Creek Connections Action Group Encourages Residents to Save California’s Waterways

WHAT: Twenty-third annual Coastal Cleanup Day

WHEN: Saturday, Sept. 15, 2007 , 9 a.m. - noon

WHERE: 22 sites throughout Santa Clara County (see attached map)

WHY: A volunteer effort to clean trash and debris from stretches of creeks throughout Santa Clara County

INFORMATION: Santa Clara Valley Water District homepage.

Map of Coastal Cleanup Day volunteer sites in Santa Clara County .

The California Coastal Commission estimates that 60 to 80 percent of the debris found along California ’s beaches originates from inland or urban areas. Often, urban residents fail to realize that litter thrown on city streets ends up in local rivers and creeks and flows out to the ocean.

“We all need to work together and continuously to keep our local waterways clean. California Coastal Cleanup Day is a great time to take positive action and is a great reminder to county residents that littering directly impacts the California coast both visually and environmentally,” said Rosemary Kamei, Vice Chairperson of the water district board of directors.

The Creek Connections Action Group is supporting Coastal Cleanup Day by hosting 22 clean-up sites throughout Santa Clara County . On Sept. 15, volunteers will meet anywhere from Coyote Lake in Gilroy to San Francisquito Creek in Palo Alto, and at many waterways in between to help beautify approximately 30 miles of creeks and waterways.

Clean-up begins at 9 a.m. and will end around noon . The Creek Connections Action Group hopes to top last year’s attendance of approximately 1,100 volunteers and encourages all county residents to join in this effort to prevent pollution in our creeks, streams and oceans.

The Coastal Commission is an avid supporter of the effort to “stop trash where it starts.” By putting an emphasis not only on beach clean-up, but also on stream and creek clean-up across California , there has been an increase in the amount of trash picked up per person each year. Last year, 50,375 volunteers removed just under 1 million pounds of debris from California ’s waterways and shoreline.

The California Coastal Cleanup Day will also help advance the goals of the Silicon Valley Anti Litter campaign, which is a collaborative effort focusing on eradication, enforcement and volunteerism. Its members include the water district, the cities of San Jose , Campbell , Cupertino , Saratoga , the Town of Los Gatos , and many neighborhood associations, schools, community organizations and businesses.

For more information on the Santa Clara Valley Water District’s participation in California Coastal Cleanup Day, contact Susan Siravo at ssiravo@valleywater.org or (408) 265-2607, ext. 2290.

The Santa Clara Valley Water District manages wholesale drinking water resources and provides stewardship for the county's five watersheds, including 10 reservoirs, more than 800 miles of streams and groundwater basins. The water district also provides flood protection throughout Santa Clara County .