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About the Sacramento River Watershed Program

Founded in 1996, the Sacramento River Watershed Program brings together dozens of groups and hundreds of people concerned about the quality of Sacramento River water.

The program was designed to coordinate the stewardship activities of many diverse businesses, individuals and organizations. The SRWP also helps disseminate information on the watershed and conducts monitoring activities to constantly assess water quality.

The Sacramento River Watershed Program currently includes more than 30 conservancies, 100 government agencies, 12 educational institutions, and over 900 individuals. Many of the participants sit on one of the SRWP's five subcommittees, which are charged with directing the activities of the organization.

So far, the SRWP can point to a number of accomplishments, including:

Development of a resource center that enables interested parties to obtain information on activities in the watershed.
Development of a program website (www.sacriver.org).
Producing technical reports (including plans and results) and newsletters.
Hosting education workshops.
Providing a networking forum for those working in watersheds in Northern California.
Providing high quality monitoring data (available on the Interagency Ecological Program website at www.iep.ca.gov).
Developing voluntary management strategies for mercury and organophosphate pesticides.
Production of public service announcements.
Providing K-12 education grants.

As demand for Sacramento River water increases and threats to water quality intensify, the SRWP's coordination, monitoring and informational efforts will continue to occupy key role in maintaining the this key water resource.

Watershed Map

The Sacramento River watershed covers a huge amount of territory, almost 27,000 square miles in all.

What Homeowners Can Do

Pollutants are literally going down the drain...and straight into area's rivers. Many residents of Northern California don't realize that storm drains feed directly streams and rivers.

What Business and Industry Can Do

Businesses like construction firms, restaurants, and garages can feed huge amounts of contaminants into the river system, even without meaning to.

What Farmers and Ranchers Can Do

Agriculture is dependent on the watershed, but farmers and ranchers must also be mindful of the need to protect and preserve the resource.