Pilarcitos Creek
| Pilarcitos Creek | |
| Pillarcitos Creek, Arroyo de San Simon y San Judas, Arroyo de los Pilarcitos | |
| stream | |
| Country | United States |
|---|---|
| State | California |
| Region | San Mateo County |
| Tributaries | |
| - left | Mills creek, Albert Gulch, Madonna Creek, Arroyo León |
| - right | Nuff Creek, Corinda Los Trancos Creek, Apanolio Creek |
| City | Half Moon Bay |
| Source | East slope of North Peak, Montara Mountain |
| - elevation | 1,430 ft (436 m) |
| - coordinates | 37°19′12″N 122°09′19″W / 37.32000°N 122.15528°W |
| Mouth | Half Moon Bay in the Pacific Ocean |
| - location | Half Moon Bay, California |
| - elevation | 0 ft (0 m) |
| - coordinates | 37°28′31″N 122°26′59″W / 37.47528°N 122.44972°WCoordinates: 37°28′31″N 122°26′59″W / 37.47528°N 122.44972°W |
Pilarcitos Creek (Spanish for: Little Pillars or Pillaries Creek) is a 13.5-mile-long (21.7 km)coastal stream in San Mateo County, California, United States, that rises on the western slopes of the Santa Cruz Mountains and descends through Pilarcitos Canyon to discharge into the Pacific Ocean Half Moon Bay State Beach.
The Pilarcitos Creek watershed is a significant area of ecological, cultural and economic diversity. It is a source of clean drinking water for residents of the central coast and San Francisco Bay Area and supports several natural-resource based economies – including agriculture and recreational tourism. The watershed is also experiencing increased competition for water between agricultural, domestic, recreational, commercial and environmental uses.
The Portolà expedition camped on the creek on October 28, 1769 and Father Juan Crespí named it Arroyo de San Simon y San Judas in honor of the Catholic Feast day for the Apostles Simon and Jude. The name Arroyo de los Pilarcitos meaning "creek of the little pillar-like rocks" was recorded in land grant papers as early as 1836.
In recent history, public and private stakeholders in the watershed have been working together intermittently since 1992, when two separate pollution discharge events occurred. Settlements from pollution discharge events initiated a trust fund for restoration activities. Associated money was used to develop the 1996 Pilarcitos Creek Restoration Plan. The Pilarcitos Creek Advisory Committee (PCAC) was created as a citizens advisory committee to provide input on the development of the Plan, and to provide advice and guidance to the Project Manager, the San Mateo County Resource Conservation District (RCD).
In 2005, a group of over 20 local and regional agencies and advocacy groups gathered with nearly 200 members of the community at a water summit to discuss watershed-based approaches for balancing the beneficial uses of water in Pilarcitos Creek.
In January 2007 watershed stakeholders established the Pilarcitos Creek Restoration Workgroup (Workgroup) to guide the development of an Integrated Watershed Management Plan (IWMP) to promote balanced solutions to effectively manage the Pilarcitos Creek watershed that satisfy environmental, public health, domestic water supply, and economic interests.
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Wikipedia