The 14th annual Solano County World Environment Day cleanup of Lake Berryessa is set for June 1.
Coordinated by the Solano Resource Conservation District, in partnership with Solano County Water Agency, the event, which depends on volunteers, begins with a 9 a.m. gathering at Lake Solano Park, 8685 Pleasants Valley Road, just north of Vacaville.
Participants will remove trash from Lake Berryessa, plant native vegetation and receive a free picnic lunch, Marianne Butler, cleanup coordinator with the Dixon-based RCD, said in a press statement.
Registration for the event is required and can be completed online at www.cleanupsolano.org. Everyone who registers by May 30 will receive a free World Environment Day T-shirt, said Butler.
The importance of Lake Berryessa cannot be overstated, county and corporate officials agree.
“The Putah Creek watershed, including Lake Berryessa and Lake Solano, is one of the most essential water systems for our county,” says Drew Gantner, a supervising water resources specialist for the Solano County Water Agency.
“This watershed not only provides Solano County with high-quality drinking and irrigation water, but it also provides a beautiful place for recreational opportunities,” he added in the prepared statement. “Taking good care of it is important for everyone who uses the water.”
Leaving trash degrades water quality, harms fish and wildlife, affects how the water system works and creates hazards for boaters and recreational users, noted Gantner.
Nailah Souder, environmental manager at Anheuser-Busch in Fairfield, added, “We hope everyone will join us in volunteering at the June 1st Lake Berryessa cleanup to help care for the natural resources we all rely on.”
World Environment Day builds global awareness of the environment, draws political attention to environmental issues, and supports individual and community projects, said Butler.
Lake Berryessa is the seventh-largest reservoir in California. It provides drinking water to some 500,000 Solano County residents. It also is the primary source of irrigation water for regional growers and companies like Anheuser-Busch and the Jelly Belly candy factory.
The lake was created by damming Putah Creek in the 1950s and completely filling by 1963. Making sure the creek receives enough water to maintain its “vital ecological link” between the neighboring mountain range and the Yolo Bypass is an important part of this man-made water system, Butler said.
Other major supporters of World Environment Day include Solano County, Lake Berryessa Watershed Partnership, and Volunteer Solano/CVNL.
Additional support comes from Solano County Parks, Putah Creek Council, and U.S. Bureau of Reclamation.
To learn more about the June 1 event and other Solano County cleanup activities, including Solano County Coastal Cleanup Day on Sept. 21, visit cleanupsolano.org.
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