Happy Holidays!

Even as the winter rains help fill our reservoirs, we warmly invite you to enjoy the trails and views around the Peninsula watershed this holiday season! No trail closures are planned.

Happy Holidays from our family to yours!

Turtles Returned to Homestead

Patrick Kobernus with Western pond turtle

Earlier this month, SFPUC’s Crystal Springs Bioregional Habitat Restoration (BHR) project returned 11 Western pond turtles to Homestead Pond in the Peninsula watershed following restoration work.

Patrick Kobernus, the lead biologist on the project, was pleased to see that “the pond already has good food resources such as tree frog eggs and plants. Other wildlife have moved back into the pond and are already breeding.”

The turtles were relocated before habitat restoration began, as required by the California Department of Fish and Game. The watershed’s only native turtle species, these Western pond turtles spent 5 months at a care facility run by the Silicon Valley Turtle and Tortoise Club.

SFPUC environmental staff is monitoring the 8 female and 3 male reptiles.

The habitat restoration work at Homestead Pond, designed to mimic other ponds in the area, involved the removal of non-native plants and increasing the size of the pond. The enlarged pond provides more habitat for turtles, the California red legged frog and the San Francisco garter snake, among other native wildlife. Revegetation is continuing at the site.

Western pond turtle returning to Homestead Pond

Native Plants Take Root; Trails Remain Open

Revegetation and native plant restoration will take place on and near the Crystal Springs Regional Trail this winter and through the spring. We schedule this work according to rain impacts, weather forecasts and the needs of individual plant species.  We will send you regular updates throughout the work.

The trails are all open, with no scheduled closures at this time. Enjoy the trails!

Please subscribe (see box on right) for automatic email updates about any necessary trail closures.

Crystal Springs Trail Reopens

Crystal Springs Trail south of Edgewood Road is NOW OPEN and is accessible by the temporary trailhead. Seeding with native plants around the trail has been completed. Landscaping activity will continue through winter with native plants like oak trees and willows. Crews will continue work in the area to complete this Bioregional Habitat Restoration project by spring of 2013.

Sawyer Camp Trail Closed on Monday, November 19

Sawyer Camp Trail will be closed all day on Monday, November 19, as crews prepare the trail for winter storms and continue replanting. The trail will reopen by sunrise on Tuesday, November 20.

Planning a hike on Sawyer Camp Trail after your big Thanksgiving meal? No construction work is expected during the long holiday weekend. Enjoy!

Seasonal replanting will take place in December and January. Please subscribe (see right) for automatic email updates about any necessary trail closures.

Sawyer Camp Trail Now Open

Sawyer Camp Trail has reopened after a two-day closure.

We do not expect any additional trail closures through early next week, and the tentative partial trail closure planned for Saturday (November 10) will not be needed.

Hydroseeding and replanting along the trail will continue through November, with increased truck traffic on the trail weekdays. Please subscribe (see right) for automatic email updates on any necessary trail closures during this work. Our project team will make every effort to keep the entire trail open.

Please call us 24-hours a day at (866) 973-1476 with any questions or concerns.

Sawyer Camp Trail Open Friday and Saturday, Closed Monday and Tuesday (November 5 and 6)

The trail closures planned for this Friday and Saturday have been postponed due to weather. Instead, the entire trail will be closed for replanting on Monday and Tuesday, November 5 and 6.

The revegetation project underway along Sawyer Camp Trail is time-sensitive and must be completed in November, prior to winter storms.

Hydroseed trucks may be present on the trail weekdays while the trail is open. All vehicles on Sawyer Camp Trail will follow the 5 mph speed limit.  

Additional trail closures are expected in November, including a tentative partial closure on Saturday, November 10^th. Please subscribe to this site (see right) to receive automatic email updates, or follow us on Twitter: @sawyercamptrail.

Sawyer Camp Trail Closed Friday, November 2; Partial Trail Closure on Saturday November 3 & 10

Sawyer Camp Trail will be closed all day on Friday, November 2 and partially closed the next two Saturdays to complete vegetation restoration within the seasonal window imposed by environmental requirements.

This hydroseeding and replanting work requires heavy equipment and trucks on the trail.  The closures are necessary to ensure public safety. 

On Saturday November 3 and November 10, a one-mile middle section of the trail will be closed from approximately the 2.1 mile marker to the 3.2 mile marker. Both the northern and southern trailheads will remain open, but there will be no through-access.

The seismic upgrades to the water pipeline that runs adjacent to Sawyer Camp Trail were completed in early autumn. Brief trail closures will still be necessary through 2013 for restoration of the trail. Please subscribe (see right) to receive automatic email updates, follow us on Twitter: @sawyercamptrail, or call 24-hours a day at (866) 973-1476.

·         November 2 (Friday) – Entire trail closed

·         November 3 (Saturday) – Partial closure of middle one-mile segment

·         November 10 (Saturday) – Partial closure of middle one-mile segment

Partial Sawyer Camp Trail Closure on Saturday, October 27th

The middle section of Sawyer Camp Trail will be closed to the public on Saturday, October 27^th. There will be no through-access on the trail the entire day, as crews work to complete a time-sensitive revegetation project that requires heavy trucks and machinery to block the trail’s middle segment.

The trail will remain open at the southern trailhead (located at Skyline and Crystal Springs Road) up to approximately the 2 mile marker. The northern trailhead (at Hillcrest Blvd.) will also remain open, to approximately the 3.1 mile marker. However, trail users will need to turn around at the closure point and exit the trail the same way they entered.

For your safety, please do not enter beyond the posted barricades! The one-mile middle section of the trail will be an active construction zone.

San Andreas Trail will remain open. Please see below for bicycle detour information.

The replanting that is underway on Sawyer Camp Trail is timed to coincide with the start of the rainy season, and must be precisely sequenced. Unexpectedly heavy rains earlier in the week postponed the completion of hydroseeding in some areas to this Saturday.

Hydroseeding will continue along Sawyer Camp Trail through mid-November. Our team will continue to keep the entire trail open whenever possible. Please subscribe (see right) for automatic email updates or call us 24 hours a day at (866) 973-1476.

BICYCLE DETOUR INFORMATION

·         Bicycles are allowed on Highway 280 between Hillcrest Blvd. and Black Mountain Road. (Bicycles are not allowed on 280 south of Black Mountain Road and must exit).

·         Cyclists who prefer surface streets to biking on 280 can detour around the Sawyer Camp Trail closure as follows:

(From northern trailhead of Sawyer Camp Trail at Hillcrest Blvd. to southern trailhead)

Proceed East on Hillcrest and take a right on Hwy 35

Left on Millbrae Ave.

(Next) Right on Vallejo Drive

Left on Frontera Way (when Vallejo Drive ends)

Right on Murchison Drive

Right (west) on Trousdale

Left (south) on Hwy 35

Right on Hayne Road (in Hillsborough) and continue under Hwy 280 to stay on Hwy 35

Proceed south on Hwy 35 to southern trailhead of Sawyer Camp Trail at Hwy 35 and Crystal Springs Rd.

Trail Update

·         Sawyer Camp Trail remains open! Biologists will continue hydroseeding October 17^th through 19^th (Wednesday to Friday), a process that involves two large watering trucks on the southern half of the trail. Cyclists and roller bladers should use caution and follow the trail speed limit at all times.

Brief trail closures may be necessary in late October and November for restoration work on the trail. Please subscribe (see right) to receive automatic email updates.

·         Crystal Springs Trail south of Edgewood Road is closed weekdays through November 16^th, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Map of Crystal Springs Trail segment near Woodside. 

Hydroseeding Begins on Sawyer Camp Trail - Trail to Remain Open

This Thursday and Friday, October 11^th and 12^th, our contractor will begin hydroseeding along Sawyer Camp Trail. This is the first step in the process to restore vegetation following the seismic upgrades to the water system. The trail will remain open during this work.

One hydroseed truck and two water trucks will be present from 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. between the southern trailhead and the 2.6 mile marker. The water trucks will refill a few times per day at fire hydrants located on the trail.

All vehicle traffic on the trail will follow the 5 mph speed limit. Cyclists and roller bladers should use caution and travel slowly through the southern half of the trail.

We expect hydroseeding to continue every Thursday and Friday for the next four weeks. Trail closures may be necessary to complete the work. Please subscribe to this site to receive automatic email updates (see box at right).

The project team is making every effort to keep the trail open during the popular fall season. Please let us know how we are doing by posting a comment on this site. We can also be reached at peninsula@sfwater.org or (866) 973-1476.

Be Prepared!

The 23rd anniversary of the freeway-flattening Loma Prieta earthquake is coming up on October 17th. In the event of a similar emergency, will you be prepared? Will you have enough drinking water?

Make This October Emergency Preparedness Month!
The San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) operates the Hetch Hetchy Regional Water System, which provides high-quality drinking water to 2.6 million residents and businesses across four Bay Area counties. The SFPUC is making the investment to seismically upgrade regional water facilities, tunnels, and pipelines. However, it is important for you to remember that smaller pipelines leading to your home might be damaged in an earthquake. As a result, water from your tap may be unavailable for up to 72 hours or longer.

To prepare for an emergency:

Keep a 3-day water supply just in case!
• Each family member needs 1 gallon per day
• Store tap water in food-grade plastic containers; replace every 6 months
• Store bottled water in the original sealed containers; replace according to expiration date.

 

If your supply runs out, you can treat your water!
• Boil it for 3 minutes, or disinfect it by adding regular household bleach
• Add 8 drops of bleach per gallon of water
• Shake or stir then let it stand for 30 minutes

For more tips, view our emergency preparedness videos and website: http://www.sfwater.org/beprepared or follow @WSIPInTheNews.

Sawyer Camp Trail Update – Hydroseeding and Restoration

Hydroseeding and re-vegetation will take place along Sawyer Camp Trail this October and November, to be completed prior to the rainy season. The work is overseen full-time by wildlife biologists. To enhance the habitat for sensitive and endangered animal species, only native plants will be used.

We expect trail closures for this activity. Please subscribe (see right) in order to receive automatic email updates. (Please note: after entering your email address, you will receive a confirmation link via email. You must click on that link to confirm you want to follow this site).

This re-vegetation is the first stage of replanting following the seismic improvements to the nearby water pipeline. You may also notice “straw waddles” near the trail, which provide additional erosion control.

Crews are also installing gates to the new maintenance access roads that intersect with Sawyer Camp Trail. These new access roads will be used by staff to maintain the water system so that future repairs and construction will require minimal driving on Sawyer Camp Trail.  These roads are restricted for operations personnel use.

Restoration and long-term repair of the trail will begin in late fall and early winter 2013.   

If you have any questions, please call us at (866) 973-1476, contact us via Twitter: @SawyerCampTrail, or post a comment below.

5-Day Road Closure: Crystal Springs Road between Skyline and Polhemus

Starting Monday, September 17, Crystal Springs Road between Skyline and Polhemus will be closed for five days for work on the Crystal Springs Pipeline No. 2 regional water pipeline. The road closure will be in effect through Friday, September 21.

Cyclists and runners only will have thru access on Crystal Springs Road during this road closure from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. The project team will maintain two-way traffic whenever possible for recreational users of the road, but at times may have flaggers present to direct cyclists through one open path. Please expect delays and maintain a speed limit below 15 mph at all times.

The road will be closed to motorists 24 hours a day from September 17 through 21. Please note that the Black Mountain Road exit is the only way to reach the southern trailhead of Sawyer Camp Trail from Highway 280 during this 5-day closure. The northern trailhead can be accessed as usual from Hillcrest Blvd. in Millbrae.

Please call us with any questions, 24-hours a day at (866) 973-1476.

Click map for larger view

Pulgas Water Temple Closed on Wednesday, September 5

The Pulgas Water Temple will be closed for one day on Wednesday, September 5th for water system operations activity.

The Temple and the facilities around it serve the Hetch Hetchy Regional Water System and function as part of our Crystal Springs Reservoir System.

Please call us with any questions at (866) 973-1476.

Sawyer Camp Trail 3-Day Closure

Sawyer Camp Trail will be closed for three days on Monday, August 27^th through Wednesday, August 29^th. The entire trail will close for construction, to reopen at 6 a.m. on Thursday morning, August 30^th.

We apologize for any inconvenience caused by the number of trail closure days since mid-summer. The seismic retrofit of the water pipeline next to the trail is near completion. However, additional trail closures in September and October are likely for re-vegetation and hydro seeding work along the trail. Trail closures are also expected for habitat restoration and trail repairs that will be ongoing through late 2013.

Please subscribe (see right) to receive email updates about these brief closures. You can also follow us on Twitter: @SawyerCampTrail or get updates via our 24-hour hotline, (866) 973-1476.

Peninsula Watershed Trails Update

Sawyer Camp Trail will be closed August 15^th through August 17^th (Wednesday to Friday) for construction. The entire trail will be closed for three days, to reopen by 6 a.m. on Saturday, August 18^th.

The Crystal Springs Trail segment south of Edgewood Road (near Redwood City and the Town of Woodside) is closed weekdays from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. through mid-September. Crystal Springs Trail remains open north of Edgewood Road.

Sneath Trail (near San Bruno) will close periodically through October for the creation of five new wetlands near San Andreas Lake. Alternate access to the Sweeney Ridge from San Bruno is available off College Drive behind Skyline College or from the Shelldance Nursery in Pacifica (see map).

Sweeney Ridge Area. Click for larger view.



Sawyer Camp Trail Update

Sawyer Camp Trail reopened this afternoon after the San Mateo County Parks Dept. finished an emergency tree removal.  

Sawyer Camp Trail will close again August 15 through 17 (Wednesday to Friday) for construction.

Crystal Springs Road between Skyline Blvd. and Polhemus remains closed through Friday, August 10^th. The Black Mountain Road exit is currently the only way to reach the southern trailhead of Sawyer Camp Trail from Highway 280. The northern trailhead can be accessed as usual from Hillcrest Blvd. in Millbrae.

Please call us with any questions at (866) 973-1476.

Sawyer Camp Trail Closed Wednesday, August 8th for Maintenance

San Mateo County Parks must keep Sawyer Camp Trail closed on Wednesday, August 8^th in order to remove a tree that may present a hazard to trail users. The trail will reopen by early Thursday morning, August 9^th.

Additional trail closures are expected in August. Please subscribe (see right) for updates or call (866) 973-1476.

Sawyer Camp Trail 2-Day Closure: August 6 and 7

Sawyer Camp Trail will be closed for two days on Monday, August 6th and Tuesday, August 7th for construction to seismically reinforce the regional water pipeline that runs near the trail. San Andreas Trail, the 3-mile trail immediately north of Sawyer Camp Trail, will remain open.

Monday, August 6^th through Friday, August 10th, Crystal Springs Road between Skyline Blvd. and Polhemus Road will close for 5 days for construction work. The road closure will be in effect 24 hours a day to motorists, cyclists and pedestrians.  The road will reopen by Friday, August 11^th.

• Motorist Road Closure Info:

During the road closure, the only way to reach the southern trailhead of Sawyer Camp Trail by car will be via the Black Mountain Rd. exit (off Highway 280). Motorists not stopping at the trailhead are detoured around the road closure as follows:

Motorist Detour From Skyline Blvd:

Use 280 South to Bunker Hill

Exit Bunker Hill, continue East to Polhemus Road

Turn left on Polhemus Road

 

From Polhemus Road:

Go South on Polhemus Road

Turn right (West) on Bunker Hill

Take 280 North to Hayne/Black Mountain Exit

• Bicycle Detour Info:

From Skyline and Golf Course Road:

Take Hayne Road under 280

Turn Right on Black Mountain

Continue on Black Mountain

Turn Right on Hayne Road  

Turn Right on Ascot

Turn Right on Brentwood

Turn Right on El Cerrito

Right on Crystal Springs

From Polhemus Road:

Take Crystal Springs Road (North)

Turn Left on El Cerrito

Turn Left on Brentwood

Turn Left on Hayne Road, continue under 280

Please call us 24 hours a day at (866) 973-1476 with any questions about the construction work in the area.

Trail Update

Sawyer Camp Trail has reopened after a two-day closure. To receive email updates about future trail closures, please subscribe by entering your email into the box on the right-hand side of this page.

The portion of the Crystal Springs Trail south of Edgewood Road near Woodside and Redwood City will continue to be closed on weekdays through August 10^th. The trail segment is closed while crews continue work on habitat restoration of nearby Homestead Pond. Non-native trees and invasive plant species are being removed from a 5-acre area, to be replaced with oak trees and native grasses to open up the canopy and increase the sunlight for native habitat. Trail closed 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Monday to Friday only).

Crystal Springs Trail remains open from Edgewood Road to Highway 92.

Please call us 24 hours a day with any questions at (866) 973-1476!

Sawyer Camp Trail 2-Day Closure – July 25 & 26

Sawyer Camp Trail will be closed for two days on Wednesday, July 25^th and Thursday, July 26^th for construction . The entire trail will be closed and will reopen at 6 a.m. on Friday, July 27^th.

Additionally, Sawyer Camp Trail will close on the morning of Sunday, August 5 for the annual Tour de Peninsula bike ride. The event raises money for the San Mateo County Parks system and originates at Coyote Point Park in Burlingame (near SFO). For more information about the ride, please visit: www.supportparks.org/tdp.

Crystal Springs Road between Polhemus and Skyline has reopened, but construction and periodic lane closures continue. Flaggers are present to direct cars and bicycles through one open lane during construction hours, Monday to Saturday 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Crystal Springs Road between Polhemus and El Cerrito in Hillsborough will close to all traffic from Monday, July 30^th to Friday, August 3^rd. Please click on the FACT SHEET for more information about this upcoming 5-day road closure: http://tinyurl.com/6wyqjpk

Please do not hesitate to call our 24-hour phone number at (866) 973-1476 with any questions.

Crystal Springs Road leading to the Sawyer Camp Trail reopened on Friday evening June 29 for both vehicle and bicycle use.    Watch this site for more information about an upcoming closure at the beginning of August. 

Update: Early Summer in the Peninsula Watershed

Thirsty? The drinking water fountain at the Pulgas Water Temple is back! Bring your re-fillable bottle and enjoy delicious Hetch Hetchy water. The Temple parking area is open Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. (including the 4^th of July holiday). Cyclists and hikers can enter the Temple site on weekends to get a drink via the walk-through gate.

Crystal Springs Trail south of Edgewood Road (near Redwood City and Woodside) is now closed on weekdays, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., through July 31^st. The trail remains open north of Edgewood Road. The closure is necessary for safety during our restoration of Homestead Pond.

 Crystal Springs Trail segment near Homestead Pond.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _

Sneath Trail, near the City of San Bruno, will close for approximately 20 days between late July and October 2012 for the San Andreas Wetlands creation project. The wetlands creation work must be completed during dry conditions in the summer and fall. Sneath Trail begins at the western endpoint of Sneath Lane and is used to access Sweeney Ridge.  Please subscribe (see right) for updates about exact dates of the closure.

To reach Sweeney Ridge from San Bruno when Sneath Trail is closed, take College Drive to Skyline College for the alternate trail leading up to the Golden Gate National Recreation Area ridge trails (see GGNRA trail map below).

Sweeney Ridge can also be accessed from northbound Highway 1 at the Shelldance Orchid Gardens (2000 Highway 1, Pacifica). Just a bit further to drive, the Shelldance location has ample parking and a fantastic view of the ocean!

 Click for larger view of Sweeney Ridge area.

Please call us 24 hours a day at (866) 973-1476 with any questions.

Peninsula Watershed Trails Update

Need information on access to Peninsula Watershed hiking trails? From north to south:

·         Sneath Trail. At the northern edge of the watershed, near the City of San Bruno, Sneath Trail begins at the western endpoint of Sneath Lane. Hikers use this steep trail to access the Sweeney Ridge. Sneath Trail is now open -- but will close periodically from late July to October 2012 for the San Andreas Wetlands habitat restoration project. Please subscribe (see right) for more information about exact dates and alternate routes to the Sweeney Ridge.

·         San Andreas Trail. San Andreas Trail remains open! This trail begins at the intersection of San Bruno Ave. and Skyline Blvd. and continues south 3 miles along San Andreas Lake.

·         Sawyer Camp Trail. Sawyer Camp Trail is now open…however, with Crystal Springs Road between Polhemus Road and Skyline Blvd. closed through June 29^th drivers can only access the southern trailhead to Sawyer Camp Trail by exiting Hwy 280 at the Black Mountain Rd./Hayne Rd. Exit. (See June 1^st post below for bicycle detour map and info). The northern trailhead to Sawyer Camp Trail can be accessed as usual via Hillcrest Blvd. in Millbrae.

·         Crystal Springs Trail. Crystal Springs Trail begins south of Highway 92 at Cañada Rd. and continues for several miles to the Town of Woodside. A segment of Crystal Springs Trail will be closed weekdays from June 25^th to July 31^st , 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. The closed portion of trail begins just south of the intersection of Edgewood Rd. and Cañada, continuing south to Woodside. Crystal Springs Trail will remain open between Highway 92 and Edgewood Rd.

Please do not hesitate to call us with any questions about the Water System Improvement Program construction and our habitat restoration activities, 24-hours a day at (866) 973-1476.

Trail Closure on June 19 and 20: Sawyer Camp Trail Update

The 18-day closure of Crystal Springs Road between Skyline Blvd. and Polhemus Road began this week. The road will be closed 24 hours a day through June 29^th. On Sundays, bicycles only will be able to use the road for through-access to and from the southern trailhead to Sawyer Camp Trail.  See map and additional detour information below.

Sawyer Camp Trail will remain open during the 18-day road closure, except the trail will be closed for seasonal maintenance and fire prevention on June 19-20. Other closure dates may be necessary for fire prevention or water pipeline construction during the month of June.  For automatic email updates, please subscribe by entering your email address in the box to the right of this page.

Parking at the Sawyer Camp Trailhead at the intersection of Crystal Springs Rd. and Skyline Blvd. may be more limited during the road closure. Increased truck traffic is also expected along Skyline Blvd. during the water system improvement work.  Please contact us with any questions at (866) 973-1476!

Bicycle Detour:

From Hwy 35:

·         Take Golf Course Road/Hayne under 280

·         Turn Right on Black Mountain

·         Continue on Black Mountain

·         Turn Right on Hayne Road

·         Turn Right on Ascot

·         Turn Right on Brentwood

·         Turn Right on El Cerrito

From Polhemus Road:

·         Take Crystal Springs Road (North)

·         Turn Left on El Cerrito Road

·         Turn Left on Brentwood

·         Turn Left on Hayne Road         

·         Continue under I-280 to Skyline Blvd.

Motorist Detour:

From Hwy 35:

·         Use 280 South to Bunker Hill

·         Exit Bunker Hill, continue East to Polhemus Road

·         Turn left on Polhemus

From Polhemus Road:

·         Go South on Polhemus

·         Turn right (West) on Bunker Hill

·         Take 280 North to Hayne/Black Mountain Exit