The Truckee River needs our help now more than ever. But long before the drought, three friends saw a problem and sought a solution to remedy it. Alice Berg, Sarah Trebilcock, and Jim Plehn are the original brains behind Truckee River Day, which simply started as a conversation identifying problems facing the Truckee River. After brainstorming projects to fight issues such as lack of fish, invasive weeds, and bank erosion, they handed out fliers and invited people they knew to spread the word about a day of volunteering.
The three friends quickly learned, when 300 volunteers showed up on that first afternoon in 1996 (they were expecting 75), that they were not the only ones concerned with these pressing issues.
Fast forward 20 years, and what started as a day of river restoration has morphed into the Truckee River Watershed Council and continues as an annual event, capping out at a 500 volunteer capacity.
This October marks the 20th anniversary of that first Truckee River Day, and on Oct. 18 volunteers will once again gather to work on 10 varying restoration projects suitable for all ages and skillsets.
“The big projects this year are the Dry Creek and Jammer Chair restorations,” said Michele Prestowitz, program manager at the Truckee River Watershed Council. Prestowitz explained that they need help seeding, planting willows, and mulching at both locations.
While most of this year’s projects concentrate on river restoration, some other projects include milfoil surveys, a trail connector between Waddle Ranch and Elizabethtown in Martis Valley, and sugar pine planting in Tahoe Donner. For a complete list of volunteer projects, visit the Truckee River Watershed Council’s website.
It would be far reached to talk about Truckee River Day without mentioning the current water levels of the river due to drought. As explained by Prestowitz, Truckee River Day usually includes a Lahontan fish release but because water levels are so low, they have nowhere to release the fish.
The day of volunteering, where projects begin at either 9 or 11 a.m. and finish between 2 and 3 p.m. (half-day programs are also available), will end with a River Fair at the Granite Flat campground organized by Sierra Watershed Education Partnership. The fair is free and open to the general public; it features live music, free food, informational booths, and art projects.
Pre-registration for this event is required by Oct. 15 and all volunteers must register separately to participate.
