Overview of SLV Water District environmental and community progams

San Lorenzo Valley Water District has a history of continued involvement and support for activities associated with management and protection of the environmental health of the San Lorenzo River Watershed. The District has implemented, sponsored or supported a variety of various education, community and environmental programs, activities and projects. The following provides a reference list of some, but not all, of these activities:

In 2003 the District formally established an Education Grant Program to achieve environmental and watershed protection goals. Since establishment, the District has funded the following grants:

San Lorenzo Valley High School Watershed Academy for a project entitled, "Long-Term Monitoring of Watershed Amphibian Population"

City of Scotts Valley for publication and distribution of a brochure titled "Protecting Our Watershed."

YMCA-Camp Campbell for construction of a watershed educational display/kiosk to be utilized in conjunction with their Outdoor Education Programs.

Santa Cruz County Resource Conservation District for a demonstration and education project to eradicate non-native invasive plants.

A watershed awareness and youth education program in San Lorenzo Valley Elementary Schools utilizing multi-discipline art activities entitled, "River of Words and Pictures."

Monterey Bay Master Gardners for installation of educational labels to identify environmentally significant native plants within the landscape of the Scott Valley Sky Park Linear Nature Walk.

San Lorenzo Valley High School Watershed Academy for a project to monitor water quality of the High Schoolís new wetlands wastewater treatment facility.

O'Neill Sea Odyssey for a "hands-on" watershed model used in conjunction with their ecology education programs.

A one-day educational watershed conference to be held in fall 2005 entitled, "Healthy Rivers, Happy Fish."

San Lorenzo Valley Watershed Academy for classroom and field presentation entitled, "An Introduction to Riparian Hydrology and Vegetation Sampling in the Rare and Unique Plant Communities of the SLR Watershed."

In addition to Education Grant Program activities, the District has completed and supported various other education and environmental projects. These activities include, but are not limited to, the following:

Co-sponsor and participant in the "Annual River Clean-Up Day."

Completion of numerous stream restoration and enhancement projects to benefit and improve aquatic habitat.

Watershed improvement projects including tree planting, erosion control and invasive/exotic plant removal to enhance or improve watershed qualities.

Acquisition of watershed land to protect, enhance and conserve water quality.

Long-term monitoring of steelhead populations throughout the San Lorenzo River Watershed.

Water temperature monitoring throughout the San Lorenzo River and tributaries.