region as part of the tenth annual Great Sierra River Cleanup. This event, coordinated by the Sierra Nevada Conservancy and held in partnership with California Coastal Cleanup Day, serves to promote good stewardship throughout the state’s watersheds, from the Sierra to the sea.“In the last decade, GSRC has removed 856 tons of trash and recyclables from California’s watersheds,” said Jim Branham, Executive Officer for the Sierra Nevada Conservancy. “Thank you to the volunteers for keeping California’s primary water source clean.”
Some of the items collected include shopping carts, mattresses, tires, and more. A plastic Spiderman car, vintage orange typewriter and several high heeled shoes were some of the more unusual items discovered.
“The watersheds and rivers of the Sierra Nevada Region provide more than 60 percent of California’s drinking and irrigation water,” said Branham. “GSRC is an excellent opportunity for the community to ensure that this water supply is safe and clean.” The Great Sierra River Cleanup kicks off Sierra Nevada Watershed Protection Week, established in 2015 (ACR 22, Dahle) to highlight the importance of the Sierra Nevada region to the entire state.
The Great Sierra River Cleanup would not be possible without the hard work of dozens of local community groups, our partners at the California Coastal Commission, and our sponsor, Pacific Gas & Electric.
Results from this year’s event, a list of participating organizations, and additional event information are available at www.sierranevada.ca.gov. Photos will be shared on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
About the Sierra Nevada Conservancy:
Created in 2004, the Sierra Nevada Conservancy (SNC) is a state agency whose mission is to improve the environmental, economic, and social well-being of the Sierra Nevada Region. The SNC has awarded nearly $68 million in grants for projects that protect and enhance the health of California’s primary watersheds by improving forest health, remediating mercury contamination from abandoned mines, protecting critical natural resources, and reducing the risk of catastrophic wildfire. Funding for these projects came from Proposition 84 passed by voters in 2006 and Proposition 1 passed by voters in 2014.
The Sierra Nevada Region spans 25 million acres, encompasses all or part of 22 counties, and runs from the Oregon border in the north to Kern County in the south. The Region is the origin of more than 60 percent of California’s developed water supply.
