Erosion Control Check Dam

This check dam near the beginning of Bridgeview Trail emerges shortly after Sausal Creek appears from a tunnel. The dam comprises a mixture of stone and wood and has been graffitied over the years, as most man-made structures along the creek are. The Works Progress Administration (WPA) built this check dam in the late 1930s as part of the city's efforts to control the flow of Sausal Creek. Check dams work by reducing water velocity, which in turn minimizes erosion. They work best in concert with other erosion control practices, such as embankment stabilization by deep root systems. Surrounding this dam is an abundance of invasive English Ivy (Hedera helix), whose shallow roots do little to combat erosion.