Arundo Removal in Civic Park

A group of volunteers from Heffernan Insurance Brokers removed three sizable stands of arundo from Civic Park on May 18.  Since their office is just a couple of blocks away on Carlback, they said it felt "like cleaning up our own back yard."  As a result of their work, everyone can enjoy better views of the creek and the wildlife will have a better place to live.

If you would like to help the creeks, please click on How to Volunteer (at left) to see the range of possibilities.

The Creek Is Clean –
   Let's Keep It That Way!

The 20th annual downtown creek cleanup was held on Saturday, May 9.  Approximately 200 people cleaned trash and other debris from the creeks and then celebrated with a picnic lunch in Civic Park.  We removed everything from fast food wrappers and plastic bottles to grocery carts and an old bicycle wheel.

Cleanup photos are available here.

Bioassessment Program

Again this spring we participated in the bioassessment surveys which support Contra Costa County's clean water permit. Working under the direction of a county staff person, we collected benthic macro invertebrates (aquatic insects) in the creek, measured the width of the channel and the amount of shade cover, and estimated the characteristics of the water flow.  We worked in Bollinger, San Ramon, Pine, and Galindo Creeks, all in the Walnut Creek watershed.

Creek Walk Update

In June 2009, the City of Walnut Creek received a grant from the County Fish & Wildlife Committee to expand the riparian habitat in Civic Park East.  It will pay to convert about 3000 square feet of turf to a combination of native trees and other wildlife-friendly plants.

Heffernan Insurance Brokers employees stack arundo for transfer to the dumpster.
 
In just three hours, they filled this 20 cubic yard dumpster and then posed for a group photo.

These creek cleaners found an old bicycle wheel .