article photo 1

Clackamas Down the River Clean Up - September 11

Posted: 08/29/2011
By: Megan Hooker

The Clackamas River in Oregon is home to old-growth forests, bird species, steelhead, and one of the last remaining wild salmon runs in the lower Columbia basin.  Did you know the Clackamas River is also “home” to inflatable dolphins, chains of flip-flops, and lawn chairs?  Come hunt for “sunken treasures” on Sunday, September 11 at 9:00 a.m. as part of the 9th Annual Down the River Clean Up! This year’s event will launch from Barton County Park, where a flotilla of volunteers will raft, kayak, tube, SCUBA, or canoe down a fifteen-mile stretch of the Clackamas, removing any trash it may encounter along the way to preserve and protect the beautiful and bountiful river.

 

Since its inception, the Down the River Clean Up has involved more than 1,800 volunteers and removed almost twenty tons of trash from the Clackamas River! This year’s hard work will not go un-rewarded! The post-event celebration includes a free barbecue, live music by the Pickups with members of Jackstraw and two other bands, a silent auction with tons outdoor gear, and prizes! This event is co-coordinated by the Clackamas River Basin Council and We Love Clean Rivers, two locally-based non-profit organizations. Sponsors and partners include Clackamas River Water Providers, KEEN Footwear, Next Adventure, REI, Schwabe, Williamson & Wyatt Law, eNRG Kayaking, Adventure Without Limits, Natural High Rafting, Outward Bound, Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board, Clackamas County, Metro, SOLV and many more. 

 

 

Attendees may participate in a silent auction featuring gear donated by Whitewater Designs, Temple Fork Outfitters, MTI Adventurewear, Alder Creek Kayak & Canoe, Clack-a-Craft and many more. Volunteers will be able to demo shoes by KEEN Footwear and purchase at a discounted price after the clean up. Money raised will be donated to We Love Clean Rivers. Prizes will be granted to winners of friendly trash contests including smallest-heaviest piece of garbage found, weirdest, cutest, most useful and more.

 

 

Some folks from American Whitewater will be there, and we hope you can make it too! For more information and to register (which is required), visit www.WeLoveCleanRivers.org 

Join AW and support river stewardship nationwide!