Sabercat Creek & Trail Restoration
Sabercat Creek & Trail Restoration
Zone 6 – Mission San Jose neighborhood, FremontOne of the last natural riparian areas in Fremont, Sabercat Creek is the site of fossils dating back about 1.8 million years. In June 2008, the city of Fremont, with the District and other partners, won a grant to restore several portions of the creek and adjacent trail in the Mission San Jose neighborhood.Bank erosion was so severe along the channel that parts of the creekside trail had crumbled. Due to this erosion, greater amounts of sediment were flowing downstream, filling up the waterways and reducing flood protection.The Sabercat Creek Restoration, completed in 2012, stabilized the creek banks, restored the trail, provided a picnic area, installed a fence to keep out cattle, and replaced nonnative plants with native vegetation. Public access was also improved by providing several pedestrian paths (including an extension underneath Paseo Padre Parkway).In 2012, the District installed rock structures at the creek bottom to slow the velocity of stormwater. Natural materials—such as rocks, willows, and plant fiber logs—were used to reinforce creek banks. A bioswale, which is a gently sloped drainage course planted with vegetation, was constructed along the west end of the creek to improve water quality.The restored site entices families, schoolchildren, and Bay Area residents to explore the beautiful and culturally rich locale—an ideal spot for birding and learning about fossils.The Sabercat Creek trailhead will also be close to the Bay Area Ridge Trail, which encircles hilltops around the entire San Francisco Bay.
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