Strawberry Creek Check Dam

Check dams are one of the most ancient infrastructure technologies, with archaeological evidence dating back to the second century. The basic function of a check dam is to ‘check’ stream velocity and reduce erosion by channelizing the waterway. The University of California Berkeley constructed Strawberry Creek’s first check dams in the late 1800s. Unfortunately, check dams are only a temporary solution: while channelization can initially reduce erosion, it also encourages the creek to cut deeper along its ravine, requiring stronger retaining structures to prevent long-term erosion. Today, a balanced approach of ecological stabilization through vegetation and man-made dams helps keep Strawberry Creek stable.