Estero de San Antonio
Encyclopedia
Estero de San Antonio is a stream
in the northern California
counties of Marin
and Sonoma
which empties into Bodega Bay
.
) and runs south along Gericke Road into Marin County. Just north of Fallon-Two Rock Road, it turns west, flowing under the road just east of State Route 1
. It flows south along the highway for 0.25 mi (0.402335 km), then crosses under the highway at milepost 47.6 and continues west to a confluence with Stemple Creek
0.3 mi (0.482802 km) southeast of Fallon, California
. From there, it winds its way westward, passing under Middle Road and Valley Ford Franklin School Road before emptying into Bodega Bay 1.5 mi (2.4 km) north of Dillon Beach, California
.
In the summer or early fall, a sandbar often forms at the mouth of the Estero, damming it until the winter rains arrive. Area residents used to blast the sandbar to dispel high salt concentrations in the Estero.
's Geographic Names Information System
cites ten variant names for this stream, including Stemple Creek (the name of its main tributary
), Estero De Americano (almost identical to the parallel estuary 2 mi (3 km) north), Arroyo de San Antonio (also applied to Walker Creek, a parallel estuary 5 mi (8 km) south), and San Antonio Creek (the name of a creek further east along the county line
). In particular, the Estero's watershed is often referred to as the Stemple Creek watershed. The stream is also referred to as Fallon Creek.
bridges:
It is also crossed at Fallon-Two Rock Road by a 22 ft (7 m) concrete tee beam bridge built in 1932.
Stream
A stream is a body of water with a current, confined within a bed and stream banks. Depending on its locale or certain characteristics, a stream may be referred to as a branch, brook, beck, burn, creek, "crick", gill , kill, lick, rill, river, syke, bayou, rivulet, streamage, wash, run or...
in the northern California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
counties of Marin
Marin County, California
Marin County is a county located in the North San Francisco Bay Area of the U.S. state of California, across the Golden Gate Bridge from San Francisco. As of 2010, the population was 252,409. The county seat is San Rafael and the largest employer is the county government. Marin County is well...
and Sonoma
Sonoma County, California
Sonoma County, located on the northern coast of the U.S. state of California, is the largest and northernmost of the nine San Francisco Bay Area counties. Its population at the 2010 census was 483,878. Its largest city and county seat is Santa Rosa....
which empties into Bodega Bay
Bodega Bay
Bodega Bay is a shallow, rocky inlet of the Pacific Ocean on the coast of northern California in the United States. It is approximately across and is located approximately northwest of San Francisco and west of Santa Rosa...
.
Course
The Estero springs just north of the Marin-Sonoma county line (from a hill overlooking Bloomfield, CaliforniaBloomfield, California
Bloomfield is a census-designated place in Sonoma County, California, U.S. It is located in a rural area about southwest of Santa Rosa, California at the junction of Bloomfield Road and Valley Ford Road. Americano Creek flows westward along the south edge of the town.-History:Bloomfield is located...
) and runs south along Gericke Road into Marin County. Just north of Fallon-Two Rock Road, it turns west, flowing under the road just east of State Route 1
California State Route 1
State Route 1 , more often called Highway 1, is a state highway that runs along much of the Pacific coast of the U.S. state of California. It is famous for running along some of the most beautiful coastlines in the world, leading to its designation as an All-American Road.Highway 1 does not run...
. It flows south along the highway for 0.25 mi (0.402335 km), then crosses under the highway at milepost 47.6 and continues west to a confluence with Stemple Creek
Stemple Creek
Stemple Creek is a long, westward-flowing stream in the California counties of Sonoma and Marin, which feeds into the Estero de San Antonio. Its waters ultimately reach Bodega Bay, part of the Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary on the Pacific Ocean.-Course:Stemple Creek springs from...
0.3 mi (0.482802 km) southeast of Fallon, California
Fallon, California
Fallon is an unincorporated community in Marin County, California. It is located north of Tomales, at an elevation of 75 feet .The first post office at Fallon opened in 1898. The name honors Luke and James Fallon, early local settlers....
. From there, it winds its way westward, passing under Middle Road and Valley Ford Franklin School Road before emptying into Bodega Bay 1.5 mi (2.4 km) north of Dillon Beach, California
Dillon Beach, California
Dillon Beach is a census-designated place in Marin County, California, United States. Dillon Beach is located west of Tomales, at an elevation of 89 feet . The population was 283 at the 2010 census...
.
Ecology
The Estero de San Antonio has a variety of habitat types, including freshwater ponds, mudflats, eelgrass and saltgrass area, and wooded ravines. It is estimated that the Estero has 923 acre (374 ha) of associated wetlands.In the summer or early fall, a sandbar often forms at the mouth of the Estero, damming it until the winter rains arrive. Area residents used to blast the sandbar to dispel high salt concentrations in the Estero.
Nomenclature
The United States Geological SurveyUnited States Geological Survey
The United States Geological Survey is a scientific agency of the United States government. The scientists of the USGS study the landscape of the United States, its natural resources, and the natural hazards that threaten it. The organization has four major science disciplines, concerning biology,...
's Geographic Names Information System
Geographic Names Information System
The Geographic Names Information System is a database that contains name and locative information about more than two million physical and cultural features located throughout the United States of America and its territories. It is a type of gazetteer...
cites ten variant names for this stream, including Stemple Creek (the name of its main tributary
Stemple Creek
Stemple Creek is a long, westward-flowing stream in the California counties of Sonoma and Marin, which feeds into the Estero de San Antonio. Its waters ultimately reach Bodega Bay, part of the Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary on the Pacific Ocean.-Course:Stemple Creek springs from...
), Estero De Americano (almost identical to the parallel estuary 2 mi (3 km) north), Arroyo de San Antonio (also applied to Walker Creek, a parallel estuary 5 mi (8 km) south), and San Antonio Creek (the name of a creek further east along the county line
San Antonio Creek (Marin County, California)
San Antonio Creek is an eastward-flowing stream in the California counties of Marin and Sonoma that forms part of the boundary between those counties. It empties into the Petaluma River....
). In particular, the Estero's watershed is often referred to as the Stemple Creek watershed. The stream is also referred to as Fallon Creek.
Bridges
The Estero de San Antonio is crossed by three concrete continuous slabConcrete slab
A concrete slab is a common structural element of modern buildings. Horizontal slabs of steel reinforced concrete, typically between 10 and 50 centimeters thick, are most often used to construct floors and ceilings, while thinner slabs are also used for exterior paving.In many domestic and...
bridges:
- The Valley Ford Franklin School Road bridge, built in 1964, is 242 ft (74 m) long.
- The Middle Road bridge, built in 1958, is 196 ft (60 m) long.
- The State Route 1 bridge, built in 2001, is 62 ft (19 m) long.
It is also crossed at Fallon-Two Rock Road by a 22 ft (7 m) concrete tee beam bridge built in 1932.
See also
- Estero Americano
- List of watercourses in the San Francisco Bay Area
- San Antonio Creek (Marin County, California)San Antonio Creek (Marin County, California)San Antonio Creek is an eastward-flowing stream in the California counties of Marin and Sonoma that forms part of the boundary between those counties. It empties into the Petaluma River....