What We Are Doing

Russian River Watershed Cleanup is dedicated to removing the trash from the river and hosts the cleanup event each year with the help of volunteers of all ages. With trash bags in hand, volunteers scour the area in search of plastic bottles, barrels, tires, appliances, and whatever else is present that does not belong the river. The refuse is then carried to a central point along the shoreline.

A special thank you to all who participated in the September 24th and 25th 2011 event. This year, more than 250 adults and students cleaned 55 miles of the river between Cloverdale and Duncan’s Mill. Together we hauled in the following:

142 tires (50-55 tires between Healdsburg and Wohler Bridge alone)
46 yards of trash and other recyclables including
- TV monitors
- Bed springs
- Mattresses
- Sofas
- Tables
- Bicycles
- Auto batteries
- Used motor oil
- Anti-freeze
- Metals of various and mysterious origins

Special thanks and recognition goes out to the Sonoma County Water Agency, Russian River Watershed Association, the Sonoma County Department of Public Works, North Bay Corporation, Inc., Redwood Empire Disposal, Pacific Gas & Electric, the Forestville and Monte Rio Fire Departments, Brelje & Race Consulting Engineers, Air Monitor Corporation, O’Connor Environmental Inc., Rivers Edge Kayak and Canoe, S.O.A.R. Inflatables, Burkes Canoes, Sequoia Paddlers, Russian Riverkeeper, Sprint Copy Center, Creative Images and others who supported us in our efforts with financial and/or in-kind services.

The purpose of this event is to remove as much plastic and other man-made materials from the river so that during floods, this trash does not wash out to the ocean and wind up in the Pacific Gyre.

The Russian River is our life blood. Let’s continue to take responsibility to maintain and keep it clean not only for our use, but for the use of all of the native flora and fauna in the watershed.

We thank you again and hope to see you at next cleanup, for a very enjoyable and rewarding experience.