The SARA Board of Directors meets every third Tuesday of the month (except for August) at 7 p.m. at the SARA office (8836 Greenback Lane, Suite C Orangevale, CA 95662). August is generally a board vacation month. In December the SARA Annual Meeting (the first Saturday in December) serves as the SARA board meeting. Members and guests are welcome to attend board meetings. Please note, beginning in April 2020 some meetings have been conducted virtually via ZOOM. Contact us to confirm the meeting's location or if you wish to receive an agenda.
Poaching on the Parkway
A New Poaching Awareness Program at Effie Yeaw
Deer poaching has become a problem in the area around Effie Yeaw Nature Center (EYNC) and Ancil Hoffman Park. We have been alerted to this problem by longtime American River Natural History Association member Tim McGinn, who has been frequenting the Nature Area for more than 45 years and is very familiar with the deer herd. Tim is now working with law enforcement at the California Department of Fish and Wildlife to address the problem.
Tim has initiated a public awareness team that will help educate the public about how they can participate in the program. The four-member team consists of Kent Anderson, Executive Director of EYNC; Lt. Gregory of the California Department of Fish and Wildlife; Kathy Kayner, Board Member and Secretary of Save American River Association (SARA); and Tim McGinn, founder of the program.
Poaching becomes a serious problem between mid-October and late January. The poaching target is the antlers on the big bucks. Poaching takes place during the night hours by individuals using cross-bows and night vision optics. The public can assist by recognizing suspicious activities day or night. If you see suspicious activity, record vehicle license numbers, write down descriptions of what you saw, and take photos with your phone.
Report this information by calling the CalTip line 888.334.CALTIP, which is available 24 hours a day 7 days a week, or text 847411. Do not, under any circumstances, confront a poacher.
About SARA
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Save the American River Association, (SARA) is a grass roots organization established in 1961 to spearhead the establishment of the American River Parkway (the "crown jewel" of the Sacramento County Park System) and adoption of the American River Parkway Plan 2008. Our mission is to protect and enhance the wildlife habitat, fishery, and recreational resources of the American River Parkway. Our volunteer, non-profit group of members and Board of Directors work to ensure that the American River Parkway will survive and prosper for the benefit of future generations. The American River and ParkwayThe American River Parkway is the crown jewel of the Sacramento Regional Parks system that is in the care and custody of Sacramento County. The Parkway is an open space greenbelt on both sides of the American River that extends approximately 29 miles from Folsom Dam to the confluence of the American and Sacramento Rivers. The Lower American River is the 23-mile portion of the Parkway located between Nimbus Dam and the confluence of the two Rivers and has been designated as a Wild and Scenic River by both the State of California and the Federal Government. What We DoSARA is the only local volunteer organization with the primary mission of protecting and, when necessary, fighting for the public interest in land and water issues concerning the Lower American River and the Parkway. Some of our achievements and responsibilities include:
Serving as plaintiff (with Sacramento County and the Environmental Defense Fund) in a lawsuit against East Bay Municipal District to prevent their taking American River water except under stipulated conditions. The 17-year legal battle resulted in a landmark decision setting minimum flow standards acceptable for fishery and recreational needs. See current issues. Board Meetings |
American River and Parkway photography by Guy Galante.
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Illegal Camping
Save the American River Association believes that the occurrence of illegal camping in the Parkway would likely be reduced if adequate housing and services were available as an alternative. However, SARA firmly believes that lack of such housing and services does not justify cessation or reduction of efforts to enforce illegal camping ordinances in the Parkway so as to achieve and maintain the community standard embodied in the Parkway Plan. Our community must do both and must not use the Parkway as the proverbial rug under which to sweep the homeless problem.
"I have been walking in the American River Parkway daily for over 10 years and have become so dismayed by what I have been seeing that I chose to make an 8-minute documentary video about it. I hope this video can help spread the word about the degradation of this beautiful space. Please share it if you are inspired and encourage our local leaders to act. We must house the homeless in a clean, safe location so that we can clean up, maintain, and enforce laws in the parkway. These videos were taken over three weekends in November and December of 2019." - Video by Tony Mader
September 11, 2024 - Sacramento County is investing funds into solving homelessness in a brand new way. In 2022, Assemblymember Kevin McCarty secured $25,000,000 in state funding to address homelessness on the American River Parkway. With the State funding, the Board sought to expand shelter and/or housing options to help transition people living unsheltered on the Parkway. Parkway funding was initially planned to pay for the land acquisition, construction, and operations for a new Safe Stay homeless shelter program.
Once the County received the funds in 2023, County staff identified land for a “tiny home” Safe Stay community, but the real-estate deal fell through. After an effort to secure land through the private market also failed to produce viable land for a Safe Stay community that was proximate to the Parkway, the County decided to do something new – housing, as well as use some of the money to stand up additional shelter units quickly – through scattered site shelter. Learn more
U.S. Supreme Court Allows Boise Decision to Stand
By Stephen Green | Winter-Spring RiverWatch, January 2020
In mid-December, the U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear a major case on homeless campers. Without comment or dissent, the justices let stand a 9th Circuit Court decision from Boise, Idaho, last year which said homeless people have a right to camp or sleep in public places if no other shelter is available to them.
As a result, law enforcement will continue to have few options for removing homeless people from parks and public places unless they are involved in criminal conduct.
The City of Sacramento and Sacramento County were among dozens of municipalities that filed the appeal with the Supreme Court. They argued that the broad nature of the Boise decision made it difficult “to balance the needs of its homeless residents with the needs of everyone who uses public spaces.” Prior to the Boise decision, for example, the City of Sacramento allowed homeless people to camp on the City Hall grounds at night. But they had to leave during the day.
The homeless population in the Sacramento County area now numbers more than 5,500 people and it has been growing. Despite expanded efforts to provide housing and services to homeless people in the area, local officials say there will never been enough resources to serve all who need help.
Gov. Gavin Newsom has repeatedly noted that many homeless people have drug or alcohol problems, or suffer from mental disorders such as bipolar disorder, schizophrenia or paranoia. “Our homelessness crisis has increasingly become a public health crisis,” the governor said.
Last year, Newsom created a Commission on Homelessness & Supportive Housing to address issues homeless people face. Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg heads the commission.
Sacramento has a Pathways to Health and Home program that identifies people who frequently visit emergency services facilities. The staff pairs them with community health workers who help clients schedule medical appointments, get help with addiction and enroll for public aid. They also help them apply for jobs and find housing if it is available.
Twelve other California cities have programs similar to Sacramento’s and they currently receive federal funding. Gov. Newsom has committed the state to help fund the programs.
The camp pictured above (photo taken October 2017 by George Nyberg) is not about people needing a place to rest their heads at night. For the last two years, this camp near the water treatment facility by Sac State has operated as a bicycle chop shop. We look forward to seeing this camp gone now that the County Supervisors have approved an additional 5 million dollars to help augment our numbers of Park Rangers. Please report camps to Sacramento County 311. The Rangers will know where to go to clean up problems and County Parks will continue to collect good, hard data regarding the type and size of illegal campsites on the American River Parkway.
Read SARA's 7/19/17 letter to Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg supporting the Mayor's call for “city-county collaboration” to assist the rapidly growing population of homeless people in our region.
Read SARA's 9/8/15 letter to the Sacramento County Supervisors.
Save the American River Association
Save the American River Association (SARA) is a grass roots non-profit organization founded in 1961 to spearhead the establishment of the American River Parkway — the "crown jewel" of the Sacramento County Park System — and adoption of the American River Parkway Plan 2008. Our mission is to protect and enhance the wildlife habitat, fishery, and recreational resources of the American River Parkway. Our volunteer, non-profit group of members and Board of Directors work to ensure that the American River Parkway will survive and prosper for the benefit of future generations.
READ ABOUT OUR 2024 PRIORITIES
Current Land Related Issues
- American River One project
- Preserve the former Kassis Property Floodway
- Army Corps/SAFCA/CVFPB's Proposed Levee Improvement Assessment - American River Trees
- Illegal Camping in the American River Parkway
- Folsom’s proposal for a River District Master Plan
- Off-paved Trail Cycling
- Why Expand Sutter's Landing Park? A video by George Nyberg
- Rediscover the River at Sutter’s Landing Park: Opportunity to Participate in Updating the Park’s Vision and Master Plan
- Poaching on the American River Parkway
- Lower American River Conservancy Program
- Large Concert Events in Discovery Park
- Save Hinkle Creek Nature Area
- McKinley Village Project
- Joint Operations Center
Current Water Related Issues
- Media Alert: Water at Tiscornia Beach in Discovery Park is Contaminated and Unsafe for Swimming (June 12, 2021)
- Unsafe levels of E.coli bacteria have been found in Lake Natoma, Folsom Lake and the Lower American River
- Bureau of Reclamation should prioritize protection and propagation of Chinook salmon and steelhead (April 3, 2019)
- California Water News - Department of Water Resources
The water committee continues to meet with the Water Forum regarding outstanding technical issues on the latest proposed flow management standard. At the same time, SARA is still fighting efforts by water districts in the Sierra Nevada foothills to divert American River water and sell it to purveyors outside of the region. Enough water in the river is no help if the water is polluted. We have ongoing battles with the Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board over the issuing of sewer discharge permits that violate state and federal law.
SARA continues to work with allied organizations to institute reforms in the way California's water is managed. The ongoing drought has focused attention on the unregulated use of ground water and reservoirs and the historical practice of allocating water that does not exist. We are engaged in raising serious objections to the proposed Delta tunnels as a water management strategy for California's future. LEARN MORE.
Related Environmental Issues
In the News
KCRA 3 - June 14, 2024
Opponents of new Sacramento housing high-rise project along the American River Parkway file lawsuit
By Carolina Estrada
The Sacramento Bee - June 17, 2024
Lawsuit could halt apartment high rises planned along Sacramento’s American River
By Theresa Clift
Sacramento News & Review - March 5, 2024
After three-year community battle, development planned for Rancho Cordova’s last open space is stalled
By Hannah Ross
FOX40 News - October 1, 2023
Rancho Cordova Family Fall Fest Attendees Celebrate the Area's Natural Habitat
Elk Grove Daily News - December 29, 2022
Bill Jennings, legendary California fishery and water quality advocate, dies at age 79
By Dan Bacher
Roundhouse News & Review - May 24, 2022
Citizen Science: Tracking E. coli in the American River
By Madalyn Wright
The Sacramento Bee - August 24, 2021
See how draft horses are being used to remove debris from this Sacramento creek
By Sara Nevis
The Sacramento Bee - June 23, 2021
More fires are burning along American River Parkway. How can we save our local treasure?
By Ryan Sabalow, Phillip Reese, and Michael McGough
Sacramento News & Review - January 27, 2021
Rancho Cordova residents rally to save one of the city’s last pieces of open space
By Scott Thomas Anderson
The Sacramento Bee - May 28, 2020
American River in Sacramento still tainted with feces, despite new parkway bathrooms
By Ryan Sabalow and Theresa Clift
Fish Sniffer - January 13, 2020
Salmon Advocates Respond to Reclamation Plan to Cut Flows on American River
By Dan Bacher
The Sacramento Bee - September 12, 2019
‘What diluted sewage looks like.’ American River in Sacramento tainted with feces
By Ryan Sabalow and Vincent Moleski
Style Magazine - June 2019
Save the American River Association - Preserving the Parkway
By Sharon Penny
Daily Kos - April 3, 2019
Scientist urges Reclamation to reduce pre-spawning salmon mortality on American River this year
By Dan Bacher
Sacramento News & Review - January 23, 2019
Clear-cutting Sacramento’s crown jewel
By Stephen Green
The Sacramento Bee - June 18, 2018
They are building 11,000 new homes in Folsom. But will there be enough water?
By
May 30, 2018
Proposition 68 news conference at Sutter's Landing
The Sacramento Bee - April 18, 2018
Filth at popular beach exceeds regulatory standard, raises health risks for swimmers
By Ed Fletcher
The Sacramento Bee - October 11, 2017
Folsom Lake and Lake Natoma had high E. coli readings. Should the public be warned?
By Brad Branan
The Sacramento Bee - July 8, 2017
Here's how to save the American River Parkway
By Phil Serna - Sacramento County Supervisor
The Sacramento Bee - June 21, 2017
How Sacramento County supervisors blew it on parkway safety
By Stephen Green - Special to The Bee (SARA President)