Second Clearwater River Cleanup Day to be held Saturday

Last year, more than two tons of metal and trash were removed during the first Clearwater River Cleanup Day.

On Saturday, Aug. 11, the Bureau of Land Management in coordination with the Clearwater Management Council will host the event for a second year, hoping for a bounty of a lot less trash this second time around.

Prior to the 2011 event, the Clearwater River, notorious for its "B-Run" salmon, was becoming littered with garbage. The unsightly debris was not only unhealthy for the river and fisheries but also ruining the overall experience of recreationists spending time on the Clearwater.

Therefore, the CMC stepped up and planned the first organized cleanup day effort. This year, the group plans to hit four separate sections of the river in anticipation of cleaning up almost over 40 miles of the Clearwater.

Volunteers are needed as well as boat operators who are willing to donate their time to help scour the river. Plan to bring life jackets, gloves, food and water; CMC will provide trash bags, snacks and Gatorade. Children 14 years and older are welcome, but younger helpers will need to be accompanied by an adult.

The event on Aug. 11 will get under way at 8 a.m. at the Kamiah boat ramp and the Orofino City Park. Additional meeting spots will be identified based on the number of volunteers.

CMC will hold a post-event barbecue at the Kamiah City Park in the afternoon to celebrate the efforts of the volunteers.

CMC is committed to the betterment of the Clearwater River and is comprised of Idaho, Lewis, Nez Perce, Latah and Clearwater counties; Idaho Department of Fish and Game; Bureau of Land Management; National Park Service and Army Corps of Engineers.

For more information or to volunteer to help beautify the Clearwater River, please contact Judy Culver, outdoor recreation planner for BLM's Cottonwood Field Office, at (208) 962-3796.