Amargosa Creek Project

The Amargosa Creek Detention Basin De-sedimentation and Habitat Preservation Project was selected for the “Best Environmental Project” of 2007 by the American Public Works Association (APWA). Through proactive cooperation with the Fish and Wildlife Service, California Department of Fish and Game and Public Works, the city was able to preserve nine acres of wildlife habit while also removing 7,500 cubic yards of sedimentation. The city’s Public Works Environmental and Maintenance Services Divisions were instrumental in this project, showcasing Lancaster’s commitment to the preservation of important natural habitats amidst its unprecedented growth.

The Armargosa Creek Detention Basin collects runoff from the Sierra Pelona Mountains and the San Andreas Rift Zone as it makes its way through the Antelope Valley to the City of Lancaster. The Basin floor is often either under water or saturated and unable to support basin maintenance operations, which resulted in roughly 60 inches of deposited sediment. This impeded flood control flow paths from the Amargosa Creek channel into the Basin.

The City of Lancaster’s Public Works Maintenance Services Division became aware that the volume of water flowing through the Amargosa Creek was on the verge of exceeding the capacity of the existing channel. As a result, the Public Works Department embarked upon a multi-year project to remove accumulated sediment in the Amargosa Creek channel running through the city as well as the corresponding Detention Basin.

Prior to field operations, multiple biological surveys were conducted to ensure that sensitive and/or native flora and fauna would not be adversely affected by removal activities. Though authorized to remove the entire area, the city chose instead to preserve the riparian habitat that had become established in the flood control basin. These maintenance activities were continuously monitored to ensure that loss of habitat was minimal, to the extent that even though the streambed alteration agreement allowed for the removal of all vegetation, the city left mature trees along the western bank of the basin. Prior to vegetation clearance activities, the city had a biologist perform another nesting bird survey to ensure that nesting birds would not be affected by clearance activities.

The project was recognized for its promotion of positive environmental change by counterbalancing urban encroachment upon natural habitat and increasing opportunities for habitat preservation. While Lancaster continues to transform, such attention to its natural beauty, wildlife habitats, and overall environmental wellbeing remains vital to its mission towards positively clear growth.