As pleasant springtime weather becomes more and more common, many Sacramento residents head outside for relaxation and fun, especially to city waterways. This Friday, April 17, marks the begining of Creek Week, an event intended to make sure those waterways are still serviceable.

Creek Week is an event sponsored and organized by the Sacramento Area Creeks Council, to draw attention to the condition of Sacramento's creeks. A week of activities, including tours of the Mather Field vernal pools and a "river-friendly" landscaping workshop, culminates in a day of volunteer cleanup work on Saturday, April 25.

The Creeks Council emphasizes the benefits of well-maintained creeks, citing their usefulness as a source of drinking water, flood control and relaxation spots.

Alta Tura, President of the Creeks Council, said that the primary goal of Creek Week was "to give everybody in the community the opportunity to do some service work, to clean up man-made garbage out of our urban creeks."

Tura said that the volunteers would be working mainly on Steelhead Creek, Arcade Creek and the American River, but efforts would also be made in various other local streams. Cleanup work will entail the removal of garbage and recyclable materials, in addition to targeting Red Sesbania, an invasive plant, for removal, and planting native flora.

After their work, volunteers are encouraged to gather at American River College for a celebration of clean creeks. Free food and drink will be provided, and attendees can participate in a number of activities, from interactive exhibits about creek health to a "junk and gunk" sculpture contest where contestants will be judged on art made from garbage and recyclables pulled from creeks. Prizes will be awarded by a panel of judges to the best sculpture.

Readers looking for more information on events, or on how to sign up for volunteer work, should visit creekweek.net.