California Riparian Systems "d0e91968"

Riparian Vegetation and Wildlife

Beyond 46–91 m. of the Howe and Watt Avenue access points, the full diversity of riparian plant and animal associations can be found. Cottonwood, ash, and willows in combination with wild grape, blackberry, wild rose, and other vegetation are essentially in an undisturbed condition. Wildlife is abundant. Beaver, muskrat, and waterfowl can be observed throughout the Howe and Watt Avenue portion of the American River Parkway^[6] (fig. 1).

Some access points along the river do show impacts resulting from recreation use. Obvious erosion is in evidence at the popular put-in and take-out sites for boaters particiating in rafting, canoeing, and kayaking. Because these are essentially instream uses, the impact on the shoreside terrestrial areas is minimal and limited to launching and retrieval areas (fig. 2). Popular trails have exposed soil, but this is a localized condition and frequently involves no more than a narrow footpath through a portion of the riverside vegetation.

Table 1.—American River Parkway, Sacramento County, visitor use survey: survey period March 1978 to March 1979.
	Cars	People per car	Total people entering by car	Entry other than vehicle	Total number of visitors
Ancil Hoffman Park
(San Lorenzo Way)	92,760	1.91	177,172	14,798	191,970
(Tarshes Way)	185,357	1.96	363,300	15,491	378,791
Discovery Park	238,789	2.12	506,233	14,256	520,489
Goethe Park	115,115	2.43	279,729	21,931	301,660
Watt Avenue	83,009	2.04	169,338	18,062	187,400
Lower Sunrise	81,318	2.20	178,900	4,216	183,116
Howe Avenue	65,457	2.01	131,569	11,467	143,036
Sacramento Bar	56,764	2.28	129,422	17,727	147,149
Sailor Bar
(Illinois Avenue)	33,710	1.84	62,026	3,191	65,217
(Olive Avenue)	18,375	1.90	34,913	7,430	42,343
Upper Sunrise	34,599	1.93	66,776	16,998	83,774
Hazel Avenue	28,250	1.87	52,828	15,664	68,492
El Manto	26,642	2.10	55,948	15,351	71,299
Roosmoor Bar	21,160	2.00	42,320	8,135	50,455
Sarah Court	18,920	1.80	34,056	11,456	45,512
Ambassador	4,542	1.29	5,859	7,523	13,382
Totals	1,104,767		2,290,389	203,696	2,494,085

[5] Rominger, Gary, 1981. Personal conversation. Chief Ranger, American River Parkway, Sacramento County Park Department, Sacramento, California.

[6] Ingles, Steve, 1981. Personal conversation. Manager, Effie Yeaw Interpretive Center, American River Parkway, Sacramento County Park Department, Sacramento, California.

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Figure l.
Resident and migratory waterfowl along with other wildlife on the American
River can be found within easy access of over 1 million people.