Clean-up Day

DOWN BY THE RIVERSIDE CLEAN-UP DAY

On May 17, 2003 the Service Learning Program and the Mohawk Watershed Partnership coordinated a watershed clean up in the McGowan sub-basin. The day was part of a larger effort throughout Oregon to enhance, clean up, and preserve Oregon’s beautiful landscapes organized by Oregon SOLV. The program called "Down by the Riverside" was a day to clean up illegal dump sites, raise awareness of the hazards of illegal trash dumping, and help build community friendships.

Volunteers collect trash during the McGowan clean-up day

Volunteers load trash collected from one of the clean-up sites

A volunteer cleans up trash from one of many shooting sites in the Mohawk watershed

Illegally dumped trash is a widespread problem throughout the watershed. Common illegally dumped trash includes computers, television sets, furniture, cars and car parts, tires, and propane tanks. Along with illegal garbage, one finds the “shooters package,” which includes spent ammunition, targets, and clay pigeons, carpeting forest clearings on both BLM and Weyerhaeuser lands.

The effects of illegal dumping are dependent on what items are being dumped and the proximity the items are to water sources. Televisions, computers and microwaves all have heavy metals in them, which are highly toxic. These heavy metals leach out of the items over time and can eventually enter into water systems.

Nearly 4 tons of trash was removed from McGowan sub basin during the cleanup day

The other problem trash in the watershed creates is one of aesthetics. The Mohawk Watershed is a beautiful recreational area for the public to use and enjoy. However when recreational activities are not carried out responsibly they upset the natural beauty of the area and amplify the human footprint in the watershed. Shooting especially disrupts the naturalness of the area. When not done responsibly shooting not only creates the “shooters package,” but also damages and kills young trees and raises the amount of lead in surface water when bullets land in streams.

"Down by the Riverside" was very successful. 23 volunteers showed up, representing a wide variety of people. U of O students, local land owners, MWP members, BLM, and Weyerhaueser employees all showed up for the clean up day. Approximately 4 tons of garbage was collected. Not included in this figure are the 11 tires found and a flat bed truck that we also completely filled with recyclable scrap metal.