The staff and volunteers for the Miami Conservancy District worked to collect trash from the Great Miami River Watershed during the annual Clean Sweep this month.
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During the recent river sweep, volunteers collected 920 pounds of trash and removed 24 tires from the Great Miami River, according to a spokesperson from the conservancy district.
In July, teams of volunteers pulled a total of 15,684 pounds of trash and 153 tires from the river and riverbanks, the spokesperson said.
This year, sections of the watershed have been cleaned in Logan, Shelby, Miami, and Montgomery counties. The cleanup in September will focus on Butler, Warren, and Hamilton counties.
The river cleanup has been going on since 1968, and since it has grown into a region-wide partnership between local businesses, county soil and water conservation districts, and volunteers. Since then, 1,000 tons of trash and tires have been pulled out of the Great Miami River, the spokesperson said.
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“The annual river cleanup is about much more than just picking up trash. Our rivers are water playgrounds and support healthy populations of fish, insects, birds, and other wildlife. Thanks to our region’s priority to keep water clean, our rivers are some of the healthiest rivers in the state of Ohio -- that is something to be proud of and worth celebrating,” Clean Sweep coordinator and education coordinator for the Miami Soil and Water Conservation District Linda Raterman said.
Community members can still volunteer for the September 16 cleanup, by visiting their website.