{{Use American English|date=February 2025}} {{Infobox river | name = Colma Creek | name_native = | name_native_lang = | name_other = | name_etymology = <!---------------------- IMAGE & MAP --> | image = | image_caption = | map = | map_size = | map_caption = | pushpin_map = | pushpin_map_size = | pushpin_map_caption= <!---------------------- LOCATION --> | subdivision_type1 = Country | subdivision_name1 = United States | subdivision_type2 = State | subdivision_name2 = California | subdivision_type3 = | subdivision_name3 = | subdivision_type4 = | subdivision_name4 = | subdivision_type5 = City | subdivision_name5 = [[South San Francisco, California|South San Francisco]] <!---------------------- PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS --> | length = | width_min = | width_avg = | width_max = | depth_min = | depth_avg = | depth_max = | discharge1_location= [[South San Francisco, California|South San Francisco]]–[[San Francisco International Airport]]<ref name="TZ"/> | discharge1_min = | discharge1_avg = | discharge1_max = <!---------------------- BASIN FEATURES --> | source1 = [[San Bruno Mountain|Northern San Bruno Mountain]] | source1_location = [[San Mateo County, California|San Mateo County]]<ref name="GNIS">{{Cite GNIS|id=221398|name=Feature Detail Report for: Colma Creek (San Mateo County, California)|entrydate=January 19, 1981|accessdate=December 18, 2007}}</ref> | source1_coordinates= {{coord|37|40|27|N|122|27|29|W|region:US-CA_type:river_source}} | source1_elevation = | mouth = [[San Francisco Bay]] ([[Pacific Ocean]]) | mouth_location = [[San Mateo County, California|San Mateo County]]<ref name="GNIS"/> | mouth_coordinates = {{coord|37|38|40|N|122|23|33|W|region:US-CA_type:river_mouth}} | mouth_elevation = {{convert|0|ft|abbr=on}} | progression = | river_system = | basin_size = | tributaries_left = | tributaries_right = | custom_label = | custom_data = | extra = }}
[[File:South San Francisco aerial.jpg|thumb|In this aerial view of [[South San Francisco]], Colma Creek is seen crossing west–east beneath the [[Caltrain]] tracks and [[U.S. Route 101]].]]
'''Colma Creek''' is a small creek that flows to the [[San Francisco Bay]] from its source in the Crocker Hills portion of [[San Bruno Mountain State Park|San Bruno Mountain State and County Park]], north of [[San Mateo County, California|San Mateo County]]'s Guadalupe Canyon Parkway,<ref name=restoration/> with contribution from April Brook on San Bruno Mountain proper, south of the Parkway.<ref name=museumca/> It flows southwest and makes a 90-degree bend in [[Daly City, California|Daly City]] to flow southeastward, through Daly City, [[Colma, California|Colma]], and [[South San Francisco, California|South San Francisco]] to the bay. Its small delta is between [[South San Francisco, California|South San Francisco]] and the [[San Francisco International Airport]].<ref name="TZ">{{Cite web|title=Colma Creek, USGS San Francisco South (CA) Topo Map|accessdate=2008-06-29|publisher=TopoQuest.com|work=USGS Quad maps|url=http://www.topoquest.com/map.asp?datum=NAD83&lat=37.64438&lon=-122.39247}}</ref>
The creek has a tributary stream named Twelvemile Creek, which joins it from the southwest along Westborough Blvd. in South San Francisco.<ref name=museumca>{{Cite web|title=Colma Creek Watershed|publisher=Museumca.org|url=http://www.museumca.org/creeks/1590-RescColma.html|accessdate=2007-08-16}}</ref>
[[File:Bog Trail, Colma Creek headwaters.jpg|600px|thumb|center|The upper bridge across Colma Creek on the Bog Trail, San Bruno Mountain State and County Park, looking into the headwaters in the eucalyptus grove above]]
==History== The large delta the creek once supported was an important stop for migratory waterfowl and other wildlife. However, like many urban creeks, Colma Creek has been surrounded by [[flood control]] walls, buried in some parts, and had much of its large delta filled in by developers. Most of the lower parts of the creek are devoid of native vegetation due to the flood control project, reducing the habitat of the endangered [[California clapper rail]] and other species that use the creek.
The headwaters of the creek are lined with non-native trees like [[eucalyptus]], [[Cupressaceae|cypress]], and [[Rubus armeniacus|Himalayan blackberry]], displacing the native riparian plants like [[dogwood]] and [[willow]]. The creek sometimes runs dry due to the non-native vegetation lowering the water table at the source. In 2005, Shelterbelt Builders developed a habitat restoration plan to return the creek to its former state by removing invasive and non-native plants and replanting native, [[riparian]] plants at the source.<ref name=restoration>{{cite web | url = http://www.shelterbeltbuilders.com/cs/colma.htm | title = Colma Creek Restoration Plan, Shelterbelt Builders, Inc.}}</ref> In addition, in South San Francisco, new wetland was created to mitigate wetland lost to floodwall construction and improvements. The California clapper rail is expected to reinhabit the new salt and freshwater wetland, along with other species displaced by the flood control works.<ref name="Ref2">{{Cite web |title=San Mateo County Department of Public Works |url=http://www.co.sanmateo.ca.us/smc/department/dpw/home/0,,5562541_73389509_73019635,00.html |accessdate=2007-08-16 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070815223734/http://www.co.sanmateo.ca.us/smc/department/dpw/home/0%2C%2C5562541_73389509_73019635%2C00.html |archivedate=2007-08-15 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
The [[United States Geological Survey]] operated a [[stream gauge]] on Colma Creek from 1963 to 1996 (gage 11162720). It recorded a peak gage height of 7.53 feet and a peak flow of 3,560 cfs on Dec. 8, 1987.<ref>USGS 11162720 COLMA C A SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO CA, https://waterdata.usgs.gov/ca/nwis/dv?referred_module=sw&site_no=11162720</ref>
==Watercourse gallery==
{{Gallery |width=260 | height=260 |align=center |File:Colma Creek at Woodlawn.jpg|On the west side of El Camino Real in front of Woodlawn Memorial Park, Colma, looking northwest|File:Colma Creek by South San Francisco BART station.jpg|By the South San Francisco BART station, looking northwest along the border with Colma|File:Colma Creek at Chestnut Ave.jpg|At Chestnut Ave, looking southeast, just above where Twelve Mile Creek joins from the right|File:Twelve Mile Creek (Colma Creek tributary) at Antoinette Lane.jpg|Twelve Mile Creek at Antoinette Lane, South San Francisco, looking southwest, upstream|File:Colma Creek at Orange Memorial Park.jpg|At Orange Memorial Park, South San Francisco, looking northwest into the park|File:Colma Creek at S. Linden Ave.jpg|At S. Linden Ave, South San Francisco, as the creek approaches the railroad tracks and US 101 on its way to the bay|title=}}
==See also== * [[List of watercourses in the San Francisco Bay Area]]
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{Authority control}}
[[Category:Rivers of San Mateo County, California]] [[Category:Rivers of Northern California]]