17th Annual Down the River Cleanup

17th Annual Down the River Cleanup

The 17th annual Down the River Cleanup event, organized by the Clackamas River Basin Council and We Love Clean Rivers is scheduled for Sunday, Sept. 8, 2019. The event typically brings over 300 volunteers to a section of the Clackamas River between Estacada and Oregon City. For the 20 mile stretch, volunteers work on the water in raft and kayaks, underneath the water in SCUBA gear and along the land neighboring the river to clear the area of litter.

More than a decade ago, an “explosion of trash” on the river was the impetus for the event. “The event was born out of a need within the river usership,” said Suzi Cloutier, Outreach and Stewardship Specialist for the Clackamas River Basin Council. “And it’s been such a great turnout of events. It’s really brought the river litter down considerably.” Many volunteers participate in the event each year, and since 2003, more than 39 tons of trash has been removed from the river.

Sign-up information will be available closer to the event date. Check out preregistration  volunteer opportunities at We Love Clean Rivers.