| Stemple Creek | |
| Pushpin Map: | USA California |
| Pushpin Map Size: | 300 |
| Pushpin Map Caption: | Location of the mouth of Stemple Creek in California |
| Subdivision Type1: | Country |
| Subdivision Name1: | United States |
| Subdivision Type2: | State |
| Subdivision Name2: | California |
| Subdivision Type3: | Region |
| Subdivision Name3: | Sonoma and Marin counties |
| Subdivision Type5: | City |
| Subdivision Name5: | Fallon, California |
| Length: | 16miles |
| Source1 Location: | 20NaN0 southwest of Cotati, California |
| Source1 Coordinates: | 38.3106°N -122.7308°W |
| Mouth: | Estero de San Antonio |
| Mouth Coordinates: | 38.2722°N -122.9019°W |
| Mouth Elevation: | 13feet |
Stemple Creek is a 160NaN0 long, westward-flowing stream in the California counties of Sonoma and Marin, which feeds into the Estero de San Antonio. Its waters ultimately reach Bodega Bay, part of the Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary on the Pacific Ocean.
Stemple Creek springs from low-lying coastal hills 20NaN0 southwest of Cotati. It crosses under Stony Point Road and runs about 11NaN1 southeast before turning westward. It passes south of Two Rock, California, then crosses into Marin County just west of Training Center Petaluma. The creek follows a sinuous course across northern West Marin, with bridges at Alexander Road, Twin Bridge Road, and State Route 1, to a confluence with the Estero de San Antonio just west of State Route 1.
California's 1994 water quality report designated Stemple Creek as an "impaired" streamway as defined in section 303(d) of the Federal Water Resource Statutes, due to runoff from pasture land and feedlots. Pollutants found at hazardous level in the creek have included copper, ammonia, and zinc.[1]
Bridges cross Stemple Creek at Route One, Pepper Road, Twin Bridge Road, Alexander Road, Tomales Road, Valley Ford Road, Mecham Road, and Pepper Road. The newest and longest of these, built in 1982, is the 2100NaN0 long concrete slab structure at milepost 47.41 on State Route 1. The oldest, built in 1915, is the 391NaN1 concrete tee beam bridge carrying Valley Ford Road, located 7.51NaN1 from State Route 1.[2]