COLUMBUS, OH -- Volunteers removed more than 185,000 pounds of trash from 554 miles of Ohio waterways and shorelines in 2003 through the Adopt-A-Waterway and Waterway Sweep programs, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR).
About 4,600 volunteers across the state donated a total of 15,000 hours of personal time during 62 waterway litter clean-up activities. "Ohio is fortunate to have such dedicated volunteers helping to keep the state's waterways clean and beautiful," said Ken Alvey, chief of the Division of Watercraft. "Maintaining these vital water resources is important for everyone and I encourage all Ohioans to participate in these community efforts."
Annual clean ups are held from April through October. Individuals interested in being part of or conducting their own Waterway Sweep or Adopt-A-Waterway project should contact the ODNR Division of Watercraft at 614-265-6676.
The clean-up programs, funded by a litter prevention grant from the ODNR Division of Recycling & Litter Prevention, encourage community groups to remove litter from portions of waterways as needed throughout the year, providing for a cleaner environment.
Waterways throughout Ohio benefited from the clean-up programs, including: Auglaize River, Charles Mill Reservoir, Maumee River, Grand River, Big Darby Creek, West Branch of the Rocky River, Greenville Creek, Hocking River, East Fork of the Little Miami, Kokosing River and Scioto River.