Habitat Assessment of Arroyo Corte Madera del Presidio, Mill Valley, California

Abstract

The Arroyo Corte Madera del Presidio, like many of the streams in the San 

Francisco Bay Area has been impacted by urbanization. Impacts include 

habitat loss for native species, diminished water quality and habitat 

fragmentation. Many species including native anadromous fish, because of 

their high sensitivity to environmental degradation, have been impacted as a 

result of urbanization with some populations either depleted or completely 

gone. This study quantifies several aspects of Mill Valley’s stream habitat for 

the purpose of assessing urban impacts on streams. The organization that 

was responsible for initiating this study had the dual purposes of both habitat 

study and of creating community involvement in the process, thereby 

enabling the Mill Valley community to effect change through informed action 

into the future.