Hydrology

Swanton Pacific Ranch is located within the Scotts Creek watershed. Riparian corridors exist along Scotts Creek, Mill Creek, Little Creek, Archibald Creek, Queseria Creek, and some smaller unnamed drainages. These provide critical habitat to both the endangered Coho salmon and the threatened steelhead trout as do the wetlands at the mouth of Scotts Creek.

The lower portion of the property is at or near sea level.  The marsh at the estuary contains brackish water from salt-water intrusion and tidal action.  The lagoon at the estuary is closed by a sandbar in the summer months except when breached. 

There is a historic record of a devastating flood that came as high as the walls of the basement of the Red House in 1955.   Other flood events have been recorded in 1940, 1982 and 1998.