First annual creek sweep cleans county waterways
Residents are invited to the first annual Dubois County Creek Sweep this Saturday.
Families and neighbors are invited to join the staff from the Soil and Water Conservation District and the Solid Waste Management District on Saturday October 29th to help clean up roadside ditches and creeks.
The Creek Sweep is a unique opportunity to bring families, students, service organizations and clubs together to battle against litter. A large amount of roadside trash and illegal dumping is moved by wind and rain runoff into our creeks and streams which also serves as our drinking water sources. In some areas, trash is being dumped directly into the stream channel. Debris and pollution poisons our creeks, rivers and lakes so volunteers are being asked to spend three hours to make a difference on October 29th as you join your neighbors in this county-wide Creek Sweep.
Picking up the trash improves our water quality and protects our drinking water sources. All groups and individuals are welcome. Young children must be accompanied by an adult. The first 50 to register will receive a $10 voucher for recycling or disposal of items brought to the Dubois County Solid Waste Management District (SWMD) within 30 days of the Creek Sweep.
Volunteers should meet at 8:30 a.m. at the Dubois County Solid Waste District office at 1103 S 350 W, Jasper, for registration and refreshments. Maps and supplies will be provided, then the volunteers will be directed to pre-selected sites. Volunteers should wear boots, if possible. Gloves and trash bags will be provided along with reflective vests, buckets and trash grabbers.
Door prizes will be awarded at 11:30 when the volunteers return to the SWMD office.
Pre-registration is requested to ensure plenty of supplies. RSVP by contacting the Dubois County Soil and Water Conservation District at 812-482-1171 Ext. 3 or judi.brown@in.nacdnet.net.
If you cannot attend this event due to other obligations, please call or email to find out how you can help when the timing is more convenient.
Other sponsors for the Creek Sweep are the Dubois County Highway Department and the City of Jasper Stormwater Department. The Creek Sweep is a unique opportunity to bring families, students, service organizations and clubs together to battle against litter. A large amount of roadside trash and illegal dumping is moved by wind and rain runoff into our creeks and streams…our drinking water sources. In some areas, trash is being dumped directly into the stream channel. Debris and pollution poisons our creeks, rivers and lakes, but you can help! Spend three hours and make a difference on October 29th as you join your neighbors in this county-wide Creek Sweep.
Will this effort also include or cover waterways within Jasper and Huntingburg city limits that are typically maintained by the respective cities, or only in county jurisdiction? I mean, it all connects together, anyway, so doesn’t make sense not to include all waterways, but asking to be sure.
Another reason I ask is that one (some) entity likely would likely not allow this effort for fear of injury/liability in the event a person was hurt, etc, or would require signed releases for all persons participating and also would require (not merely suggest) appropriate personal protective safeguards.
Jasper Stormwater has partnered on this event and we do have city locations ready for volunteers as well as rural sites! Locations are within 15 min drive of the SWMD meeting place and we would love to make this an annual event….That, of course, depends on willing volunteers! –Dubois County SWMD
That said, this is a POSITIVE effort and hope it succeeds to become a regular event, maybe semi-annually in Spring and Fall. You can add this to the other.