Workshop on Stormwater Set for Thursday in Healdsburg

The Russian River Watershed Association is hosting a “Storm-Watershed Café” on Thursday, Jan. 26, from 10 a.m. to noon at the , 1557 Healdsburg Ave., Healdsburg.

The purpose of the event, modeled on the popular World Café meetings, is to seek input on how to better educate Sonoma and Mendocino county residents on storm drain pollution prevention.

“Our surveys show that many people don’t understand that junk dumped into storm drains goes directly to creeks and eventually into the Russian River and the ocean,” said Rohnert Park Mayor Jake Mackenzie, chairman of the watershed association.

“The soap and grease from washing a car in the driveway and the trash that kids leave on high school campuses often end up in creeks and streams, where it can harm or even kill fish and other wildlife,” Mackenzie said.

Past watershed surveys have found that 53 percent of residents in the Russian River watershed understand that storm drains lead directly to creeks.

But officals are seeking to increase public awareness, potentially through the use of techniques and messages generated by participants of the "Storm-Watershed Café."

Speakers will include:

• Christine Culver, former director of the Sonoma County Bicycle Coalition;

• Annie Esposito, former news director at KZYX and current co-publisher of the newsmagazine Mendocino Country Independent;

• Connie Cloak, partner, and Hugo Mata, director of media and bilingual outreach, at C2:Alternative Services.

While the event is free and open to the public, reservations are required. To RSVP, contact Sherry Pimsler at sherry@rrwatershed.org. For more information about the Russian River Watershed Association, go to www.rrwatershed.org.

The RRWA is comprised of governments that must comply with state and federal storm water regulations, including the cities of Ukiah, Healdsburg, Santa Rosa, Rohnert Park and Cotati; the Town of Windsor; Mendocino and Sonoma counties; and the Sonoma County Water Agency.