A volunteer from the Chi Council for the Clear Lake Hitch works on a fish ladder. Photo courtesy of Linda Juntunen.

LAKEPORT – The annual Year in Review for the local watershed groups is always a fun, informative evening, and this year’s event will be no exception.

Mark your calendar for Thursday, Jan. 28. The event will be held at the Scotts Valley Women’s Clubhouse, 2298 Hendricks Rd., in Lakeport.

The doors will open at 6 p.m., with the event beginning at 6:30 p.m.

Bring a potluck dish to share with your friends and neighbors, and be prepared to honor the volunteers who work to make your communities and watersheds a better place to live.

Greg Dills, district manager and watershed coordinator for the East Lake and West Lake Resource Conservation Districts, will show highlights of the work completed by the watershed groups in the Upper Cache Creek Watershed.

Dills also will present information about the county's resource conservation districts.

Friends and neighbors of volunteers from the Big Valley Watershed Council, Chi Council for the Clearlake Hitch, Lower Lake Watershed Council, Middle Creek CRMP, Nice Watershed Council and Scotts Creek Watershed Council are especially encouraged to attend.

Volunteers from the Nice Watershed Council tend to Triangle Park in Nice. Another example of our watershed groups working in their communities. Photo courtesy of Linda Juntunen.

A Volunteer of the Year Award will be presented to an outstanding member from each of these groups.

The West Lake Resource Conservation District also will present their annual “:Partner of the Year Award.”

The evening is one of celebration and congratulations for the work the watershed groups do throughout the year, and is being hosted by the Scotts Creek Watershed Council.

Each year the public is invited to attend the event to learn more about the contributions these ambitious volunteers make to their communities.

There's been a recent focus on illegal dumping activities, and various concerns are being expressed regarding the health of the watersheds in Lake County.

Be a part of what your community can do to help with these issues – join a watershed group. For more information about these organizations, please visit: www.lakecountyrcds.org .

For more information, contact Greg Dills, 707-263-4180, Extension 12, or Linda Juntunen, 707-263-4180, Extension 16.

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Volunteers from the Nice Watershed Council and Middle Creek CRMP show off their big prize. Coca Cola later showed up to haul the machine away. Photo courtesy of Linda Juntunen.

Lower Lake Watershed Council served as host for a homeowner's fire safety tour in Twin Lakes. Thanks to Cal Fire, Lake County Fire Protection District and the Lake County Fire Safe Council, it was a very educational morning. Courtesy photo.