Much of the Las Trampas Watershed lies within Lafayette so it should be no surprise that its creeks and related tributaries flow not only through our parks but also through our neighborhoods, too. According to the City of Lafayette, creeks border roughly 12% (more than 1000) of total home sites in Lafayette.  Is there one in your backyard?

“I live adjacent to Old Jonas Creek and grew up across from Las Trampas Creek,” says Lafayette Realtor Dana Green. “Creeks have always been a part of my life in Lafayette. Homes that border our creeks are popular but they come with additional homeowner responsibilities.”

The City has detailed these responsibilities, along with related tips, in their brochure titled, “Homeowners Creek Guide to Maintenance, Repair & Planting,” prepared by the Creeks Committee of the City of Lafayette.

For a PDF copy of this creekside property guide from the City’s website, click here.

Fair warning: If you are considering purchasing a property that borders a creek and think your responsibilities stop at the backyard fence, you will likely be disappointed.

Here’s what the City of Lafayette says about property lines in the Homeowners Creek Guide: “Creekside property in most cases utilizes the nominal creek centerline as the property line, despite the misinterpretation that a fence at the top of the creek bank defines a property. Ownership of creekside property therefore carries special responsibilities. By City Ordinance, you and your neighbors on both sides of the creek share responsibility for maintaining your banks and riparian corridor vegetation.”
Good news, though. The Homeowners Creek Guide is filled with detailed tips for understanding, recognizing and reversing erosion.
It’s also a very useful primer that will help you understand related vocabulary and formulate the right questions to ask the City as it relates to your specific property.
Perhaps most important, the guide offers detailed tips for avoiding trouble, a list that boils down to active monitoring and a combination of debris, vegetation and runoff management.

Bottom line: When it comes to erosion, good sense and a keen eye go a long way towards avoiding big problems.