Overview

Each year, theDeschutes Watershed Council leads a community wide effort to clean-up the Deschutes River. Beyond picking up trash and pulling noxious weeds, the annual Deschutes River Clean-Up has become a day to connect people with the Deschutes River. Organizations and businesses volunteer to serve as site hosts, each taking charge of the clean-up efforts at their site on the river. Each site host is also responsible for recruiting volunteers.

The day is kicked off at a riverside meeting spot with coffee, pastries and the energy of a group of people ready to work. After some brief safety instructions, information about noxious weeds and a chance to distribute bags and gloves, site hosts begin signing up volunteers. From there, the cleaning begins. A few hours later and the piles of trash are collected.

It is a great pleasure and honor for the Watershed Council to host this event every year. Truly, we regard it as one of our favorite days (even if we are working on a Saturday).