Volunteers clean up Tuolumne once again. How many tires, needles, other trash so far?
Volunteers pulled out seven tires, five shopping carts and plenty of other trash during the latest cleanup at Tuolumne River Regional Park.
The July 16 event drew 25 people to a stretch between Ninth Street and Highway 99 that’s especially prone to trash. It was the 82nd cleanup since 2014.
The day yielded about a ton of refuse, bringing the total to 597 tons, said Chris Guptill, leader of a group called Operation 9-2-99. It had help from the Dry Creek Trails Coalition, named for a nearby tributary, and the Tuolumne River Trust.
The cleanups involve the riverbanks but not the waterway itself, nor the belongings of people living in the park. Experienced volunteers handle batteries, hypodermic needles and other hazardous waste.
The next is cleanup is Aug. 13. Volunteers can sign up at bit.ly/3cwHXk7.
The cleanups have happened almost monthly over the past eight years. More details:
- 1,731 tires
- 1,327 shopping carts
- 2,900 needles
- 4,000 batteries
The park runs for about seven river miles between Mitchell and Carpenter roads. The cleanups have concentrated on the Gateway parcel, which is being restored for both floodplain and public gatherings near downtown.
“This area has been neglected and abused for generations,” the Trust said in a July 8 email appeal for volunteers. “The impact of dumping tires, shopping carts, abandoned homeless encampments and the build-up of garbage has taken a toll on the natural habitat and on the health of the local community.”
