River Sweep Events Designed to Improve Water Quality in the South Platte
Reprinted with permission from Denver Environmental Health

Volunteers needed for Saturday, September 29

Anyone who lives in Colorado knows that the South Platte River serves as a vital resource for Colorado and the metro area. In addition to providing recreational opportunities and habitat for fish and wildlife, it’s also a key source of water for eastern Colorado.  Unfortunately, the trash and debris that gets picked up as the South Platte flows through the city, degrades water quality. This “urban run-off” threatens downstream users, including fish, wildlife, and those who use the water for irrigation.

To help keep the South Platte clean, the Greenway Foundation is partnering Environmental Health and more than a dozen city, state, private and nonprofit organizations to host a series of River Sweep events. The events are designed to not only remove debris, but also create a trash inventory to determine the types of trash that are most commonly found in the South Platte River. The information gathered as part of the Greenway PURE Trash Reduction Campaign will be used to create a large-scale educational campaign aimed at improving water quality by changing behaviors related to trash disposal. River Sweep events were held on April 21 and July 21 amd removed over 40 tons of trash.

Volunteers are needed for the remaining river cleanup, scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 29. The cleanup locations are along the South Platte River in the following areas:

•Cherry Creek to City of Cuernavaca Park
•Johnson Habitat Park
•AquaGolf Pond to Santa Fe Ave.
•Bear Creek to Hampden Blvd.

To learn more or volunteer for a River Sweep, visit www.greenwayfoundation.org