Napa River Wetlands Restoration Earthcache EarthCache
Napa River Wetlands Restoration Earthcache
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This is a Scenic pullout. This is a multi-location 3-mile round trip by car to view the points of this earthcache. Because of its lengthy nature, it is rated a 4. No single part is terribly difficult however!
Geology: The Napa River and its subsidiary creek(s) carve a pleasant valley out of the eroded volcanic field known as the Sonoma volcanic field. Mt. St. Helana to the northeast and the hills surrounding Napa Valley are remnants of this widespread volcanic field that has been eroded and dismembered by shifting geologic plates. In fact, though Mt. St. Helena to the far north looks like a single surviving volcanic mound, if you look closely at the rhyolitic rocks you may discover that the varying attitudes of the layers of the rocks suggest that it is a convoluted and complex volcanic center that has been “jumbled” to the point that it is no longer in danger of erupting.
What remains is an erosional valley where the Napa River has become the dominant geology-forming feature. The rich landscape that supports the vast vineyards is a result of the flooding and sedimentation of this river throughout the eons since antiquity. For centuries, the river flooded its banks, depositing ash from the Sonoma volcanic field along with area sediment, rich in minerals, and soil sediments across the valley. Of course, it also flattened and ravaged the villages and dwelling on its banks. However, as the cities of Napa, St. Helena and others grew up along its banks, there came a felt need to contain the river. This became especially evident after 3 successive floods in the 1970’s and 1980’s that destroyed millions of dollars of property in downtown Napa and St. Helena. The result? A desire to create a Flood Protection Plan that would protect Napa and its neighbors and their wine industries.
Flood Protection Project:
The Napa River/Napa Creek Flood Protection Project involves about six miles of the Napa River from Highway 29 at the Butler Bridge on the south to Trancas Street on the North. This project was one of the first flood control programs of its kind that attempts to merge environmentally friendly wildlife protection goals with the traditional goals of community protection from flooding. Prior to this flood protection project, Napa experienced 21 significant flood events in a 150 year period that cost its residents and the local wine-tourism industry millions. The original idea was to build 15-foot high concrete walls to protect the community, but that plan was simply not feasible in light of the area’s emphasis on tourism.
The geomorphic design (changing the shape of the earth) enacted over the past 10+ years is seen as an environmentally friendly compromise that succeeds in protection but also in habitat maintenance and visible appeal. In fact, to build a non-concrete model as it typical for the Corps of Engineers was a political feat taken on by several organizations. But, because these other organizations “won” this environ-friendly model of flood containment, you will not see the typical concrete walls but instead a large marshland, which is in reality a recreation of what this area was prior to modern civilization. As you look at the river from the waypoints in this earthcache, you will see a “living rivier” model which includes principles of maintains such as reconnecting the River to its historic flood plain; maintaining the natural slope and width of the river; allowing the rive to meander as much as possible; retaining natural channel features like mud flats, shallows, and sandbars; and supporting a continuous fish migration and riparian corridor along the river. To do this old dikes have been breached to restore tidal marshlands; bridges have been replaced to remove obstacles to water flow (and raise the roadways above the flood line); riverbank terracing is creating more room for large volumes of water; and a dry bypass channel that provides a shortcut for the river during high flood flows while sustaining the natural Oxbow habitat. There are some floodwalls (see location 3) but they are often disguised or included as part of the natural “look” of the area.
Location:
Location 1: See note above, this site is closed until 2011 Follow road signs to the “scenic viewpoint” if traveling north on Hwy 29, or follow Soscol to the first road on the left after it leaves Hwy 29 and keep left (follow your nose). This scenic photographic viewpoint is a cool place to visit and an icon in Napa Valley. It has posted visiting hours of sunrise to sunset.
Location 2: 38 15.933 122 17.010
Kennedy Park is located just west of the Napa Valley Junior College and gives you a great view of the wetlands (swamp) created by the restoration project. It is also considered part of the massive terracing project that extends from Kennedy Park to 3rd street in downtown Napa. (Logging Requirement # 4, #5)
Location 3: 38 17.656 122 16.968
River Road gives you a close-up view of one of the FEW man-made “fortifications” made to the river to keep it within it banks until it reaches the marshland restoration area. You may also drive down to the end of River Road and view the Imola bridge, which was built with a “high and open” style to reduce its impact on river flow. (Logging requirement # 6)
Logging Requirements:
Send the answers to #1- #6 to me through my geocaching profile.
1. List the name “GC1ZB6Z Napa River Wetlands Restoration Earthcache” in the first line of your email. Also, list the number of people in your group.
2. Location 1: List the elevation.
3. Location 1: View the water to the west and guess which part is the main channel (if any) and which is part of the restoration (swamp) area. As a reference you are looking west over the river.
4. From location 2: what type of ground/sedimentation covering do you see before you that not only provides an open area for the water to “stand in” but also provides a large natural filter for the rain and ground water?
a. Rock
b. Clay sedimentation
c. Grass
5. From location 2: List what time of year and day you are visiting. Are the marshlands dry, partially dry, or wet when you visit? Why is it that way? How do you predict seasons and tides affect the amount of water in this area?
6. From location 3: List the man-made structure(s) you see that help guide the river within its banks near this location. (Levees? Walls? Terraces? Bridges? Trails?)
7. (Now considered optional by GC.com...but if your answers to above questions leave me with questions...the picture sure does help verify the find!) Post, as part of your log, a picture of yourself and your GPS at location 1 with the River drainage area plainly visible behind you. Of course, you may also wish to have your picture taken with the nearby statue.
I will only respond if you have incomplete logging requirements. Go ahead and log your cache
Additional Hints
(No hints available.)