Planning Documents
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Inventory of Recreational Facilities —
DESCRIPTION OF RECREATIONAL FACILITIES COUNTY BY COUNTY
Contra Costa County
Contra Costa County is located in the southwestern portion of the Primary Zone and covers approximately 47,000 acres, about ten percent of the Primary Zone. Portions of the County are located within the Secondary Zone of the Delta and provide access to Primary Zone waters. Islands and tracts within the Primary Zone include: Browns Island (within the City of Pittsburg), Winter Island, Jersey Island, Bradford Island, Webb Tract, Holland Tract, Palm Tract, Orwood Tract, Knightsen area, and Coney Island. The areas in the Secondary Zone include: Bethel Island, Hotchkiss Tract, and Veale Tract. Water areas include: Big Break, partially owned by East Bay Regional Park District; Franks Tract (Department of Parks and Recreation), and Clifton Court Forebay (Department of Water Resources). Most of Jersey Island has been purchased by Ironhouse Sanitary District and is proposed to be used for disposal of treated wastewater and biosolids. A pending private project would use Webb Tract as a reservoir and much of Holland Tract as managed wetland and recreation (Delta Wetlands project). Major cities within the Secondary Zone include Antioch, Brentwood, Discovery Bay, Oakley, and Pittsburg. Within the Primary Zone are the Communities of Knightsen and Bethel Island.
Contra Costa County has a large number of marinas, both public and private. Many marinas provide for other recreational activities such as camping, fishing, houseboat rentals, and picnic sites. Small marinas contain 50 or fewer berths. There are 19 small marinas within the Delta in Contra Costa County. They are located in the Secondary Zone of the Delta in the Bethel Island and Hotchkiss Tract areas, and range in size from seven to 46 berths. All of these small marinas are privately owned and operated.
Medium marinas are those which have between 50 to 200 berths. Twelve medium sized marinas are located in the Secondary Zone of the Delta, again primarily in the Bethel Island area. The number of berths ranges from 52 to 160. All of these marinas are privately owned and operated.
Large marinas contain more than 200 berths. There are eight large marinas within the County, located in Pittsburg and Antioch in the Secondary Zone of the Delta. The large marinas range from 203 to 722 berths. Most of these marinas are privately owned. There are two large public marinas: the Antioch Marina with 285 berths and a public trail, fishing pier, and other public amenities; and the Pittsburg Marina with 722 berths and a boat ramp.
There are many launch facilities within Contra Costa County. Almost all of the ramps are located within marinas in the Secondary Zone of the Delta, most in the areas around Bethel Island and Hotchkiss Tract.
Camping sites are also found within the County in the Delta. Camping includes tent and RV camp sites. All of the identified camping sites are privately owned, and located within marinas. The number of camping sites range from about 2 to 500 sites per facility. Orwood Resort on Orwood Tract on the Old River has the largest number of camping sites, 500. The Resort also provides launch ramp, picnic area, and fishing access.
A limited number of picnic areas are provided at private marinas: there are a couple on Bethel Island, a couple on Orwood Tract, and a few in Antioch. Publicly owned picnic areas are provided at: Antioch Muni Boat Ramp in Antioch on the San Joaquin River; Antioch Regional Shoreline in Antioch on the Sacramento River; Riverview Park in Pittsburg on the Sacramento River; and Barbara Price Marina Park in Antioch on the Sacramento River.
Formal fishing access is provided at a few marinas and at several sites created specifically for fishing. The marinas which provide fishing access are privately owned. Public fishing sites include: Antioch Regional Shoreline in Antioch on the Sacramento River; Clifton Court Forebay in Italian Slough; Frank's Tract State Recreation Area (from boats only); Riverview Park in Pittsburg on the Sacramento River; and Riverview Lodge Pier in Pittsburg on the Sacramento River. Most of these fishing access sites are located in the Antioch and Pittsburg areas.
Trail sites in Contra Costa County include the Antioch Riverfront Promenade, Antioch Marina in Antioch along the San Joaquin River, and Marsh Creek Trail between Oakley and Brentwood along Marsh Creek--a five and a half mile long trail.
Eight private Yacht Clubs are located within the Delta area of Contra Costa County. They are located within the Secondary Zone of the Delta, primarily in Antioch and around Bethel Island.
Two public parks are located on the Delta waterfront. One is East Bay Regional Park District's Antioch Regional Shoreline in Antioch on the Sacramento River in the Secondary Zone, which includes facilities for picnicking and fishing. Another is the Barbara Price Marina Park in Antioch on the Sacramento River, also in the Secondary Zone, which contains picnic facilities and a public walkway. East Bay Regional Park District owns Browns Island and the western half of Big Break; neither site has any recreational facilities.
Franks Tract State Recreation Area and Big Break allow public hunting access during waterfowl hunting season. Franks Tract is located in the Primary Zone of the Delta and also allows fishing as well; hunting is allowed from permitted floating blinds and from boats. Big Break, near Oakley has been used for waterfowl hunting for many years; EBRPD will allow hunting to continue from floating blinds or boats.