Sausal Creek runs from Montclair through Oakmore Highlands, the Dimond district, and Fruitvale to the Oakland Estuary. It originates just west of Route 13 at the confluence of Palo Seco Creek, which comes out of Joaquin Miller Park, and Shephard Creek, which flows down Shepherd Canyon.
Sausal means "willow grove" in Spanish; the creek used to flow through a willow grove on the lower stretches. Over the years, various parts of the creek were put into underground culverts, but much of the creek is still above ground. In 2016, a previously undergrounded part of the creek in Dimond Park was uncovered.
The section of the creek which ran through the Dimond District was not always a "slender body of water." It appears from an old photo that there was once enough water flowing in the creek for people to swim, even in the warm summertime when the water level of most creeks sinks and/or disappears. In the photo below, this stretch of Sausal Creek south of Dimond Park was dammed to allow swimming.
Children swimming in Sausal Creek, Dimond District, one block south of present-day MacArthur Boulevard (1908) 1
Sausal Creek in Dimond Park
photo from Our Oakland
Sausal Creek goes underground
photo from Our Oakland 
Sausal Creek flows into the estuary at Fruitvale Bridge Park
photo from Our Oakland
marker for Sausal Creek
photo from Our Oakland
Links and References
- Oakland History Center Oakland Public Library
