Cities Learn to Live with Water
Retrofitting an Urban Watershed
When you look at a satellite image of a large city, you see a swath of grey interspersed with smatterings of green space that are parks or tiny bits of urban forest. Indeed, the history of the built environment has been that of human-made structures housing human activities. What if we envisioned a different look for our cities -- one that wove watersheds into our daily lives, embraced nature as part of the built environment, and welcomed the rain as an important component of urban life?
Lifeline of the East Bay
Spotlight on Wildcat Creek
Wildcat Creek flows through an incredibly diverse watershed that harbors varied wildlife, including river otters (spotted last year in Jewel Lake). In the lower reaches, Mallard ducks nest along the creek behind the San Pablo City offices, rainbow trout and three spined stickleback use shopping carts for shelter, and Audubon bird surveys have identified over 100 different avian species near the mouth of the creek.
What's in Your Watershed?
Red-Coated Harbor Seals
Deep greens envelop hillsides and wildflowers splash vibrant colors across the blooming Bay Area landscape. The revitalizing powers of spring are not limited to dry land, however. Dramatic transformations are occurring in our local marine environment as well; just consider the harbor seals. March is a hectic month for these captivating pinnipeds. It marks the beginning of pupping season in the Bay Area, which is when female harbor seals give birth.
Ebb & Flow Celebrates One Year Anniversary
Top Five Most Read Articles
Dear Readers,
March marks the one year anniversary of Ebb & Flow. I've greatly enjoyed working on this publication and have been inspired by the thoughtful and informative articles submitted by my colleagues each month.
Not only have we been able to highlight exciting watershed projects happening around the Bay, but we've also covered some critical environmental issues facing our communities. While reflecting on the past year, I compiled a list of the top five most read Ebb & Flow articles. They are:
Shuckers and Slurpers Take Note
World's Biggest Dump
Digging in to Dirt
California Passes Major Water Bill
A Wetter Face for Downtown Berkeley
I am proud of Ebb and Flow's strong first year, and look forward to growing readership of this eNewsletter by offering fresh content relevant to local watersheds. I'm thankful for all the past comments and questions and welcome your future suggestions and opinions.
This eNewsletter would not be meaningful without subscribers like you, and would not be possible without our loyal supporters. Thank you for reading and for your interest in our precious hills, creeks, marshes, and bays.
Best,
Femke Oldham
Editor, Ebb & Flow
