Creek Week 2016 logo

Creek Week Volunteer Opportunities

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Attention Russian River Watershed Stewards! September 17 – 25, 2016 is Creek Week in the Russian River Watershed!

You can contribute to the health of the Russian River ecosystem by participating in creek and river cleanup events throughout the watershed! Events are listed below from the headwaters to the ocean.

Please note: The following information is correct to the best of RRWA’s knowledge; please contact the appropriate agency or organization to confirm meeting times, locations, and to sign up.

 

1. Redwood Valley Cleanup

Date: September 17, 2016
Time: 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Location: McCarthy’s Bar and Grill, 6951 East Road, Redwood Valley
Learn more: russianrivercleanup.org or contact Deborah with Mendocino County Resource Conservation District at 707-462-3664 x 106 or deborah.edelman@mcrcd.org

 

2. Ukiah Creeks Cleanup

Date: September 17, 2016
Time: 9 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Location: Orr Street Bridge, Ukiah
Learn more: russianrivercleanup.org or contact Deborah with Mendocino County Resource Conservation District at 707-462-3664 x 106 or deborah.edelman@mcrcd.org

 

3. Hopland Area Russian River Cleanup and Picnic

Date: September 17, 2016
Time: 8:30 a.m.-1:00 p.m.
Location: The intersection of Highway 101 and Highway 175, Hopland
Learn more: russianrivercleanup.org or contact Ken with North Coast Fire & EMS Training at 707-570-9226 or ken@ncfems.com

 

4. Cloverdale Area Cleanups

Cleanup Locations: Cloverdale Regional Park and Trail, Geysers Road, River Park to Crocker Bridge
Date: September 17, 2016
Time: 8:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Location: Cloverdale River Park (City Park at Crocker Bridge)
Learn more: russianrivercleanup.org

 

5. Healdsburg Area Cleanups

Cleanup Locations: Riverfront Regional Park, Kennedy Lane to Highway 101, Syar Plant Beach, Badger Park, West Soda Rock Road, Alexander Valley Campground Beach, Geyserville Highway 128 Bridge Beach
Date: September 17, 2016
Time: 8:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Location: South Healdsburg Park & Ride (Healdsburg Avenue and Highway 101)
Learn more: russianrivercleanup.org

 

6. City of Healdsburg Foss Creek Cleanup and Smart Living Healdsburg Fair

Date: September 24, 2017
Time: 8:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Location: West Plaza Park, Healdsburg
Learn more: http://SmartLivingHealdsburg.org

 

7. City of Santa Rosa Family Fun Day at the Laguna Treatment Plant

Date: September 17, 2016
Time: 11 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Location: 4300 Llano Road, Santa Rosa
Learn more: http://srcity.org/departments/utilities/stormwatercreeks/steward/Pages/CREEKWEEK.aspx

 

8. City of Santa Rosa 32nd Annual Creek Clean Up

Date: Saturday, September 17, 2016
Time: 9:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Location: Olive Street Footbridge (105 Olive Street, Santa Rosa)
Learn more: http://srcity.org/departments/utilities/stormwatercreeks/steward/Pages/CREEKWEEK.aspx

 

9. City of Rohnert Park Copeland Creek Revival

Date: September 17, 2016
Time: 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Location: Jasmine Circle Mini-Park (1449 Jasmine Circle, Rohnert Park)
Learn more: Event information available on https://dailyacts.nonprofiteasy.net/PublicPages/Event/Details.aspx?eid=29453, or contact Marc with the City of Rohnert Park at 707-588-3302

 

10. The Great Laguna Clean Up

Date: September 17, 2016
Time: 9 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Location: Laguna Wetlands Preserve Amphitheather (next to Sebastopol Community Center, 390 Morris Street, Sebastopol)
Learn more: russianrivercleanup.org

 

11. Guerneville Area Cleanups

Cleanup Locations: Steelhead Beach Regional Park, Moms Beach Regional Park, Sunset Beach Regional Park, Rio Nido Beaches, Johnson’s Beach area, Vacation Beach area
Date: September 17, 2016
Time: 8:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Location: Johnson’s Beach Resort, Guerneville
Learn more: russianrivercleanup.org

 

12. Coastwalk Sonoma County Coastal Cleanup

Date: September 17, 2016
Time: 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Location: multiple
Learn more: http://coastwalk.org/volunteer/coastal-cleanup-day/

 

13. Canoe-Based River Cleanups

Date: September 17, 2016
Time: Multiple
Location: Multiple
Learn more: russianrivercleanup.org

 

Petaluma River Cleanup

Date: September 17, 2016
Time: 9:00 a.m.
Location: Steamer Landing Park in Petaluma
Learn more: http://friendsofthepetalumariver.org/events/

Organizing a cleanup? Please Contact Us to be included on this list.

Russian River near healdsburg bridge

Love it and Leave it Clean: Responsible Russian River Recreation

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It is the peak of summer and the Russian River is teeming with people enjoying the weather and the water. There are swimmers and boaters, fishers and party goers. Whether you are enjoying the sunrise alone with a fishing pole or out with your family or friends at a BBQ picnic, being responsible on the river will protect the river’s water quality, human health, and the wildlife that calls it home.

Pick up your Trash

We keep saying it, and it is still true. Every year, tons of garbage are pulled out of the Russian River by volunteers and clean-up crews. That’s thousands of pounds![1] Garbage is ugly. Trash can also harm wildlife. As trash is generated, gather it and toss it in a trash bin. If there isn’t a nearby trash can, bag your trash and carry it out with you to dispose at home.

Remember, cigarettes are litter too! There are thousands of cigarette butts littered each year. Cigarette butts are a problem because they leach toxic chemicals as they degrade in the environment and because wildlife mistakes them for food. Don’t flick your cigarette butts into the water or onto the beach. Put out the flame and dump your butts with the rest of your trash.

Responsible Fishing

Your fishing line and hooks are tools when you use them, but can become a dangerous tangle if you leave them by the river. Fishing line and hooks can be lethal to small animals and can cause injury to people who come across them swimming or wading. Gather your line and hooks and reuse them if you can, or discard them with your trash if you can’t.

When Nature Calls

It happens. You are on the beach or in the river and you have to use the bathroom – and it’s number two. Even if it means a walk up the beach or back to the parking lot, use a bathroom or pit toilet. If you must answer nature’s call without facilities use a shovel to dig a hole at least 200 feet from the river’s edge, relieve yourself into the hole and cover it up when you are done. Be sure to bury used toilet paper too.

Never, ever defecate in the river. And do not throw dirty diapers into the river or leave them on the shore. Human waste has bacteria in it that can be harmful to the health of others that come into contact with it. True, the river flows with a large volume of water in the winter, but thousands of people recreate in the Russian River on summer days. Occasionally, there are sections of river that have bacteria at levels higher than is safe to come into contact with it. [2]

Dog poop is a health hazard too. If you bring your dog with you to the river, be sure to bag the dog poop and dispose of it in a trash can.

If you would like to volunteer with clean-ups along the river contact the Russian River Watershed Cleanup at www.russianrivercleanup.org or Russian River Keepers at www.russianriverkeeper.com to sign up for a clean-up event.

This article was authored by Cristina Goulart of the Town of Windsor, on behalf of RRWA.  RRWA (www.rrwatershed.org) is an association of local public agencies in the Russian River Watershed that have come together to coordinate regional programs for clean water, habitat restoration, and watershed enhancement.

[1] Russian River Watershed Cleanup up website – 2013 data.

[2] NCRWQCB Russian River pathogen Indicator Bacteria TMDL fact sheet. January 2015.

 

UPDATE August 4, 2016: Low-level blue-green algae toxins were present in certain areas of the river.  There are no restrictions on human recreational use of the Russian River. However, the public should be advised that potentially harmful algae may be present. Keep your family and pets safe by taking precautions posted by Sonoma County Dept. of Health Services. For more information regarding the status of the Russian River, call the beach hotline at (707) 565-6552.

Irrigation system squirting water to yellow flower

Maximize Outdoor Water Use

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For the first time in more than three years, the Russian River watershed received near or slightly above average rainfall. Northern California received the brunt of El Nino’s storms and, because of that, the impact of drought conditions in our area have been significantly reduced. Most of the State, however, continues to struggle with severe drought conditions and water supply issues.

In response to the change in statewide drought conditions, the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) adopted a new emergency water regulation. Because most jurisdictions within the Russian River watershed have adequate, or near adequate, water supply conditions, jurisdictions will have lower or no mandatory water conservation targets imposed by the SWRCB.

Just because our water supply is reliable, does not mean that we should let go of the conservation we achieved over the last two years or that we should stop focusing on the importance of using water wisely. California is prone to cyclical drought conditions, and it is only a matter of time before we experience another one.

As we enter the summertime, our largest opportunity to reduce water use presents itself: outdoor irrigation!  More than 50% of urban water is used on landscapes. Reducing water does not mean that your landscape needs to suffer though, as the average landscape receives between 130 to 300 percent more water than it needs. Overwatering is not good for plants, as they become dependent on the excess water. Also, if the excess water runs off into the street or storm drain system, it is likely a violation of the storm water permit, and could be subject to the local agency’s progressive enforcement. By following the tips and tricks listed below, you can dial-in your irrigation system, keep your plants happy and healthy, and watch the water savings flood in!

Inspect your System for Leaks

Since most of your irrigation system is underground, leaks can easily go undetected. Leaks lead to lost and/or inefficiently used water, as well as a massive water bill! Be sure to check your entire irrigation system at the beginning of your watering season to make sure everything is functioning properly: address leaks; fix broken or clogged heads; clean micro-irrigation filters; remove blockages in or around sprinkler heads to ensure they distribute water evenly.

As the watering season progresses, make sure to regularly check for leaks in your system. Learning your water meter is a great way to help you with this.

Learn to Read your Water Meter

Step 1. Locate your water meter! Most are in the sidewalk in front of your home and should be clearly marked.

Step 2. Carefully remove the lid and locate the meter. You may have to remove leaves and dirt from the face of the meter. Take care as there may be spiders and insects as well.

Step 3. Look at your meter. It should include a large dial with incremental measurements, an odometer, a low flow detector, and units of measurement (meters often read in gallons or cubic feet).

Step 4. Understanding your meter:

  • The dial of the meter moves when water passes through the meter.
  • When the dial makes one full rotation, the odometer increases by the amount of water equal to one full rotation (could be 100 gallons, 1 cubic foot, 100 cubic feet, or something else). The odometer tells you how much water has passed through the meter since it was installed.
  • Find the low flow detector: it might be a triangle, snowflake, or some other shape. This detector is more sensitive than the large dial and will move when small amount of water passes through the meter. This can help you identify potential leaks – turn off all water in your home, if the low flow detector moves, you have a water leak!

Step 5. Read your meter monthly. Subtract the current odometer reading from the previous reading, this will tell you the amount of water used since the last reading. Your water meter is a great tool to identify leaks, understand your water usage, and make sure that you are being billed correctly.

Examples of Water Meters

Examples of water meter dials

Set a Water Budget and Watering Schedule

A Landscape Water Budget is an estimate of how much water is needed to maintain a healthy landscape. It is based on climate, landscape area, and plant type. The budget is calculated based on the amount of water the plants in your landscaped area need, the amount of rain expected, and the size of the landscaped area. Your water budget will tell you how much water (in gallons) your plants need to thrive. The EPA’s WaterSense website has a free Water Budget Tool available: https://www3.epa.gov/watersense/water_budget/.

Once your water budget has been calculated, determine your watering schedule based on the water delivery rate of your irrigation system; that is, how quickly water is delivered from your sprinklers or drip nozzles. Dividing how much water your plants need by how quickly your system can deliver it will tell you how long you need to run your system.

Things to consider when setting your watering schedule:

  1. Avoid Evaporation: Water between 8pm and 6 am to ensure that your plants receive the benefit of all of the water you are giving them. Water applied outside of this time will evaporate in the warmth of our summer days.
  2. Use the Cycle/Soak Watering Method: This method involves watering for shorter, more frequent periods of time with breaks in between to allow water to soak into the ground. Instead of watering once for 12 minutes, try watering for three 4-minute cycles with an hour between each cycle. This helps to avoid runoff (which is not allowed, per the SWRCB) and encourages deeper root growth. You want to make sure the water is penetrating 6 to 8 inches beneath the surface of the soil.
  3. Use a Smart Controller: Smart controllers use local weather and landscape conditions to adjust watering schedules based in actual site conditions. Check out the EPA’s WaterSense website for more information: https://www3.epa.gov/watersense/products/controltech.html.

If you don’t have an irrigation system controller, The City of Santa Rosa has a great tool to help you adjust your watering schedule based on weather patterns: http://srcity.org/departments/utilities/conserve/Pages/WaterSmart.aspx/

Convert your Landscape Area

Lawn is lovely and great to play on but, if you’re not using it, you should replace it! Lawn takes A LOT of water and time to maintain. Instead of worrying about keeping your lawn green, take advantage of turf or consider low- and no-water landscapes including: native, climate-appropriate, drought-tolerant plants; fruit and vegetable gardens; and/or permeable landscape surfaces such as deconstructed granite, mulch, rock, pavers, etc.

Check out the EPA’s WaterSense website for some great lawn conversion project images: https://www3.epa.gov/watersense/outdoor/landscape_photos.html.

Take Advantage of Rebate Programs

Almost all water suppliers offer rebates for water conservation installations and upgrades. In addition, they often offer water use workshops and free water saving devices. Contact your water provider today to find out about programs and incentives that can help you use water wisely and efficiently.

This article was authored by Meg Patterson of the City of Healdsburg, on behalf of RRWA.  RRWA (www.rrwatershed.org) is an association of local public agencies in the Russian River Watershed that have come together to coordinate regional programs for clean water, fisheries restoration, and watershed enhancement.

Safe Medicine Disposal Program Update

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How do you dispose of your old prescription and over the counter medicines? Not only are there environmental concerns associated with throwing medicine in the trash and flushing them down the toilet, letting them accumulate at home creates opportunities for those medicines getting into the wrong hands. It is for these reasons that the regional membership of the Russian River Watershed Association (RRWA) enacted the FREE Safe Medicine Disposal Program to safely take back and properly dispose of unwanted medicines.

The Safe Medicine Disposal Program is a partnership between local agencies, pharmacies, and law enforcement offices to safely dispose of unwanted medications, prevent overdoses, and protect the environment Residents of Sonoma and Mendocino Counties can drop off their unwanted medications at 24 free, discreet, and anonymous medicine take-back locations. These locations accept prescription and over-the-counter pills and capsules, liquid medications, veterinary medications, vitamins, supplements, homeopathic remedies, medical patches, inhalers, and medical samples. Since 2007, the Safe Medicine Disposal Program has collected over 100,000 pounds of unwanted medicines. For more information on the Safe Medicine Disposal Program locations, please go to http://www.safemedicinedisposal.org.

Syringes and needles (also known as sharps) and controlled substances have fewer drop-off locations due to safety and regulatory concerns, and are not accepted at many of the Safe Medicine Disposal drop-off locations. The DEA Office of Diversion Control has a tool for finding controlled substance disposal locations at https://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/pubdispsearch/spring/main?execution=e1s1. Syringes and needles are required to be in sealed sharps containers.  Waste pharmaceuticals and sharps disposals are offered for residents only (not businesses).

The Safe Medicine Disposal Program has had many successes, but there are still many hurdles to clear. The California Board of Pharmacies regulations for prescription drug take-back programs are currently being revised in a manner that may disincentivize pharmacy participation in take-back programs. In addition, the Safe Medicine Disposal Program, like many in the United States, is funded solely by local government agencies. Without a regulatory requirement, the producers of medicines are not responsible for funding the disposal of unused medications.

Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) is a concept that helps clear many of the hurdles of medicine take-back programs by requiring medicine producers to design, manage, and finance programs for end-of-life management of their products and packaging, as a condition of sale. Alameda County was the first county in California and the country to pass EPR legislation requiring that producers share in the responsibility for safe medicine disposal. EPR legislation has gained popularity in the United States since the U.S. Supreme Court denied a challenge against Alameda County’s EPR ordinance in 2015. Currently, RRWA and its Safe Medicine Program partners are tracking current and developing EPR ordinances in California and evaluating opportunities to address the long-term needs for safe medicine disposal in our communities. Fortunately, our program can reference data from EPR programs that have been successful for decades throughout Europe and Canada.

Moreover, Sonoma County is working to make it easier for residents to safely dispose of unwanted medication and needles. To do this, your input is needed.  Please fill out this short 3-4 minute survey to let us know which disposal options work best for you and to share your thoughts on this issue. Your answers are anonymous. Who do you think should pay for the safe disposal of medication? What do you currently do with your unwanted medication? Tell us at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/SonomaMedsSharps.

This article was authored by Nazareth Tesfai of the Sonoma County Water Agency, on behalf of RRWA.  RRWA (www.rrwatershed.org) is an association of local public agencies in the Russian River Watershed that have come together to coordinate regional programs for clean water, fisheries restoration, and watershed enhancement.
single drop of water hitting a pool of water

Water Awareness Month

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May is Water Awareness Month. This statewide celebration and education campaign originates from the joint efforts of the California Department of Water Resources and the Association of California Water Agencies (ACWA).

 

Water Awareness City-wide

California’s last 4 years of below average rainfall have heightened the public’s understanding about the value of water. Locally, a majority of our drinking water supply comes from the Russian River. Our water supply also includes water we save with water efficiency measures. During the recent drought, our region has been incredibly responsive to Governor Brown’s April 2015 call to reduce water usage by 25% statewide.

The California State Water Resources Control Board has maintained statewide water conservation reporting. Below is a summary of some local water savings goals and actual water reduction.

 

City Name
State Mandated Emergency Water Reduction Goal
Cumulative Percent Saved (June 2015 – February 2016 as compared to 2013)
Goal Met?
Healdsburg 24% 25.6% Yes
Rohnert Park 16% 17.4% Yes
Santa Rosa 16% 25.4% Yes
Ukiah 20% 25.9%* Yes
Windsor 16% 22.8% Yes
*Cumulative savings for Ukiah is based on June 2015 – January 2016
Note: On February 2, 2016 the State Water Board adopted an extended and revised emergency regulation to ensure that urban water conservation continues in 2016. The regulation extends restrictions on urban water use through October 2016.

 

By working toward a common goal, our region is withstanding the multi-year drought without compromising public health, economic vitality, or our environment. Though one year does not alleviate our area’s drought concerns, recent El Nino storms have helped refill our reservoirs this winter. As of April 2016, the U.S. Drought Monitor estimates the drought intensity of Mendocino and Sonoma Counties at “abnormally dry,” with parts still in “moderate drought.”

 

Water Awareness for the Individual

During May, water agencies throughout California find creative ways to connect with their communities to promote water-use efficiency and provide practical tools.  In Sonoma County, water awareness information will be provided at the Day Under the Oaks festival at Santa Rosa Junior College on May 1st along with the Cinco de Mayo festival on May 5th. You can also keep track of the annual Water Awareness Poster Contest in which thousands of third and fourth grade students compete for a chance to be in the 2017 Water Awareness Calendar. Mendocino County encourages residents to use water wisely with the help of the 100+ Ways to Conserve.

Saving water day to day is easy in practice but can be difficult to quantify. The average American uses (both directly and indirectly) about 2,000 gallons of water per day. This is twice the global average. To estimate how much water you’re using individually and find the best areas where you can cut back, take the Water Footprint Assessment.

While the residents of Sonoma and Mendocino Counties have proven they are water aware, the trends need to continue. It’s important to remember that there is never enough water to waste.

This article was authored by the City of Santa Rosa’s Water Use Efficiency Team on behalf of RRWA.  RRWA (www.rrwatershed.org) is an association of local public agencies in the Russian River Watershed that have come together to coordinate regional programs for clean water, fisheries restoration, and watershed enhancement.