San Luis Obispo Creek is host to the threatened anadromous steelhead trout. Upper Stenner Creek, a tributary to San Luis Obispo Creek, provides essential refugia habitat in the dry season, offering deep pools and riparian cover for juvenile and resident steelhead. These deep pools are essential for over-summer survival, providing cool water and protection between evaporating riffles, especially during times of extended drought.

Changes in land uses, trails and rural roads in the upper watershed of Stenner Creek have caused unintended consequences that have increased erosion and sediment delivery to waterways. As sediment delivery has increased, critical pools have become filled in, spawning gravels have diminished from fine sediment and temperatures have increased. Reducing sedimentation is key to protecting this essential fish habitat in upper Stenner Creek.

In 2022, the Coastal San Luis Resource Conservation District (CSLRCD), with funding from California's Department of Conservation Riparian Corridor Restoration Program, partnered with Creek Lands Conservation and Pacific Watershed Associates to plan restoration on Cal Poly’s Serrano and Peterson ranches. The team assessed roads, trails, and in-channel areas to identify primary sources of sediment and completed erosion treatment plans by December 2022.

The proposed treatments are intended to improve road drainage, road drivability and water quality conditions, as well as reduce erosion, sediment delivery, and future maintenance needs for identified sediment source sites and hydrologically connected road reaches. This work was completed through funding from DoC in 2024 and 2025 (Link to the Implementation of the Stenner Creek Watershed Enhancement Project). Engineered designs for in-channel sites were completed in 2023, creating shovel-ready projects for implementation.

Partners: Cal Poly, Creek Lands Conservation, Pacific Watershed Associates, 
Funders: California Department of Conservation
RCD Contact: Hayley Barnes, hbarnes@coastalrcd.org