Events promote awareness of creek, salt ponds Events promote awareness of creek, salt ponds (May 18, 2005)

May is Watershed Awareness Month, and several events, mostly this coming weekend, highlight local waters, including the watershed of San Francisquito Creek, and the restoration of salt ponds ringing the Bay.

Two new high-tech maps are also available:

** An interactive map showing the complexities of restoring thousands of acres of salt ponds to living marsh is available at southbayrestoration.org/interactive map.

** A map showing the history and ecology of the San Francisquito Creek Watershed was presented last week at the U.S. Geological Survey in Menlo Park. Prepared by the Oakland Museum, "Creek & Watershed Map of Palo Alto & Vicinity" can be ordered from the Oakland Museum Store for $7.07 by calling 510-238-6305, or visiting museumca.org/creeks.

In addition, three outdoor events are scheduled for this weekend:

** Volunteers can paddle to Bair Island and pull up ice plant and other invasive species Saturday, May 21, from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. To sign up, call Save the Bay at 510-452-9261.

** The San Francisquito Creek Joint Powers Authority is leading a watershed tour Saturday, May 21, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Participants can come for the whole day or join the tour at different stops. Reservations are needed for the first stop at Searsville Lake; the tour ends at the lower levee near the Geng Road ball fields in Palo Alto. For reservations, call 330-6765. A final schedule will be posted by May 18 at cityofpaloalto.org/jpa.

** The South Bay Restoration Project is sponsoring a walking tour of salt ponds due to be restored near Bayfront Park in Menlo Park, on Sunday, May 22, from 1 to 3 p.m. For reservations, call Carmen Minch at 510-792-0222.

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