Upper Occoquan River Cleanup- Volunteers Needed

Picture from PWSWCD

Due to last week’s rain the 14th annual Upper Occoquan cleanup has been rescheduled to Saturday, September 30th 2023 and will run from 9 am to noon. This massive collection of trash from the Occoquan River happens every year and is the combined effort of the Prince William Trails and Streams Coalition, Trash Free Potomac Watershed, Penguin Paddling, Prince William County Parks and Recreation Department and the Prince William Soil and Water Conservation District.  Come on out and help. Trash bags, gloves,  refreshments and supplies to grab trash from the river will be provided to all participants.

This is a true river cleanup. As in previous years, the cleanup will be staged from multiple sites along the river, from the canoe/kayak launch area below Lake Jackson dam, down to Lake Ridge / Hooes Run. This cleanup is done primarily by boat – volunteers with canoes, kayaks or jon boats are needed. The signup has all the launch and take-out locations. The cleanup runs from 9 am to 12 pm and there are nine different sites to volunteer. It is a great single day volunteer opportunity.

Interested participants should register at www.pwtsc.org for any new information and cancellation/ weathr updates.  Clean-up   points of contact are Bill McCarty (wmccarty@manassaslawyers.com) and Veronica Tangiri at waterquality@pwswcd.org (571-379-7514).  For cleanup supplies, data sheets to report cleanup data and to share pictures contact: waterquality@pwswcd.org  (571-379-7514).

Unfortunately, it is necessary to hold these river cleanups annually. Year after year volunteers clean our roadways, streams, rivers, and streambeds of trash that started as litter and carried along by stormwater and wind into our waterways and parks. We also remove items that were illegally dumped in the woods or carried by off by storms. Don’t litter and teach your children not to litter, that is the best way to prevent trash along our roads, streams and waterways. The trash does not magically disappear, but finds its way carried by stormwater to our waterways and parklands disrupting the natural water flow and beauty of our natural world. Come out and help make our water ways free of trash.