Landscape Maintenance

The CSD provides landscape maintenance for parks, corridors, trails with assessments paid by property owners in benefit zones. To help property owners understand what maintenance is occurring, the CSD started this web page in October 2009 for Camden benefit zone property owners. Maintenance information for other benefit zones will be added after January 2010.

Camden Benefit Zone

• Camden Lake (aka Laguna Creek) Maintenance
• Repairs Considered for Camden Weir
• Camden Park Maintenance Assessment Passes

Camden Lake (aka Laguna Creek) Maintenance
By Dave Womack, Park Superintendent, Cosumnes CSD

Sometimes called Camden Lake, the waterway running through Camden is in reality a section of Laguna Creek, a 20+ mile creek running from Rancho Cordova to the Sacramento River.

Until the 1930’s, the creek flowed seasonally, with rain flows in the winter and dry spells in the summer. When the State Department of Fish and Game (DFG) built the Fish Hatchery at the southwest corner of Bond Road and Elk Grove Florin Road, water was pumped into fish ponds. Excess water went into Laguna Creek, creating a year-round flow.

In the mid-1980’s, Underwood Development built the Camden development, which included using dirt from around Laguna Creek and installation of an earthen berm. The result was Laguna Creek backed up and formed what looks like a “lake.” In fact, it is still a creek with a wide, slow-moving watercourse through Camden.

The CSD uses water from Laguna Creek to irrigate about 20 acres of turf around the creek. When the DFG closed the Fish Hatchery in 1995, it deeded the well to the CSD and required a minimum perpetual water flow to support the habitat of Laguna Creek. It also required construction of the concrete weir to replace the earthen berm.

Residents often ask the CSD what can be done to reduce weeds, which tend to grow well in the slow-moving water. Each October, the CSD harvests Coon’s Tail and Water Primrose, a bottom-dwelling weed, using a mechanical harvester. Harvesting keeps Coon’s Tail under control, but other surface weeds are too small to remove through harvesting. This includes Duckweed, a greenish-color weed appearing in the spring and summer, and Mosquito Fern, a reddish-color weed appearing in the fall.

Aquatic surface weeds have been a normal condition in this portion of the Laguna Creek ever since the CSD began monitoring the creek in the mid 1980’s. The photos in this article are from 1989. These weeds occur in Laguna Creek, not just in the Camden area, but upstream through the Fallbrook development. Normally, a few significant rains are required to “flush” the creek and move the weeds downstream.

The CSD has consulted biological experts regarding methods to reduce, eliminate, or remove the surface weeds. Two choices include chemicals or manually harvesting, but neither is an option. Chemicals are prohibited by the State of California on moving waterways like Laguna Creek. Manual harvesting would require “netting” weeds with significant labor requirements. Maintenance assessments are insufficient to cover this expensive process. In the end, rain is the most effective method to clear out the weeds.


To report any park maintenance concerns, please contact the 24-hour CSD Maintenance Hotline at 405-5688.

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Repairs Considered for Weir on Laguna Creek
by Fred Bremerman, Management Analyst

The CSD is evaluating options to repair the weir on Laguna Creek. The weir is the concrete fixture holding back water in the creek and regulating flow. Residents also use it for crossing the creek, but it was not designed for this purpose. For a weir location map and history, please click here.

The CSD plan of action for weir repairs is contingent on funding availability. The CSD has no identified funding source for the project. CSD will provide project oversight if funding can be identified. The CSD is currently at step 3 in the Plan of Action below.

Plan of Action
1) Record search - required by CORPS to ensure no impact on cultural resources. Anticipated timing: 30-45 days. Item completed.
2) Preliminary Engineering cost order of magnitude – Meet with Wood Rodgers. Cost - $100,000 - $250,000. Item completed.
3) Funding - Review costs with Sacramento-Yolo Mosquito Vector Control representatives and determine if funding is available. If so, proceed to next step. Meeting planned for fall 2009.

After Funding Approval
4) RFP for Engineering Plan – CSD to create an RFP solicit project bids. Anticipated timing: 45 days.
5) Engineering Plan Contract – Approval by CSD Board and notice to proceed on Weir Plan.
6) Engineering Drawings – Anticipated timing: 30 days.
7) Preconstruction Notification (PCN) – sent to CORPS with engineering plan.
8) CORPS Section 7 consultation with FWS – 135 day time period allows for FWS to issue biological opinion.
9) 401 Water Quality Certification application to Regional Water Quality Control Board. Requires CEQA document.
10) Streambed Alteration Agreement application to CA Department of Fish and Game. Requires CEQA document.
11) CORPS Letter of Permission or Nationwide Permit, depending on scope of weir improvements.
12) Site Work – Based on all approvals, proceed with work, weather permitting. Anticipated timing: 60 days. Per FWS, work must be conducted between May 1 and October 1.

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