Corte Madera Creek is a short stream which flows southeast for in Marin County, California. Corte Madera Creek is formed by the confluence of San Anselmo Creek and Ross Creek in Ross and entering a tidal marsh at Kentfield before connecting to San Francisco Bay near Corte Madera.-History:The...
.
History
Its name came from the Punta de Quintin land grant, which marked the valley as the Canada del Anselmo, or Valley of Anselm, Anselm being the name of native American who was baptized and later buried in the area. The Canada de Herrera, a 6,658-acre rancho that includes the areas that are now FairfaxFairfax, California
Fairfax is an incorporated town in Marin County, California, United States. Fairfax is located west-northwest of San Rafael, at an elevation of 115 feet...
, Sleepy Hollow
Sleepy Hollow, Marin County, California
Sleepy Hollow is a census-designated place in Marin County, California. It is located south of downtown Novato, at an elevation of 177 feet . Its population as of the 2010 census is 2,384....
, and part of San Anselmo
San Anselmo, California
San Anselmo is an incorporated town in Marin County, California, in the western United States. San Anselmo is located west of San Rafael, at an elevation of 46 feet . It is located about north of San Francisco. Neighboring towns include San Rafael to the east, Fairfax to the west, and Ross to the...
, was granted to Domingo Sais in 1839. His family used the land for crops, sheep, horses, and cattle and fished San Anselmo Creek for salmon.
Ecology
San Anselmo Creek, along with its Sleepy Hollow and Cascade creeks tributaries, is the principal Steelhead trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) contributor of the Corte Madera Creek watershed. Although short on water by late summer, Cascade CreekCascade Creek (San Anselmo Creek)
Cascade Creek is a stream that flows south then southeast from its source on White Hill to its confluence with San Anselmo Creek just west of Fairfax in Marin County, California.-Ecology:...
is considered to have the best trout habitat in the watershed. Rich electrofished five species of fish in San Anselmo Creek in 1999 of which rainbow/steelhead trout were the most abundant, followed by threespine stickleback, California roach, sculpin species, and Sacramento sucker.
Historically, Corte Madera Creek watershed supported Coho salmon
Coho salmon
The Coho salmon, Oncorhynchus kisutch, is a species of anadromous fish in the salmon family. Coho salmon are also known as silver salmon or "silvers". It is the state animal of Chiba, Japan.-Description:...
(Oncorhynchus kisutch) with observations recorded from 1926-1927, the 1960s, 1981, and the last sighting in 1984. While salmon were reported across the whole Corte Madera Creek watershed, Fry specifically observed coho in San Anselmo Creek in 1936. A spawning pair of Chinook salmon
Chinook salmon
The Chinook salmon, Oncorhynchus tshawytscha, is the largest species in the pacific salmon family. Other commonly used names for the species include King salmon, Quinnat salmon, Spring salmon and Tyee salmon...
(Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) was observed by Michael Cronin just below Saunders Avenue in San Anselmo
San Anselmo, California
San Anselmo is an incorporated town in Marin County, California, in the western United States. San Anselmo is located west of San Rafael, at an elevation of 46 feet . It is located about north of San Francisco. Neighboring towns include San Rafael to the east, Fairfax to the west, and Ross to the...
in 2003.
River otter (Lontra canadensis) were photographed on the creek in 2007 despite not being listed as native to Marin County in Grinnell's 1937 Fur-bearing Mammals of California.
Watershed
Tributaries of San Anselmo Creek (from source to Corte Madera Creek) are Cascade Creek, Carey Camp Creek, Deer Park Creek, Fairfax Creek, Sleepy Hollow Creek and Ross Creek.See also
- Corte Madera CreekCorte Madera Creek (Marin County, California)Corte Madera Creek is a short stream which flows southeast for in Marin County, California. Corte Madera Creek is formed by the confluence of San Anselmo Creek and Ross Creek in Ross and entering a tidal marsh at Kentfield before connecting to San Francisco Bay near Corte Madera.-History:The...
- List of watercourses in the San Francisco Bay Area