Category Archives: Bike Trail

Bike Trail, safety, Water, Wildlife

Army Corps of Engineers awards levee contracts

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Sacramento District has awarded five levee construction contracts totaling $16.2 million to small businesses, the Corps announced Tuesday.

The projects aim to reduce flood risk along the American River in Sacramento.

The work will be done next year as part of a joint effort between the Corps, Central Valley Flood Protection Board and Sacramento Area Flood Control Agency. The projects will strengthen certain levee sites by installing water seepage barriers, widen and raise levee heights and improve erosion protection along the river.

“These levee projects demonstrate the U.S. Army Corps of Engineer’s continued efforts in reducing Sacramento’s overall flood risk,” Col. Bill Leady, commander of the Sacramento District, said in a news release.

More at BizJournals.com >>>

Bike Trail, safety

More rangers patrol for homeless along American River

Flashlights shine on a woman sleeping under a picnic table in Discovery Park.

Two Sacramento County Parks Rangers warn the woman twice that she is in violation of a no-camping ordinance.

After she gathers up two trash bags of belongings and moves to another location, the rangers prepare to write her a ticket.

“We’ll issue her a citation and tell her it’s time to go, but after that, we’re not going to forcibly remove anybody from the park,” park ranger William Wetzel said.

Beginning Wednesday evening, the parks department began deploying two additional rangers along the American River Parkway, bringing the total force to four or five rangers depending on the night.

More at KCRA.com >>>

Bike Trail, Events, Rafting, Wildlife

14,000 pounds of trash picked up along American River Parkway trail

The American River Parkway bike and recreation trail got some needed sprucing up last weekend as 2,000-plus volunteers hit the trail, collecting more than 14,000 pounds of trash during the American River Parkway Foundation’s annual cleanup event.

“For 2,000 people to spend their Saturday morning helping restore probably the best civic amenity in Sacramento, that says a lot about how important this parkway is to the community,” foundation executive director Dianna Poggetto said.

The cleanup also shows that plenty of people use the parkway as a dumping ground. Materials collected included used diapers, cans and bottles, cigarette butts, rusted bicycles, clothing and fishing lines.

More at ModestoBee.com >>>

Bike Trail, Events, Rafting, safety, Video, Water, Wildlife

Hundreds Of Volunteers Join In 18th Annual American River Cleanup

 

Hundreds of volunteers were out scaling the American River on cleanup patrol.

The annual Great American River Cleanup in Rancho Cordova had thousands of volunteers on land and water Saturday.

“It’s mostly people dropping their stuff and not bothering to pick it up,” said a volunteer.

For 18 years in a row, the Great American River Cleanup covered a 23-mile span along the river in efforts to beautify the parkway.

“We have roughly 2,500 volunteers today,” said Stacy Springer, a volunteer manager.

More at CBSLocal.com >>>

Bike Trail, Events, safety, Water, Wildlife

American River Parkway Foundation offers ways to give back

On Saturday, Sept. 15, about 2,500 volunteers are expected to take part in the American River Parkway Foundation’s annual Great American River Clean Up.

According to Stacy Springer, volunteer manager for the American River Parkway Foundation, which is based in Carmichael, these volunteers will spend three hours that morning cleaning up 20 site locations along the American River of trash and other debris. “And that does not even include the huge kayak and dive teams that go out and address the shoreline and deeper water channels,” she said.

Springer said it’s easy to volunteer for the Great American River Clean Up – volunteers just need to register on the Foundation’s website, www.arpf.org, and then show up on the day of the clean-up wearing closed-toe shoes and long pants, plus sunblock and hat if the day is sunny and warm.

More at ValComNews.com >>>

Bike Trail, safety

Coroner’s Office: Body found near American River was Linnea Lomax

The Sacramento County Coroner’s Office confirmed Friday night that the body of a woman found Friday morning near the American River was Linnea Lomax, who had been missing for 10 weeks.

The cause and manner of death are under investigation, but “foul play does not appear to be a factor at this point of the investigation,” according to a Coroner’s Office news release.

Lomax, 19, who grew up in Placerville, had been missing since June 26, when she left out-patient counseling at a clinic not far from where the body was found along the American River near Glenn Hall Park.

More at ModBee.com >>>

Bike Trail, safety

Update: Officials investigating whether body is that of missing UC Davis woman

A volunteer search party looking for a missing UC Davis student found a body along the American River and notified police this morning, sparking an investigation into whether the body is that of Linnea Lomax.

Sacramento police told The Bee that the group of searchers found the body at 10:18 a.m. along the river in the vicinity of Glenn Hall Park in the River Park neighborhood near Sacramento State — not far from where Lomax walked away from a mental health appointment more than two months ago.

Police spokesman Doug Morse said at a press conference shortly after noon that the body is that of a woman and shows signs of decomposition. Authorities say the age of the woman is not yet clear and that they do not know how the woman died.

More at SacBee.com >>>

Bike Trail, safety

Police: Robber forced teen to undress before shooting

A teenager was forced at gunpoint to get naked moments before a robber shot him near the American River bike trail on Wednesday, said a Sacramento police spokesman.

The victim was shot in the lower body Wednesday afternoon during a robbery around 3 p.m.

“The suspect made the victim get undressed during the robbery,” said Doug Morse, a Sacramento police spokesman.

Morse said police are still not releasing the identity of the suspect for investigative reasons.

Morse added that investigators are still working to determine why the shooter forced the victim to undress.

More at KCRA.com >>>

Bike Trail, Events, Rafting, safety, Water

Alcohol prohibited on American River, parkway over Labor Day weekend

Sacramento County Regional Parks rangers are gearing up for the last of the summer holiday weekends.

Folks planning to celebrate Labor Day along the American River and adjoining parkway are reminded that an alcohol ban will be in effect Saturday through Monday between Hazel and Watt avenues. John Havicon, supervising ranger, said rangers will be checking for alcohol at various access points.

The Labor Day weekend crowds along the river and parkway typically are lighter than those during the Fourth of July and Memorial Day holidays, he said.

“Labor Day is like a busy Saturday,” Havicon said, noting that school has started for most youngsters and families are involved in other activities this time of year.

River flows are scheduled to drop to 2,000 cubic feet per second beginning Friday, which means more rocks will be exposed.

More at SacBee.com >>>

Bike Trail, Fish, Rafting, Salmon, Water, Wildlife

More gravel to be dumped into American River

The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation plans to dump approximately 14,000 tons of gravel into the lower American River to help improve spawning grounds for steelhead trout and Chinook salmon.

To be targeted are existing spawning habitat that consists of large rocks and fine sediment that reduces the ability for fish to construct nests and may reduce the number of eggs surviving and emerging as juvenile fish.

The first load of gravel is scheduled to be deposited in the lower American River on Monday, Sept. 10. All work is expected to be completed by Friday, Sept. 30. All work will be within the confines of the Sailor Bar Recreation Area, near Hazel Avenue and Winding Way in Fair Oaks.

More at CentralValleyBusinessTimes.com >>>