Volunteers needed to clear trash from streams

By John Holland
jholland@modbee.com

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It's time to take out the trash down by the river.

Volunteers will work the next two Saturdays to clean streams in Modesto, Sonora and other places in and near the Sierra Nevada.

The events are part of the Great Sierra River Cleanup, taking place Sept. 19 at most sites but this Saturday along the Tuolumne River in Modesto.

SCHEDULE
- Modesto: 9 a.m. to noon Saturday at Legion Park, 1200 Tioga Drive, just south of the airport neighborhood. Volunteers should contact Karlha Arias at the Tuolumne River Trust beforehand at 236-0330 or karlha@tuolumne.org. More information is at www.tuolumne.org.
- Tuolumne County: 9 a.m. to noon Sept. 19 on the north fork of the Tuolumne River and four tributaries. Volunteers should contact the Tuolumne County Resource Conservation District at 533-8866 or corinne@tcrcd.org.
- More information about the Great Sierra River Cleanup is at www.sierranevada.ca.gov/rivercleanup.html.

Organizers aim to improve the health of the streams for wildlife, recreation and drinking water by removing trash large and small.

"They have everything from shopping carts to tires," said Meg Gonzalez, director of outreach and education for the Tuolumne River Trust. "You can get pieces of old boats."

Her group is organizing Saturday's gathering with help from several co-sponsors. Some volunteers will work from canoes, others on foot along the banks.

The Sonora area events Sept. 19 will include the north fork of the Tuolumne River and four other tributaries — Turnback, Sullivan, Woods and Sonora creeks.

The events are coordinated by American Rivers, an environmental group, through its National River Cleanup program. In 2008, the national effort involved a quarter of a million volunteers at about 3,000 sites.

"It's thrilling to see so many people across the nation pitching in to protect their local river or favorite stream," said Rebecca Wodder, president of American Rivers, in a news release.

Participants should wear sturdy clothing that can get dirty. Children are welcome to take part with their parents.

Bee staff writer John Holland can be reached at jholland@modbee.com or 578-2385.