FTF goes to PhMj
Cordova Creek is a small creek feeding the American River. Until recently it was a open concrete ditch know as The Clifton Drain.
The creek has been returned to a natural state thru the Cordova Creek Naturalization Project. The Project was developed by a partner group including Sacramento County Departments of Water Resources & Regional Parks, Water Forum, City of Rancho Cordova, Soil Born Farms, California Native Plant Society, and Sacramento Area Flood Control Agency and ran from 2015 to 2017.
A description of the project says "The Project will remove the existing trapezoidal shaped concrete-lined channel and replace it with a natural winding channel that complements the current land use and will create a functioning, living stream to improve the environment. The newly created channel area will be landscaped as a natural riparian corridor by planting native trees, shrubs, and groundcovers along the stream banks, wetland areas, and surrounding uplands."
I think they succeed!
Prior to the formation of the America River Parkway, land in this area was owned by the Natomas Company. The area east of Rossmoor Drive had been dredged for gold, but the area west of Rossmoor and down to this area had been farmed. The Clifton family (father and sons) had acted as mangers of the farming operation. The creek here had been gunited over and a metal drop gate installed so the creek could be used as a reservoir to provide irrigation water for the farming operation. The farming operation had been pears early on and then moved to other crops like alfalfa and wheat. Eventually all farming stopped and the canal fell into disrepair and became covered with graffiti.
A continuation of farming in this area is being done at Soil Born Farms. While not associated with any prior use of the area they have developed an interesting urban farming environment and run a farm stand from spring thru fall.
Most of the water running down the creek now comes from water that is being reclaimed as a part of Aerojet's remediation efforts for groundwater pollution at their Rancho Cordova facility.
Getting to the cache
The cache is located on the bike trail in the American River Parkway and is easily accessed by anyone biking or hiking this part of the parkway. The closest access point is from Chase Drive in Rancho Cordova. There may be some free parking available, if not you may need to go into Hagan Park (for a small fee) for parking.
Logging this cache
The posted coordinates will take you to a bridge where the bike trail crosses Cordova Creek. On the downriver side of the bridge there is an interpretive sign. The sign lists "Fun Things To Do:"
To log the cache, email me what the second item in the list says. It would also be nice if you complied with the suggestion.
Virtual Reward - 2017/2018
This Virtual Cache is part of a limited release of Virtuals created between August 24, 2017 and August 24, 2018. Only 4,000 cache owners were given the opportunity to hide a Virtual Cache. Learn more about Virtual Rewards on the Geocaching Blog.