Daylighting Creeks in Sebastopol’s Northeast Plan

If the ‘design’ of Zimpher Creek and other possible daylighted creeks running thru this project were to include a role as bioswales / biofiltration “created wetlands” for urban runoff – from car washes, garden and landscape irrigation, and perhaps some other lightly loaded local water sources – there could be a renewal of some local riparian and landscaping cover that benefits this redevelopment area. The creeks could become intentional landscaped ‘natural’ spaces for the public. If they are set up to use a dry season subsurface flow of cleansed urban runoff – specifically designed as creek landscaping – they become another public asset. This doesn’t have to be strictly ‘natives’, but could incorporate appropriate landscaping for a semi-park entrance/trail head/ vista point for the Laguna. This is a highly impacted urban setting, and need not be treated as if there were nothing else around.

“We are confronted by insurmountable opportunities” – Pogo

David