Oak Creek Watershed Council will be conducting a tabling event at the Red Rock Ranger Visitor Center
Sedona AZ (May 6, 2015) – The Oak Creek Watershed Council (OCWC) will conduct the event with our Volunteers (Friends of Oak Creek) one day, next weekend, Saturday only, May 9th, 2015. The table event will provide educational outreach at the Red Rock Ranger Visitor Center, from 10:00 am to 2:00pm.
Included at the table, will be the popular “OCWC Terrain Model.”
The popularity of Oak Creek as a recreation destination has led to an increasing litter issue on Oak Creek over the last few decades. Unfortunately, the amount of trash left along the creek is an indirect contributor to the problem of high amounts of E. coli.
“We try to host a few cleanups and educational outreach events every month,” said Bob Kampfe, Volunteer Coordinator and OCWC Board Director, “it makes a huge difference when we get locals taking pride in keeping the place called home beautiful.”
The trash attracts wildlife such as raccoons and skunks, who linger and defecate right next to the creek, adding to the E. coli concentrations in the water. High amounts of E. coli in the water indicate the presence of bacteria such as giardia or cryptosporidium. This type of bacteria makes people sick if swimming in it. Trash cleanups help to make the water safe to swim in while preserving the natural wonders that surround Sedona.
“The OCWC volunteer task force, Friends of Oak Creek, really strives to be the boots-on the-ground crew that provides multiple opportunities for residents to get involved in a meaningful way,” said Dalton Zanetti, OCWC Operatios Assistant “we just want to see more people showing up at cleanup events: it’s a huge task, keeping Oak Creek beautiful.”
Please email Bob Kampfe for more volunteer opportunities with the OCWC!
This collaborative effort includes the active participation of the United States Forest Service (USFS), the OCWC and continual citizen engagement. Without these collaborative efforts, projects like these could not sustain.
The Oak Creek Watershed Council (OCWC), a local nonprofit dedicated to the sustainable future of Oak Creek and its watershed, spearheaded the project at a citizen level. The Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) and the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) funded the basis for the project through a grant issued in 2013 as well as continuing grants to help mitigate E. coli contaminants in Oak Creek.
For information on how residents and visitors can learn more about the stewardship of Oak Creek, visit https://oakcreekwatershed.org/
The Oak Creek Watershed Council is a nonprofit 501 (c) (3) dedicated to maintaining a standard of excellence for watershed stewardship, as well as preserving the integrity of Oak Creek, and its tributaries.
ADEQ’s WQIG program is funded through a partnership with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency under the Clean Water Act. For more information about the program, visit http://www.azdeq.gov/environ/water/watershed/index.html#wqig