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Friends of Saltwater State Park urge volunteers to help with planting, water monitoring and storm-drain outreach
Summary
A Friends of Saltwater State Park representative told the Des Moines City Council about volunteer planting events (Nov. 1), water monitoring and an adopt-a-drain outreach program and highlighted low salmon returns in McSorley Creek.
Rhoda (Rota) Green, representing the Friends of Saltwater State Park, addressed the Des Moines City Council during the public-comment portion of the Oct. 9 meeting to summarize volunteer activities and to invite residents to upcoming events.
Green said the Friends group, a volunteer 501(c)(3) formed in 2016, organizes monthly work parties and community events at Saltwater State Park and performs stewardship work that includes beach and shoreline education, underwater citizen science, and water-quality monitoring at the mouth of McSorley Creek and offshore areas. She described Nov. 1 as a planned planting day along McSorley Creek and encouraged families, clubs and other groups to participate in planting and habitat restoration along the stream.
Green noted salmon returns to McSorley Creek have been modest in recent years, saying "this past year of three years, we've only had modest returns like about, in the teens," and emphasized the group's ongoing monitoring and educational programs. She described recent volunteer efforts including 22 beach exploration days in the past year, classes and dives for citizen science surveys, and a storm-drain marking outreach effort "particularly those along Saltwater State Park and Des Moines Creek" to raise awareness that storm drains flow to local waterways.
Council members responded with thanks and local elected officials praised the volunteers. Council member Mahoney described the underwater environment as "one of my favorites" and thanked the group for their monitoring and maintenance work; Council member Harris singled out named volunteers for science and reef work and thanked the Friends group for its efforts. The group asked residents to visit its website to sign up for events, to adopt drains through the group's program, and to consider volunteering or donating materials or time.
No formal council action was required; the remarks were submitted as public comment and council members thanked Green and the Friends of Saltwater State Park for their volunteer stewardship.
