Sunol Pond Red Legged Frog Habitat

Sunol, CA

NRCS Alameda County
Fall, 2006

Hanford ARC worked with the Alameda County NRCS on a private horse ranch in Sunol, CA to improve red legged frog habitat and stabilize a failing farm pond spillway.  The work included several components, primarily a new outlet structure for the pond, stabilization and revegetation of approximately 1,000 feet of a drainage leading to the pond, and fencing. 

The work at the pond involved excavation of the dam, placement of a new outlet structure, discharge pipe with slurry backfill, dissipation basin, and channel stabilization immediately downstream of the dam for increased flow velocity.  We smoothed and stabilized the existing, eroding spillway, and placed erosion control fabric on all slopes.

The swale work included stabilization of several headcuts, rock placement with joint planting, revegetation with willow cuttings, and installation of a willow retaining wall.  We fenced the swale and part of the pond with approximately 1,500 feet of field fence to protect the new plantings and stabilized banks.

This project is part of an effort by Alameda County NRCS to restore and create new habitat for California Red-legged frog and the California Tiger salamander. Both are sensitive species that depend on farm ponds and freshwater seasonal wetlands for survival.  The NRCS office is addressing pond siltation, severe erosion and grazing in cooperation with private landowners in Alameda County.  The work benefits both the sensitive species and the landowners by providing increased functionally of pastureland and infrastructure while improving habitat.