A lawn Santa, a blow dart, a wig, a flat-screen TV and a rocking horse are some of the dubious trophies volunteers have hauled out of Sacramento-area creeks during annual cleanups.

The Sacramento Area Creeks Council spotlights each year’s quirkiest finds to call attention to human activities that are harmful to dozens of urban creeks and their tributaries. The perils to creeks include roadside litter, illegal dumping, invasive plants and development- related storm runoff.

The 22nd annual Creek Week will get under way today with a Splash Off from 11 a.m. to noon at the William Pond Recreation Area on the American River. The big event will take place April 14, when about 2,000 volunteers will fan out across the county to remove trash from waterways.

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