Creek Week
Creek Week is a week-long celebration of our local creeks. Throughout the Russian River and Santa Rosa Creek areas, cities, counties and other stewardship organizations are coming together to declare September 17 - 24 as "Creek Week". This will be a time of fun and adventure, with educational activities for everyone at your local creeks and nature areas. All our creeks are a rich and diverse system which provides water supply, wildlife habitat, flood capacity, recreation, and aesthetic values to all who live in and visit them.
Pollution, trash and debris damages the aesthetic and biological qualities of local waterways, impacting current efforts to restore and enhance habitat for fish and wildlife. The health of our creeks and rivers depends on us. Look through the events below for ways to enjoy, learn and care for your creeks.
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27th Annual Sonoma County Coast and Creek Clean Up (all ages welcome)
Keep the beaches clean! Join the 27th Annual Sonoma County Creek and Coast Clean Up. Santa Rosa’s 90 miles of creeks flow to the Russian River and then out to the Pacific Ocean. Up to 80 % of ocean debris originates from land-based sources. Gloves, tools, and snacks provided. Come out and enjoy your creek! For beach clean ups contact Coastwalk at 829-6689 |
Date: : Saturday, September 17, 2011
Time: 9:00 AM - noon.
Location: Meet at Doyle Park at the Doyle Park Drive entrance, south of Sonoma Ave.
Contact: Alistair Bleifuss at 543-3845 or ableifuss@ci.santa-rosa.ca.us. |
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Whitewater Rodeo On Santa Rosa Creek (all ages welcome)
Come out and enjoy your creek! Build a toy boat and race it down Santa Rosa Creek's shallow rapids that test stability, speed, accuracy, and durability. Don't have time to build a boat? Materials and assistance will be available to build your own vessel that morning on the creek. Wear shoes that can get wet. Laughs and prizes, everyone is a winner! Boy Scouts and Lifeguards will be on hand to demonstrate their skills and provide water safety. |
Date: : Saturday, September 17, 2011
Time: 10:30 AM - noon.
Location: Meet at the Pierson Street bridge (near # 5 Pierson Street between W. 3rd and W. 6th Streets).
Contact: Alistair Bleifuss at 543-3845 or ableifuss@srcity.org. |
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Headwaters of Santa Rosa Creek Hike (ages 12 and up welcome)
Stretch your legs and explore the headwaters of Santa Rosa Creek on a long and rewarding hike. Discover why the upper reaches of the creek provide some of the best steelhead trout spawning grounds in all of the Russian River Watershed. Join LandPaths and the Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation & Open Space District as we hike through parts of Hood Mountain Regional Park and the McCormick Addition to Sugarloaf State Park, dipping our feet in the creek as we hike to "Grandmother Oak" tree (the largest coast live oak in the county!) for lunch. Details: • Due to limited parking we will meet at 9:15 in east Santa Rosa to carpool. Park entrance fee of $6 per car should be shared by passengers. • You will be asked to sign LandPaths standard liability waiver as you arrive. • No smoking or pets. • There is at porta-pottie at the trailhead, but no other restrooms available. This is a strenuous hike, approximately 10 miles with 1500+ feet of elevation gain. It is mostly on trail, with some off trail through grasslands. Plan to get your feet wet, as we will be crossing the Santa Rosa Creek twice in ankle-deep water. Bring: Boots or shoes, dress in layers, water, picnic lunch and something to share (if you wish), something to sit on for picnic lunch (like a tarp), camera, binoculars, etc. |
Date: Sunday, September 18
Time:9:10 AM - 4 PM.
Location: Register for location.
Contact:Please register at www.landpaths.org, email outings@LandPaths.org, or call 707.524.9318. |
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Turtle Talk (all ages welcome)
Join Dr. Nick Geist, Professor of Biology, Sonoma State University for an informative talk about the native and introduced turtles found in our local creeks. He will discuss the urban populations of the western pond turtle and local conservation efforts for this species. Western pond turtles are the only native turtle in Sonoma County, but their numbers have plummeted over the last century. Dr. Geist will discuss the challenges we face in keeping these ancient animals from extinction, show you to identify them and other non-native species you are likely to encounter, and talk about how research at Sonoma State is helping reverse these declines. |
Date: Sunday, September 18
Time: 3:00 - 4:00 PM.
Location: Meet at the Olive Park footbridge, 1698 Hazel Street.
Contact: Alistair Bleifuss at 543-3845 or ableifuss@ci.santa-rosa.ca.us. |
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Santa Rosa Creek Family Insect Exploration (all ages welcome)
Connect your youngsters with the outdoors as we explore and discover the exciting world of aquatic insects along Santa Rosa Creek near Olive Park. We'll take a short family-friendly walk with Frederique Lavoipierre, a biologist at Sonoma State University who will share her passion for bugs. Easy walk and exploration; BYO picnic dinner if you wish; made possible by LandPaths donors like you. To sign up for this free outing please visit www.landpaths.org or call 707.524.9318. |
Date: Sunday, September 18
Time: 4:00 - after 5:00 PM.
Location: Meet at the Olive Park footbridge, 1698 Hazel Street.
Contact: Please register at www.landpaths.org or call 707.524.9318. |
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Downtown Underground (ages 10 and up)
Tour the underground culverts and fish ladders in the downtown area. The tour will require participants to walk in rough, wet terrain. Wear sturdy shoes that can get wet and bring a flashlight. This tour is not suitable for children under 10. |
Date: Monday, September 19
Time: 5:30 - 7:30 PM.
Location: Meet at Gateway Park (Santa Rosa Ave and Sonoma Ave).
Contact: Jill Scott at 543-4246 or jscott@srcity.org. |
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Tour de Santa Rosa Creek (Families welcome)
The Tour de Santa Rosa Creek is a fun filled, casual-paced, 12 mile roundtrip bike ride for the whole family. We will follow the creek trail to Willowside Road and back. At rest stops along the way we will explore the creek. Thanks to paving of the path west of Fulton Road you can now ride 6+ miles from downtown to Willowside Road, following the Creek westward from urban to rural as it flows to the Laguna de Santa Rosa. 12 miles round trip or turn around when you like; flat & paved path. |
Date: Tuesday, September 20
Time: 5:30 - 7:30 PM.
Location: Olive Park Footbridge (1698 Hazel St).
Contact: Sean McNeil at 543-4225 or smcneil@srcity.org. |
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Santa Rosa Creek Trail Walk (ages 8 and up welcome)
Join us for a walk led by Carol Vellutini along picturesque Santa Rosa Creek. Listen to the sounds of water, enjoy the beauty of the willows, alders, and cottonwood trees. We'll walk nearly 2 miles, half on an uneven dirt trail and half on a paved pathway. Bring a flashlight, just in case. Meet at 5:30 P.M. at the trailhead on the southeast corner of the Farmers Lane bridge and Fourth Street, across Highway 12 from the Flamingo Hotel. Parking available on streets by the Flamingo and CVS Drugstore. We will leave to walk by 5:45 P.M. |
Date: Wednesday, September 21
Time: 5:30 - 7:30 PM.
Location: Meet at the trailhead on the southeast corner of the Farmers Lane bridge and Fourth Street.
Contact: Jill Scott at 543-4246 or jscott@srcity.org. |
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Are there Fish in Santa Rosa Creek? (ages 8 and up welcome)
The answer is YES. Join National Marine Fisheries Service, Sonoma County Water Agency and City biologists to see and learn about fishes of Santa Rosa Creek, as they sample along the Prince Memorial Greenway. Biologists will show different methods of netting fish, explain the life cycles and interactions of the various species, and have underwater viewing scopes available for your use. This is a fascinating experience for youth and people of all ages. Expect to get wet, rubber boots are optional. |
Date: Thursday, September 22
Time: 5:30 - 6:30 PM.
Location: Meet at the Olive Park footbridge, West of Hwy 101. From West 3rd St, turn South on Railroad St, left on to Hazel St. Street parking is available.
Contact: Alistair Bleifuss at 543-3845 or ableifuss@ci.santa-rosa.ca.us. |
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Poppy Creek Stewardship (all ages welcome)
The children and adults of the JC neighborhood's Growing a Village/Cultivando un Pueblo project, invite neighbors of all ages to gather under the walnut trees, near the footbridge in the small neighborhood park known to some as Poppy Creek Park. We will explore possible improvements to this park, and then go on a short creek walk with Alistair Bleifuss. This will be a great opportunity to ask questions and learn about creek and park stewardship. We will also begin to share ideas and make plans for a Halloween/Harvest party in the same park, planned for Friday, Oct.28, 4:00-6:30. You are welcome to bring a healthy snack to share, and a chair or blanket to sit on. Please join us! Se habla espanol. Click on logo for webpage.
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Date: : Friday, September 23, 2011
Time: 4:00 - 6:30 PM.
Location: Meet at Poppy Creek Park, near 930 Carr Avenue.
Contact for more information: call Julie Chasen at 579-3849. Para mas infomacion, llame a Julie Chasen, 579-3849. OR Alistair Bleifuss at 543-3845 or ableifuss@srcity.org. |
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Sierra Park Creek clean up (all ages)
Continue the care of this little creek with Strawberry School, scouts, and neighbors on Bennett Valley Clean Up Day. Call Bennett Valley Vision for info on this and other neighborhood projects at 545-2224. |
Date: Saturday, September 24, 2011
Time: 9:00 – 11:00AM
Location: Strawberry School, 2311 Horseshoe Drive.
Contact: Alistair Bleifuss at 543-3845 or ableifuss@ci.santa-rosa.ca.us. |
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Volunteer Opportunities, Creek Work for Youth with the Sonoma County Water Agency
Meet new friends and reconnect with crew members! Help provide habitat for endangered fish! Improve water quality! Join the Sonoma County Water Agency and other youth across Sonoma County in removing invasive plants and trash from local streams, creeks and flood control channels, planting shade-bearing plants, learning about your watershed and having fun! Important: Bring work gloves, boots, water and a snack. Work will take place in light rain; heavy rain will cancel. For updates in case of rainy weather, call 707-547-190. |
Date: Saturday, September 24, 2011
Time: 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Location: At Brush Creek near 6022 Montecito Blvd, parking on street.
To Register: contact Kellie Noe, Sonoma County Water Agency, 707-547-1906 or kellie.noe@scwa.ca.gov. Leave your name, phone number, date, and creek location. | |
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Picking up trash.
Having Fun
Hiking
Exploring
Planting
Learning
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