Barka Slough Hydrology and Biology Explorer
Barka Slough is a historically perennial wetland located at the downstream western end of California's San Antonio Creek Valley watershed. The slough exists because of groundwater upwelling where uplifted consolidated bedrock forms a barrier to the seaward flow of groundwater. The groundwater basin was designated a “medium priority” groundwater basin by the California Department of Water Resources as part of the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act that was enacted in 2014.
This visualization tool can be used to explore and enhance the understanding of the hydrology and biology of Barka Slough. The hydrology sections evaluate potential future changes in water availability in Barka Slough through examination of the groundwater budget, groundwater levels at a simulated well, and groundwater-level elevations across Barka Slough. The biology sections look at the effects of changing hydrological conditions on the aquatic habitat of five protected species based on three habitat metrics: streamflow, stream disconnection, and depth to groundwater. The data used to create this visualization tool is available for download.
