Lake Merritt Institute (visit LMI website)
Lake Merritt Institute
Lake Merritt Institute is 501-C-3, non-profit charity, founded in 1992. LMI is supported and sponsored by the City of Oakland and members..
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LMI has a GoFundMe campaign to raise $150k to address urgent water quality issues at LM. "For decades, the Lake Merritt Institute has worked to keep our downtown lake and estuary clean. We are a community-oriented nonprofit that is sponsored by a contract with the City of Oakland and by donations from supporters. We coordinate and remove tens of thousands of gallons of trash from the lake, each year. In August of 2022, zero oxygen levels in the Lake triggered a massive fish kill. This brought tremendous stress to Lake Merritt’s ecosystem. The City of Oakland is planning a pilot project to oxygenate the lake--possibly with bubbler pipes or other technology. This isn’t likely to be ready before the summer and will only address a portion of the Lake. There is an urgent risk of another fish die-off occurring again this summer--so we’re reaching out to our community for help. The Lake Merritt Institute is seeking $150,000 to make our work to protect and improve the Lake more effective and productive. For all of us who love Lake Merritt and call Oakland home: this is a chance to truly make a difference! LMI Featured in NBCBAYAREA and Splashpad Interview with James Robinson, LMI Executive Director. 4:04. (Excerpt from "150th Anniversary of the LM Wildlife Refuge" ©2020 lakemerritt.org)
Volunteers Keeping the Lake clean depends on volunteers. Each month, thousands of pounds of trash accumulate in Lake Merritt. It is removed by retired folks, professionals, housewives, school children, civic organization members, and people just like you and your friends with the help of LMI staff. Clean Up Days Volunteer Schedule Volunteers meet at the Institute office, on the 2nd floor of the Boating Center, 568 Bellevue Avenue, next to the parking lot, in Lakeside Park. Go up the stairs at the end of the parking lot.
Call (510) 238-2290 or schedule an event for your group online. You can also come as an individual on any Tuesday at 10:30 or Saturday at 10 am. Email lmi@netwiz.net
![]() U-Clean-It Stations
To aid in removing trash from the water, LMI established four "U-Clean-It" stations around Lake Merritt. Each box contains nets, two trash barrels, trash bags, gloves, instructions and sign in sheet. They are located near:
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