In This Issue
• Celebrate Earth Day at Nature Park

• Grab the hoe, put on your gloves–it's planting season

• Making streams fish friendly

Did you know?
If everyone in the world had improved water supply and basic sanitation, it is estimated that water-borne infections would be reduced annually by 17 percent.

Who we are
Clean Water Services is a wastewater and stormwater utility committed to protecting water resources in the Tualatin River Watershed.

Celebrate Earth Day at Nature Park

Join us for Earth Day at the Tualatin Hills Nature Park in Beaverton this Saturday, April 15 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. It will be the biggest Earth Day Celebration of its kind in Washington County. Interactive displays, hands-on activities and crafts will highlight watersheds and the water cycle. Visitors can learn about different ways to conserve water and how to protect the health of their watershed. A Native Plant Sale also offers many eco-friendly species for gardening and landscaping. Activities include:

• Self-guided interpretive hike
• Native Plant Sale
• Interactive displays
• Animal mascots
• Crafts for kids
• Hands-on activities
• Experience the water cycle
• Free water quality testing (bring 1 cup from your tap)

Be sure to stop by our Clean Water Services booth for healthy lawn care tips and your free Gardening with Native Plants poster and say "hi" to our Tualatin River Ranger. The Nature Park is at 15655 SW Millikan Boulevard. For more information about the event, call (503) 629-6350.

Grab the hoe, put on your gloves—it's planting season

Think of your family, pets and your local river as you prep your lawn and garden this spring. Children and pets can be at risk from exposure to lawn and garden chemicals. Rain can wash chemicals off your lawn into the storm drains that lead to neighborhood streams. Why take these risks? Choose safer alternatives.

A healthy lawn will naturally resist disease and pests. Tips for a healthy lawn include:

• Use an organic or slow-release fertilizer. Read directions carefully and don’t over-fertilize.
• Use compost on your lawn to improve soil condition and help retain water.
• Mow grass higher to promote deeper roots.
• Aerate, thatch and re-seed with a Northwest grass.
• Reduce your lawn; landscape with native Northwest plants.

Get a list of Northwest native plants and grasses along with their growing conditions from our online Native Plant Finder at www.cleanwaterservices.org/gonative.

Call for your free Gardening with Native Plants poster and Grow Smart, Grow Safe: A Consumer Guide to Lawn and Garden Products at (503) 681-3643 or by email at debakerk@cleanwaterservices.org.

Making streams fish friendly

Clean Water Services' Healthy Streams Plan identified about 53 miles of streams that had the greatest potential to improve aquatic habitat and stream flow. Cedar Creek at Stella Olsen Park in Sherwood is one of these.

Clean Water Services, the City of Sherwood, Raindrops to Refuge, the Tualatin Riverkeepers and Sherwood Middle School have all worked on this project at different stages removing invasive plants and revegetating with natives.

Cedar Creek was identified as a high priority because it currently supports Cutthroat Trout populations and also has the potential to support endangered Steelhead populations. Removing invasive plants, replanting natives and increasing the amount of shade along these parts of Cedar Creek are critical to improving the riparian corridor and to reducing in-stream temperatures.

The project began in 2003 and will continue through 2006. To get involved and learn more about Stella Olsen and other Clean Water Services enhancement projects, please visit: www.cleanwaterservices.org/PlansAndProjects.