Little Arthur Creek, Continued
The recent removal of the Pickels Dam is not novel. Local dams that had impounded the Carmel River and Mill Creek in the San Vicente Redwoods near Big Basin have been recently removed. Across the country, the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service and NOAA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, have been supporting local efforts to remove small dams that block watersheds intending to restore natural water flows and improve habitat conditions for aquatic life. A recent report estimated that there are more than 30,000 small dams in the Northeast- from Maryland to Maine, that could qualify for removal.
The big question is whether these restoration investments will be successful. Hurdles abound with issues of water availability, public benefit, flood control, and a variety of environmental and infrastructure safety issues to consider. All the while, the shadow of big politics and big money and "' water ownership and control " legalities are ever present.
Historically, the prominent livestock rancher and occasional Gilroy resident Henry Miller, beginning 1860 until his passing in 1916, employed an array of lawyers and engineers to secure water rights. His goal was to legalize the capture and control of water flows through his ranch lands. In southern Santa Clara County, in an area known as the " Bolsa ", a channel named Miller ' s Canal was excavated in 1874 to divert storm waters. It was designed to relieve some of the flooding of his grazing lands originating from the perennial San Felipe Lake. Still also known as Soap Lake, the water flows from Llagas and Pacheco Creeks were managed through several drainage canals all in an effort to reclaim agricultural and pasture lands. A landmark court case that was eventually won by the Miller and Lux firm in 1886 decided that Miller ' s control of " riparian rights " along the San Joaquin River and other watersheds was legal.
There is no ending to this story of California ' s water issues. Unfortunately, the ending did come locally for the Coho salmon, and may yet arrive for the diminishing, endangered steelhead trout. Just two years ago a chemical that has been long-used during the formulation of compounds for tires, 6PPD-Quinone, was identified as a lethal pollutant for wildlife, especially salmonids. The chemical was found to react with ozone, and then identified as another reason for fish mortality. Old tires are frequently found in our creeks after being illegally dumped. Tire particles, just like microplastics, enter the environment as tire treads degrade from our population of over 30 million vehicles in California.
The restoration of Little Arthur Creek is a good story, especially after the removal of the Pickels Dam. Still, there are many more chapters yet to be addressed.
Mike Monroe is a Gilroy Resident, local Historian, Naturalist, Business Owner, and prolific Columnist. His columns have appeared in numerous local publications for over a decade.
Contact Mike at: mike. valleyofheartsdelight @ gmail. com
44 SPRING 2025 Gilroy • Morgan Hill TODAY Magazine: Go. Make history... gmhtoday. com