Soquel Creek is a southward flowing creek that begins in the
Santa Cruz Mountains in
Santa Cruz County,
California
California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...
and enters
Monterey Bay
Monterey Bay is a bay of the Pacific Ocean located on the coast of the U.S. state of California, south of the San Francisco Bay Area and its major city at the south of the bay, San Jose. San Francisco itself is further north along the coast, by ...
at Capitola Beach in
Capitola, California
Capitola is a small seaside town in Santa Cruz County, California. Capitola is located on the northern shores of Monterey Bay, on the Central Coast of California. The city had a population of 9,938 at the 2020 census. Capitola is a popular tour ...
.
History and ecology
The
redwood (''Sequoia sempervirens'') forests of the middle and upper watershed were heavily logged during the second half of the 1800s, and into the twentieth century. Most of today's forests are second growth, with most trees now over one hundred years old.
Water quality of the creek is measured.
Watershed and course
Soquel Creek drains the largest watershed of mid-Santa Cruz County, and passes through the communities of
Soquel
Soquel (; Ohlone: ''Sokel'') is an unincorporated town and census-designated place (CDP) in Santa Cruz County, California, located on the northern coast of Monterey Bay. The population was 9,980 at the 2020 census.
Geography
Soquel is located a ...
and Capitola. Part of the creek's upper reaches flow through
Soquel Demonstration State Forest and the western part of
The Forest of Nisene Marks State Park. About 25% of the headwaters of the watershed are on land protected by the state.
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]
See also
* Rivers of California
References
{{Monterey Bay Area
Rivers of Santa Cruz County, California
Rivers of Northern California
Drainage basins of Monterey Bay