Reclamation Park Rangers Participate in the Berryessa Waterways Program

Written by: R. Todd Eggert

Fifth-grade students study Putah Creek watershed map.On Friday, April 22, and Thursday, April 28, 2016, Bureau of Reclamation Park Ranger Todd Eggert teamed up with the Putah Creek Council and Solano County Parks to introduce fifth-grade students from Vacaville, California, to their water source: Lake Solano.

A total of 135 individuals, including 110 students, their teachers and chaperones, visited Lake Solano to explore the Putah Creek watershed. Lake Solano is a reservoir on Putah Creek formed by the Putah Diversion Dam. Lake Solano is 1.5 miles long, has a capacity of 750 acre-feet, and is located 6 miles downstream from Lake Berryessa’s Monticello Dam. Water is diverted from Lake Solano into the Putah South Canal to supply agricultural and urban users. The lake and the surrounding land is managed by Solano County Parks for recreation such as picnicking, camping, boating, swimming, fishing, bird watching and hiking

The participants enjoyed learning how invertebrates that live in the water indicate water quality and how temperature and oxygen levels impact these indicator species. Participants also identified local plants and learned how they contribute to water flow and quality.

Lake Berryessa Park Rangers coordinate with the Putah Creek Council and Solano County Parks on the Berryessa Waterways education program every year. The Putah Creek Council is a grassroots organization that works to protect and enhance Putah Creek, its watershed and its tributaries through advocacy, education and community-based stewardship. Solano County Parks manages Lake Solano for public recreation, with more than 60,000 visitors a year enjoying a wide variety of recreational activities both on and off the water.

Lake Berryessa staff look forward to increasing their participation with this valuable program in the coming years.

Published on May 16, 2016