Arcade Creek Project

Vital Stats

Josephine K

Sacramento, CA

  • people helped1000
  • People Doing It 290

The Problem

The Arcade Creek Project seeks a solution to the water pollution that accumulates in the creek and ruins its health. The Arcade Creek, home to a plethora of wildlife and native plants, is 16.2 miles long and flows locally from the North Natomas Canal to the Sacramento Bay Delta. This native creek environment has been facing difficulties as a result of excessive water pollution and neglect. Since the Arcade Creek is a part of a watershed system that runs through many urban and suburban communities in the Sacramento region, the creek easily accumulates toxic chemical and fertilizer runoff. Consequently, cultural eutrophication drains the levels of oxygen, severely restricting the growth of native species and ultimately damaging the natural health of the creek. In addition, the creek's habitat has been intruded upon by at least a dozen invasive species, including red Sesbania and Himalayan blackberry. We hope to enhance the survival of native plant and animal species that have been inhibited by the polluted environment through the elimination of trash and invasive species and the reintroduction of these native species through planting and restoration efforts. Because pollution and invasive species are severely compromising the growth of native species and the overall health of the riparian habitat, the Arcade Creek Project is dedicated to researching, acting upon, and educating others on these issues.

Plan of Action

Eleven years ago, the Arcade Creek Project was created simply as a science curriculum component, but it had since then become a vital life support for the health of the local Arcade Creek. In the early years of the project, students and teachers had the opportunity to sit down and lay out a school-wide field project that would allow Mira Loma students to apply the knowledge they had acquired in their science classes. Over the years, the Arcade Creek Project has grown to encompass hundreds of students and community members, to positively impact the environment of the Arcade Creek. The project includes eleven studies, all of which are holistically intertwined such that they contribute to the restoration of the creek. The eleven studies are: Bioassay, Biological Assessment, Botany, Chemistry, Habitat, Long Mapping, Outreach, Restoration, Sediments, and Technology. The purpose and details of each study are explained on the project website. Each study allows students to utilize what they have learned in their science class and contribute that to the needs of their study; for instance, the Chemistry study takes water samples to monitor pH and determines the effects of pollution on the chemical composition of the creek water. The project is sustained through the involvement of both juniors and seniors, as seniors pass down their knowledge to the juniors within their specific study, and the cycle continues from year to year. The outreach component of the project focuses on increasing awareness by going out to educate the public on the importance of protecting nature. This awareness is achieved by educating children through talks at six Sacramento elementary and middle schools, in addition to participating at different local nature festivals, such as Creek Day. The Arcade Creek Project has not only improved the health of this local watershed, but it has also educated and engaged many individuals throughout the Sacramento region. Because the public is continuously made aware of this project through our scientific successes and outreach efforts, teachers, students and parents have realized the significance of reducing water pollution in their communities.
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Pollution

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