Creek Maintenance & Protection

Creek Protection

The City of Orinda is required by the Federal Clean Water Act and the State Regional Water Resources Board to protect our creeks and storm drains from discharges that could cause pollutants to enter the City's storm drains or other waterways.

Protection Methods

Some ways to protect our storm drains, creeks, the San Francisco Bay, and the Pacific Ocean include:
  • Allow only rain down the storm drain.
  • Don't litter.
  • Do not connect an indoor drain or other indoor plumbing to a storm drain or empty to the outdoors.
  • Keep liquids and hazardous wastes out of trash dumpsters.
  • Dispose of rags or absorbents saturated with hazardous material as hazardous waste.
  • Recycle oil-based paints, pesticides, antifreeze.
  • Use less toxic pest management.
  • If you wash your car at home, wash on a lawn or gravel driveway so water does not run into the street or storm drain.
  • Recycle used motor oil and used oil filters.

Creek Maintenance


Property Owners are responsible for maintaining the portion of any creek that is on, or abuts, their property and to ensure a clean and proper flow of the creek in general.

For more information, see Caring for Our Creeks, a Manual for Creekside Property Owners (PDF). If you would like a hard copy mailed to you, or email your request to the Public Works Department.

Sandbags


Sand and sandbags, which residents fill themselves, are available for Orinda residents at the following Moraga-Orinda Fire District locations:

  • Station Number 43
    • 20 Via Las Cruces (nearest cross street Charles Hill Road)
  • Station Number 44
    • 295 Orchard Road (nearest cross street Moraga Way)

Rain Gauges

View recent rainfall amounts and creek levels throughout Contra Costa County at their interactive rain map.