ALBANY - More than 40 volunteers took part in the 14th annual Sugar River Cleanup May 17, organized by the Lake Winnetka/Sugar River Improvement Association Inc.
Volunteers worked the Little Sugar River down from Tin Can Road, the Big Sugar River down from Attica and the main Sugar River all the way down to the head gates on the millrace of Decatur Lake, more than 20 miles of waterway.
The tasks varied from cleaning the riverbanks and areas under bridges, to riding in canoes grabbing trash in long handled dip nets, to cutting fallen branches with chain saws.
More than 50 bags of trash were pulled from the river. Some of the trash is from careless users of the river, some had blown in from roads and bridges and some came from people that dump in the wildlife area or have backwoods parties.
Other items found were personal floatation devices, a broken canoe paddle, a hat and unopened beverages.
These items were obviously not thrown into the river deliberately. They got there from canoes that were tipped over when hitting logs.
Safe navigation is another goal of the river cleanup along with removing the garbage. A crew of 12 worked the Big and Little Sugar River with chain and bow saws to clear a path for small boats and canoes.
Earlier in the day there were two canoes that got tipped after hitting a log near Attica.
The Sweet Minihaha Campgrounds went to help the canoeists and retrieve their canoes.
The goal of the tree cutting crew is to help to prevent accidents such as this.
The cleanup is registered as part of the American Rivers National River Cleanup.
American Rivers helps the association organize the event and supplies all the trash bags.
The association thanks all the volunteers and businesses for supporting the cleanup, supplying food, base station, canoes and for shuttling the volunteers and Wisconsin DNR for the dumpster.
The next event that the L.W.S.R.I.A. sponsors is the annual Carp Fishing Contest to be held Labor Day Weekend Aug. 29-Sept. 1.
Prizes will be awarded to anglers with the most carp caught. The next Sugar River cleanup is planned for May 16, 2009.
Volunteers worked the Little Sugar River down from Tin Can Road, the Big Sugar River down from Attica and the main Sugar River all the way down to the head gates on the millrace of Decatur Lake, more than 20 miles of waterway.
The tasks varied from cleaning the riverbanks and areas under bridges, to riding in canoes grabbing trash in long handled dip nets, to cutting fallen branches with chain saws.
More than 50 bags of trash were pulled from the river. Some of the trash is from careless users of the river, some had blown in from roads and bridges and some came from people that dump in the wildlife area or have backwoods parties.
Other items found were personal floatation devices, a broken canoe paddle, a hat and unopened beverages.
These items were obviously not thrown into the river deliberately. They got there from canoes that were tipped over when hitting logs.
Safe navigation is another goal of the river cleanup along with removing the garbage. A crew of 12 worked the Big and Little Sugar River with chain and bow saws to clear a path for small boats and canoes.
Earlier in the day there were two canoes that got tipped after hitting a log near Attica.
The Sweet Minihaha Campgrounds went to help the canoeists and retrieve their canoes.
The goal of the tree cutting crew is to help to prevent accidents such as this.
The cleanup is registered as part of the American Rivers National River Cleanup.
American Rivers helps the association organize the event and supplies all the trash bags.
The association thanks all the volunteers and businesses for supporting the cleanup, supplying food, base station, canoes and for shuttling the volunteers and Wisconsin DNR for the dumpster.
The next event that the L.W.S.R.I.A. sponsors is the annual Carp Fishing Contest to be held Labor Day Weekend Aug. 29-Sept. 1.
Prizes will be awarded to anglers with the most carp caught. The next Sugar River cleanup is planned for May 16, 2009.
