Winners of the Carson River Coalition Education Working Group's "Keep Streamsides Greener, Keep Water Cleaner" contest will be announced at the Carson River Film Festival 6:30-8 p.m. Jan. 27 at the Carson City Sheriff's Building at 911 E. Musser St.

The student films that have been entered in the annual competition are available for viewing online on Facebook. The public is invited to view the videos and vote to "like" their favorites.

A panel of judges has reviewed the entries and will announce the winners at the Jan. 27 festival, which is free and open to the public. Winners of the "Keep Streamsides Greener, Keep Water Cleaner" competition will receive $250 cash prizes and have their work shown at the film festival.

Students from schools located within the Carson River watershed were invited to enter this year's competition, which is designed to spark creative messages about preserving, protecting and restoring the river and its sensitive shoreline.

The 1- to 3-minute information videos focus on how the Carson River benefits people and the community. All entries were required to include an "action" message that prompts people to take steps to help protect the river. The contest is sponsored by the Carson River Coalition Education Working Group.

"These films are very impressive," said coalition member and University of Nevada Cooperative Extension water quality specialist Sue Donaldson. "This year's batch of entries were particularly polished and inspiring."

Donaldson explained that riparian areas are sensitive ecosystems occurring along water courses or in water bodies. They have unique soil and plants, and work to store water in a way that helps reduce floods, stabilize streambanks from erosion, filter water for higher quality, provide habitat for birds, mammals and fish, and provide a place for recreation.

The working group includes the Audubon Society, Carson Water Subconservancy District, Clear Creek Watershed Council, the Nevada Division of Environmental Protection, River Wranglers, The Nature Conservancy, University of Nevada Cooperative Extension and River Wranglers.

Cooperative Extension is the college that extends knowledge from the University of Nevada to local communities to address important issues. Faculty and staff reached hundreds of thousands of Nevada citizens last year with research-based information on agriculture, horticulture, natural resources, health and nutrition, community development and children, youth and families.