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48-725: The marsh is fed by Sonoma Creek (which drains the Sonoma Valley ), Tolay Creek (originating in the Tolay Lake basin), and the Napa River (which drains the Napa Valley ). Although the marsh extends north as far as State Route 12 , as a practical matter, most of the marsh is only accessible by boat. The marsh is a productive estuarine ecosystem providing habitat for a wide diversity of flora and fauna , including numerous rare and endangered species such as

96-552: A French term loosely translating as "a sense of place" that refers to the specific geographical and geological characteristics of grapevine plantations, which may be imparted to the wine itself. The earliest evidence of wine production dates from between 6000 and 5000 BC. Wine making technology improved considerably with the ancient Greeks but it was not until the end of the Roman Empire that cultivation techniques as we know them were common throughout Europe. In medieval Europe

144-461: A century, New York's Cornell University , the University of California, Davis , and California State University, Fresno , among others, have been conducting scientific experiments to improve viticulture and educate practitioners. The research includes developing improved grape varieties and investigating pest control. The International Grape Genome Program is a multi-national effort to discover

192-512: A genetic means to improving quality, increasing yield and providing a "natural" resistance to pests. The implementation of mechanical harvesting is often stimulated by changes in labor laws, labor shortages, and bureaucratic complications. It can be expensive to hire labor for short periods of time, which does not square well with the need to reduce production costs and harvest quickly, often at night. However, very small vineyards, incompatible widths between rows of grape vines and steep terrain hinder

240-534: A vineyard beside the creek and were exterminated, leading to civic uproar and a shift to accommodate beaver resettlement. Sonoma Ecology Center executive director Richard Dale reports that although beavers fell trees and dam culverts, on balance they perform nearly "perfect stream restoration," because they cause the creation of deep pools, slowing the flow of flood water and enhancing fishery habitat. New beavers have recolonized Sonoma Creek and are currently located in both Sonoma and Glen Ellen . A " keystone species ",

288-589: A wide variety of the Vitis vinifera grape. In the late 19th century, the entire species was nearly destroyed in an event known as the Great French Wine Blight , in which the grape pest phylloxera , an insect related to aphids , was accidentally introduced to Europe from North America. Native American grapevines include varieties such as Vitis labrusca , which are resistant to the insect. Vitis vinifera varieties were saved by being grafted onto

336-415: Is Adobe Canyon . Locally part of this upper reach flow is sometimes called Adobe Creek. Tributaries near the headwaters include Mount Hood Creek and Graywood Creek. A diversity of aquatic and terrestrial organisms populate Sonoma Creek and its riparian zone . Winter-run Chinook salmon ( Oncorhynchus tsawytscha ), Delta smelt ( Hypomesus transpacificus ) and steelhead ( Oncorhynchus mykiss ) are

384-492: Is a 33.4-mile-long (53.8 km) stream in northern California . It is one of two principal drainages of southern Sonoma County, California , with headwaters rising in the rugged hills of Sugarloaf Ridge State Park and discharging to San Pablo Bay , the northern arm of San Francisco Bay . The watershed drained by Sonoma Creek is roughly equivalent to the wine region of Sonoma Valley , an area of about 170 square miles (440 km ). The State of California has designated

432-479: Is already occurring, rendering water unsuitable for many uses. Vineyard A vineyard ( / ˈ v ɪ n j ər d / VIN -yərd , UK also / ˈ v ɪ n j ɑːr d / VIN -yard ) is a plantation of grape-bearing vines, grown mainly for winemaking, but also raisins, table grapes, and non-alcoholic grape juice. The science, practice and study of vineyard production is known as viticulture . Vineyards are often characterised by their terroir ,

480-546: Is also a 25 foot (eight meter) high waterfall, present only when fed by the winter rains but can persist until late May for high rainfall years such as 2006. In the 100  foot (30 m) deep gorge into which the waterfall spills is a moist mixed forest habitat including California bay laurel , coast redwood , Douglas fir , big leaf maple , cherry holly, coffeeberry , and even tanbark oak . The understory features abundant ferns and boulder laden mosses . A prominent landform in this upper reach created by Sonoma Creek

528-588: Is present in the northern reach draining the south slopes of Annadel State Park . Several endangered species (mostly associated with the marshy discharge area) present include California clapper rail ( Rallus longirostris ), California black rail ( Laterallus jamaicensis ), California brown pelican ( Pelicanus occidentalis ), California freshwater shrimp ( Syncaris pacifica ), salt marsh harvest mouse ( Reithrodontomys raviventris ), Suisun shrew ( Sorex ornatus sinuosus ), Sacramento splittail ( Pogonichtys macrolepidotus ). The above are endangered species with

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576-456: Is prevalent on the Sonoma Valley floor. Up until about 1850, Sonoma Creek was unchanged from its natural state. Adverse erosion and bank cutting were at sustainable levels and did not add enough turbidity to the creek system to discourage aquatic species. Flooding in the downstream reaches did not realize the modern frequencies since all the creek reaches could absorb more excess water from peak rainfall events. The Kenwood area existed in

624-786: The California clapper rail and California freshwater shrimp . Because of its rich avafaunal content, the Napa Sonoma Marsh is one of only seven marshes selected for intensive study by the Point Reyes Bird Observatory (based on a total of 50 discrete marshes appurtenant to the San Francisco Bay). Around 1860, the Napa Sonoma Marsh was one of the most productive wetlands of the Pacific Coast , providing habitat for millions of birds. By

672-464: The Board of Supervisors of Sonoma County. Most notably a special parcel tax may be submitted to voters to assess landowners adjacent to Sonoma Creek. These funds could be used in flood control , hydrology modeling studies , stream conservation work, including erosion control and wildlife conservation. Other current activities include considerable research in public and private sectors including work by

720-700: The Catholic Church was a staunch supporter of wine, which was necessary for the celebration of the Mass . During the lengthy instability of the Middle Ages, the monasteries maintained and developed viticultural practices, having the resources, security, stability and interest in improving the quality of their vines. They owned and tended the best vineyards in Europe, and vinum theologium was considered superior to all others. European vineyards were planted with

768-413: The Napa Sonoma Marsh. 38°10′07″N 122°20′22″W  /  38.16871°N 122.33946°W  / 38.16871; -122.33946 This Napa County, California -related article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . This geographical article related to Sonoma County, California is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Sonoma Creek Sonoma Creek

816-699: The New World is significant. Europe's 1.6 million vineyards are an average of 0.2 km (49 acres) each, while the average Australian vineyard is 0.5 km (120 acres), providing considerable economies of scale . Exports to Europe from New World growers increased by 54% in the six years up to 2006. There have also been significant changes in the kinds of grapes that are grown. For example, in Chile, large areas of low-quality grapes have been replaced with such grapes as Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon . In Argentina, due to an economic down-turn, acreage of Malbec

864-685: The Sonoma Creek watershed as a “Critical Coastal Water Resource”. To the east of this generally rectangular watershed is the Napa River watershed, and to the west are the Petaluma River and Tolay Creek watersheds. This south flowing river drains the western slopes of the Mayacamas Range , the southern slopes of Annadel State Park and the eastern slopes of the Sonoma Mountains with intermittent winter flows in

912-549: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Sonoma County and various private conservation groups. Due to overpopulation of Sonoma Valley as well as overly intensive agriculture , groundwater supplies have been drawn down to the point of causing deleterious effects. The U.S. Geological Survey has found in the Carneros region between Sonoma Creek and the Napa Ridge that due to excessive groundwater drawdown, saltwater intrusion

960-801: The beaver have created habitat that has, in turn, led to the return of river otter ("Lontra canadensis") which have been sighted recently in the beaver pond below the Boyes Boulevard bridge in Boyes Hot Springs . Upland ecosystems drained include mixed California oak woodland , chaparral and savannah woodland , In these upland reaches one finds plentiful black-tailed deer , coyote , skunk, raccoon, opossum, wild turkey , turkey vulture , red-tailed hawk and occasionally bobcat and mountain lion . Prominent higher elevation trees include: coast live oak , Garry oak , Pacific madrone , California buckeye , Douglas fir , whereas valley oak

1008-443: The city of Sonoma it is an urban creek which emerges into agricultural areas to the south. Finally, Sonoma Creek discharges to the vast Napa-Sonoma Marsh at the northern tip of San Pablo Bay. Principal tributaries to the creek include Yulupa Creek , Graham Creek , Calabazas Creek , Bear Creek , Schell Creek , and Fowler Creek . Headwaters rise on the west facing slopes of the inner coast southern Mayacamas Mountains , where

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1056-532: The creek. Sediment and nitrates may also enter the stream through urban stormwater runoff in the city of Sonoma reach. Because Sonoma Creek is the sole drainage flow of the Sonoma Valley Wine Country , it is a vital resource for aquifer recharge. Proportionally a greater percent of Sonoma Creek feeds recharge than its neighbors, the Napa and Petaluma Rivers . This outcome derives from

1104-411: The development of "T" budding now permits the grafting of a different grape variety onto existing rootstock in the vineyard, making it possible to switch varieties within a two-year period. Local legislation often dictates which varieties are selected, how they are grown, whether vineyards can be irrigated and exactly when grapes can be harvested, all of which in serves to reinforce tradition. Changes in

1152-422: The efficacy of anadromous fish summering habitat by increasing critical summer water temperatures in these pools. Pathogens appear to be linked to septic tank or leach field failures in some of the rural reaches, particularly in the upper valley sections. Nitrates enter the stream system from excess fertilizers applied to land uses in the drainage basin and may also be present in septic wastes improperly entering

1200-585: The employment of machine harvesting even more than the resistance of traditional views which reject such harvesting. Numbers of New World vineyard plantings have been increasing almost as fast as European vineyards are being uprooted. Between 1990 and 2003, the number of U.S. vineyards increased from 1,180 to 3,860 km or 292,000 to 954,000 acres, while Australian vineyard numbers more than doubled from 590 to 1,440 km (146,000 to 356,000 acres) and Chilean vineyards grew from 654 to 1,679 km (161,500 to 415,000 acres). The size of individual vineyards in

1248-566: The exception of the splittail, steelhead and black rail, which species are federally designated as threatened. California golden beaver ("Castor canadensis subauratus") were historically abundant along Sonoma Creek but were trapped out in the California Fur Rush of the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. In 1828 fur trapper Michel La Framboise travelled from the Bonaventura River to San Francisco and then

1296-507: The form of a large marsh effectively blocked by a natural earthen dam from penetrating the course of the creek as it flows west out of Kenwood toward Glen Ellen . With the advent of more intensive farming of Sonoma Valley in the latter half of the 19th century, the Kenwood Marsh was drained in favor of grazing , vineyards and other agricultural uses. This action removed the largest upstream buffer that assisted flood control in

1344-531: The fruit, rather than foliage. The terroir philosophy is predominantly French in origin, the flavour and character of the place defining the individuality and the special attributes of wines and combined with hundreds of years of the finest wine making traditions, terroir gives wines their distinctive taste and signature. However, wildfires in California and Australia have also influenced the character of vineyard plantations and grapes in those areas. A vignette

1392-517: The higher tributary reaches. As the tributaries and headwaters reach the valley floor, a perennial stream cuts through scenic and valuable vineyards of Kenwood . Sonoma Creek veers west at Kenwood and cuts a gorge running parallel to Warm Springs Road, where it turns south to historic Glen Ellen , passing within one mile (1.6 kilometers) of Jack London State Historic Park and the Wolf House and thence southward paralleling Arnold Drive. In

1440-606: The highest peaks are Hood Mountain , elevation 2750 feet (833 m) and Bald Mountain, elevation 2729 feet (826 m), each of which has views of the Pacific Ocean and the Sierra Nevada range. The headwaters cut through gorge and meadow of Sugarloaf Ridge State Park , which boasts 25 miles (40 kilometers) of self-guided trails and the Robert Ferguson Observatory . There

1488-747: The lagoons behind its island arcs , which resulted from geological events dating from 140 to 42 million years. Recharge for the Sonoma Valley is critical because local rainfall is only about 29 inches (74 centimeters) per year. Grape growing and wine production require considerable groundwater extraction, and there is controversy over wineries use of annual creeks and waterways. This large marsh area has been reduced considerably from its historic dimensions due to construction of multiple levee systems and encroachment by agriculture and other forms of development. This Napa-Sonoma Marsh has been formed largely by sedimentary deposits over

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1536-521: The last two million years. The basement depositional layer is the Alameda group . Higher are Old bay mud and Young bay mud, between which there are intermediate deposits of the Alameda formation , which consists of alluvial and swamp origins. The entire marsh area is considered subject to liquefaction in the case of a major seismic event. The marsh is subject to diurnal tidal variations of approximately 5.5 feet (1.7 m). Historically

1584-794: The law can also change which grapes are planted. For example, during Prohibition in the U.S. (1920–1933), vineyards in California expanded sevenfold to meet the increasing demand for home brewing. However, they were largely planted in varieties with tough skins that could be transported across the country to home wine-makers and the resulting wine was of a low quality. According to the International Organisation of Vine and Wine , in April 2015, China (799,000 hectares or 1,970,000 acres) overtook France (792,000 hectares or 1,960,000 acres) in terms of land devoted to vineyards, in second place behind Spain (1,000,200 hectares or 2,472,000 acres),

1632-557: The lower reaches of Sonoma Creek. Consequently, the frequency and severity of modern floods (1960s onward) has been exacerbated by these interventions of humans. In 1978, Sonoma Creek was named a historic resource by the Sonoma League of Historic Preservation for being "one of the most picturesque sites and valuable natural resources in Sonoma County." The State of California Regional Water Quality Control Board considers

1680-631: The marsh supported an extremely diverse wetlands ecosystem , with a variety of primary productivity plants including pickleweed , eelgrass and giant bulrush ( Scirpus californiens ). There has also been historically significant fish, mammal , amphibian and avafauna. The marsh is a significant element within the Pacific Flyway providing resting and feeding areas for migratory birds. As of 2006 this ecosystem has been significantly compromised by fill, levee formation, dredging and other development; estimates generally state that 75 percent of

1728-686: The mid-1980s, the San Francisco Bay perimeter had lost over 91 percent of its wetlands. The Napa Sonoma Marsh represents one of the few sizeable expanses where restoration is feasible. During the Vietnam War , the Navy utilized the marsh as a training ground for crews of the Navy's new Swift boats and patrol boats , operating out of Mare Island Naval Shipyard at the marsh's southern terminus. An extensive research literature base exists for

1776-519: The missions of San José , San Francisco Solano and San Rafael Arcángel . La Framboise stated that "the Bay of San Francisco abounds in beaver", and that he "made his best hunt in the vicinity of the missions". The beaver were likely wiped out by the mid-nineteenth century but returned to Sonoma Creek, likely from the Delta , in the 1990s. In 1996 a beaver family developed a taste for merlot grapevine bark in

1824-650: The more progressive of the so-called "Old World" vineyards. Other recent practices include spraying water on vines to protect them from sub-zero temperatures, new grafting techniques, soil slotting, and mechanical harvesting. Such technique have made possible the development of wine industries in New World countries such as Canada. Today there is increasing interest in developing organic , ecologically sensitive and sustainable vineyards. Biodynamic wine has become increasingly popular in viticulture. The use of drip irrigation in recent years has expanded vineyards into areas which were previously unplantable. For well over half

1872-515: The most prominent fishes . Anadromous fish movements in Sonoma Creek have been studied extensively not only in the mainstem Sonoma Creek, but in some of the tributaries. These investigations have demonstrated a historical decline in spawning and habitat value for these species, primarily due to sedimentation and secondarily to removal of riparian vegetation since the 1800s. A variety of salamanders , snakes and frogs are also present. The federally listed as threatened California red-legged frog

1920-523: The most significant water quality parameters in Sonoma Creek to be: turbidity , pathogens and nitrates . Turbidity is an issue because of historical problems of erosion of stream banks, especially in the presence of ongoing land development in Sonoma Valley . Increased sedimentation has a variety of adverse impacts including direct harm to aquatic organisms and the more specific impact of altering streambed gravels to reduce productivity of spawning habitats; additionally sedimentation of pools decreases

1968-431: The original biological productivity of the marsh has been destroyed. However, it remains a significant habitat and is subject to meaningful wetland restoration activity, that is being actively evaluated as of the 2000–2006 timeframe. Because of the recognition of impacts of land development and land use practices, which began in the mid-19th century and have continued until 2006, certain actions are being considered by

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2016-555: The presence of pervious valley floor alluvial soils and the gentle stream gradients along the valley floor, where most of the reaches occur. The valley itself is part of the Franciscan Complex , which includes crumpled, uplifted terranes that have resulted from the subduction of the former oceanic Farallon Plate under the North American continent. The area is attended by volcanism and sediments, deposited in

2064-425: The resulting wine may be virtually undetectable. Vineyards are often located on hillsides and planted in soil that is of only marginal value to other plants. A common saying is that "the worse the soil, the better the wine." Planting on hillsides, especially those facing north (in the southern hemisphere) or south (in the northern hemisphere), is most often in an attempt to maximize the amount of sunlight that falls on

2112-465: The rootstock of Native American varieties, although there is still no remedy for phylloxera , which remains a danger to any vineyard not planted with grafted rootstock. The quest for vineyard efficiency has produced a bewildering range of systems and techniques in recent years. Due to the often much more fertile New World growing conditions, attention has focussed heavily on managing the vine's more vigorous growth. Innovation in palissage (training of

2160-499: The vine, usually along a trellis, and often referred to as "canopy management") and pruning and thinning methods (which aim to optimize the Leaf Area/Fruit (LA/F) ratio relative to a vineyard's microclimate ) have largely replaced more general, traditional concepts like "yield per unit area" in favor of "maximizing yield of desired quality". Many of these new techniques have since been adopted in place of traditional practice in

2208-486: The vineyard. For this reason, some of the best wines come from vineyards planted on quite steep hills, conditions which would make most other agricultural products uneconomic. The stereotypical vineyard site for wine grapes (in the Northern hemisphere) is a hillside in a dry climate with a southern exposure, good drainage to reduce unnecessary water uptake, and balanced pruning to force the vine to put more of its energy into

2256-407: The world's largest producer. Terroir refers to the combination of natural factors associated with any particular vineyard. These factors include things such as soil, underlying rock, altitude, slope of hill or terrain, orientation toward the sun, and microclimate (typical rain, winds, humidity, temperature variations, etc.). No two vineyards have exactly the same terroir, although any difference in

2304-486: Was significantly reduced in the 1980s, but in the 1990s, during the quality revolution incited by Malbec Pioneer Nicolás Catena Zapata, growers started planting more Malbec, most notably in higher altitudes where cooler temperatures and more intense sunlight yield more concentrated yet smoother and more complex malbecs. Grape changes are often in response to changing consumer demand but sometimes result from vine pull schemes designed to promote vineyard change. Alternatively,

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