Check out our watershed, the issues, and how we plan to support us. Your feedback is greatly appreciated. Report issues, or innaccuraccies in the Contact Us tab.

The Sacramento River watershed is the largest in California, covering about 27,000 square miles in the northern part of the state. It begins near Mount Shasta and flows through the Central Valley before joining the San Joaquin River in the Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta. Major tributaries include the Pit, Feather, Yuba, Bear, and American Rivers.

When medications get flushed, it does not just go away. It runs through the sewers, and most of the time, sewer filtration systems cannot filter all of it. So, this water ends up in the ocean, where it can contaminate under-water organisms. These include fish, crab, and all the seafood we eat. Also, if the contaminated water got into a public water source, it could be deadly for the drinkers.

But, the impact of polluted water does not stop at underwater life. Wild animals that rely on these water sources, like deer, birds, and other land animals, suffer very bad health problems, or even death if they drink contaminated water. Polluted waterways can also affect wildlife, which are vital for keeping environmental stability. Also, chemicals in the water can eventually make their way into human food sources, which can lead to long-term health risks.

To address the issue in our watershed, we are going to educate people, and collect data. We will do this by partnering with local pharmacies, schools, hospitals, and the water filtration system operators. We will make presentations for the schools, make posters, and collect data. We got advice from U.C. Davis Health, and the EchoWater Resource Recovery Facility, as they specialize in the disposal of pharmaceuticals, and the prevention of wastewater in our water.