Wednesday, April 1, 1998 | 9:56 a.m.
The Las Vegas Wash runs like a thin green line along the eastern edge of the valley, offering a haven to plants, birds and animals and a screen for those dumping trash.
"Unfortunately, we as a community haven't treated the wash with as much respect as it deserves," Mary Kincaid, chair of the Southern Nevada Water Authority board, said.
At one time marshlands covered the 2,000 acres with cattails and willow trees, and provided an oasis in the desert for birds, badgers and boaters.
Now, as the only water outlet from the Las Vegas Valley, the wash carries treated sewage from three municipal treatment plants, runoff and floodwaters. As runoff has increased over the past 30 years, it has carved bare desert canyons, stripping the wash of plants and crippling the natural ability of the marshlands to clean valley waters.
"The Las Vegas Wash is a critical waterway in our valley, carrying storm water and treated wastewater back into our natural water cycle," Jack Harvey, chairman of the Friends of the Desert Wetlands Park, said. "The area has been an illegal dumping site for myriad household and commercial trash as well as a favorite locale for illegal shooting and hunting.'
Kincaid said it's time to clean up the natural resource.
"We're inviting everyone to donate a few hours to clean up the wash on (Saturday) April 4," Kincaid said. "These efforts will help our community and our environment."
Registration begins at 7 a.m. at Sam Boyd Stadium. The cleanup continues until noon, followed by a informational fair from noon to 2 p.m. at the stadium complex.
The water authority is joining with the Friends of the Desert Wetlands Park and Republic Industries of Nevada to sponsor the event. Corporate partners include Anderson Dairy, Ocean Spray, Del Webb, American Nevada (a Greenspun Corp.) and Basic Management Inc.
Friends of the Desert Wetlands Park supports restoring the marshes and to develop a county park for both education and recreation. The group is joined by the Sierra Club's Toiyabe chapter, Citizen Alert, Tortoise Group, Soroptomist International of Greater Las Vegas, Clark County Conservation District, Harry Reid Environmental Research Center, UNLV Department of Environmental Studies, and League of Women Voters of the Las Vegas Valley.
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