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Cloverdale proclaims Creek Week as Russian River Confluence seeks watershed collaboration
Summary
The Cloverdale City Council proclaimed September as Creek Week and heard a presentation from the Russian River Confluence on efforts to rebuild watershed stewardship through relationship‑building, community convenings and early staff support.
Cloverdale — The Cloverdale City Council on Sept. 24 proclaimed September 2025 as Creek Week and heard from Michael Thompson of the Russian River Confluence about a new, staff‑backed effort to connect stakeholders across the Russian River watershed. Thompson said the initiative aims to pair environmental restoration with community building, and to create a coordinating structure for ongoing watershed work.
The council’s proclamation drew praise from members who highlighted local cleanup efforts. Mayor Todd Lands noted that volunteers “filled a 40‑yard dumpster” during a river cleanup, and thanked organizers and city staff involved.
Thompson, who said he formerly worked 30 years at the Sonoma County Water Agency and now is with Conservation Works, described the Confluence as an effort that began as a grassroots float and listening process in 2016 and has recently gained staff and grant support. “We conducted now 25 one‑on‑one interviews with organizations throughout the watershed,” Thompson said, and last month convened 35 organizations and 54 people in Geyserville to review findings and identify a desire for a coordinating body.
Thompson said the Confluence team is developing a collaborative governance structure, intends to continue the listening tour and to “build trust” across tribes, cities, special districts and nonprofits. He framed the work as both environmental and human health: stronger relationships, he said, can help protect infrastructure and encourage joint action. He cited a past response to a failing levee protecting Cloverdale’s wastewater plant as an example of the value of cross‑agency relationships.
Council members thanked the Confluence and local volunteers for cleanup work and in‑stream maintenance. The proclamation and remarks emphasized that pollution prevention and creek stewardship are ongoing efforts that require year‑round attention beyond a single week of events.
Background: the Russian River watershed covers roughly 1,500 square miles and many local groups participate in annual creek‑cleanup campaigns. The Confluence’s recent transition to a Conservation Works program provided the first paid staff to coordinate the project, Thompson said.
