River Clean Up
February 24, 2016
Community volunteers in February joined a half-dozen agencies to collect and remove garbage and other debris from lower McKenzie River riparian areas.
In late January 2016, McKenzie River guides voiced concerns about garbage from dispersed camp sites and illegal dumping, along with old boat dock debris that contains Styrofoam, strewn along the banks of the river on private and public properties. EWEB convened a meeting to address the issue and several partners joined together to come up with a cost-effective clean-up plan.
The riparian clean-up area ran from the Bellinger Landing County Park off Camp Creek Road east to Marcola Road. Five jet boats carried volunteers to the various debris sites and haul filled garbage bags back to the Hayden Bridge Boat Ramp.
Volunteers were able to remove the garbage before the big storm washed the debris into the McKenzie River - the sole source of drinking water for nearly 200,000 Eugene-area residents.
Those helping with the clean-up effort included EWEB employees and commissioners; McKenzie River Guides; Rainbow Water District; Lane County Sheriff's Office Community Corrections crews; Lane County Public Works; Willamalane Park and Recreation District; International Paper; and various community volunteers.
