Save the Date - Registration Opens on Valentine's Day, February 14th - Show Your Love for the River! Details at www.sweepthehooch.org.

We are gearing up for another BIG cleanup on April 13th!!!  While it’s obvious to most that river cleanups improve the quality of our water, we’ve discovered that they do much more than that. Cleanups are also a great way to develop a sense of “river community” -- this is your chance to volunteer and be part of this community.  Our 2012 cleanup resulted in 3.81 tons of river refuse with 1.07 tons of trash recycled – all with the support of over 445 Volunteers!   

Trout Unlimited, Chattahoochee Riverkeeper and National Park Service have joined together to organize this multi-site cleanup within the 48 miles of the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area. We will be tackling 11 Park Units and paddling 8 river segments. Each site has a capacity and will close once we reach that capacity – so register early!  

Volunteers are needed as Walkers, Waders and Paddlers for river and trail clean-up sites.

Sponsors - We need your support to help cover our costs for equipment and supplies. 

VOLUNTEER ASSIGNMENTS 

Walkers are land based volunteers who will pick up trash and perform trail maintenance. At some sites, walkers will specifically target invasive non-native vegetation (such as privet). 

The following locations are available for walkers: Suwanee Creek, Island Ford, Gold Branch, Johnson Ferry, Powers Island, Sope Creek, Whitewater Creek and Rotenwood Creek.

Waders are volunteers equipped with waders or wading boots and are needed at select sites. These volunteers will collect trash from the shallow water areas, and from areas on the river bank which are accessed most easily from the river and streamside trails. Volunteers must provide their own waders. 

The following locations are available for waders: Bowman’s Island, Settles Bridge, Jones Bridge, Island Ford and Whitewater Creek.

Paddlers will be utilizing kayaks and canoes and traveling between 5-7 miles per segment. Kayaks/Canoes are useful in collecting debris from portions of the river which will not be accessed from the land side. Volunteers must provide their own kayaks and/or canoes. 

The following locations are available for paddlers: Buford Dam (Lower Overlook) to Settles Bridge (5 miles), Settles Bridge to Abbotts Bridge (8 miles), Jones Bridge (Fulton Side) to Garrard Landing (4 miles), Garrard Landing to Island Ford (5 miles), Azalea Park (in and out) (3 miles), Morgan Falls (above Dam), Morgan Falls Park to Powers Island (6 miles) and Powers Island to Paces Mill (3 miles - experienced paddlers only).

To learn more about the locations, click here to view a map of the entire CRNRA. Each participant is required to sign the CR Liability Waiver. Click here to read the CR Liability Waiver. This form will be authorized as an electronic signature during the registration.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

Sponsorship – We need your support to help cover our costs for equipment and supplies. For Sponsorship benefits and details, email Tammy Bates at tbates@ucriverkeeper.org or Kevin McGrath at conservation@ucctu.org.

Team Leaders Needed: Each site will require a Team Leader who will supervise 30 to 75 volunteers within their assigned area. Team leaders must attend an orientation meeting one week before the cleanup, where we’ll review tasks at each site, safety guidelines and then assemble the gear bags that are distributed to volunteers on the morning of April 14. This meeting will last about two hours. During the registration process, you can designate your interest in being a Team Leader.

Registration Coordinators Needed: Each Walker and Wader site requires a registration coordinator. You will be checking in volunteers, manning the first aid table, and checking out volunteers – point central. If you would like to volunteer, but don’t want the physical demands of hauling trash-laden bags, this is the job for you! During the registration process, you can designate your interest in being a Registration Coordinator.

Groups: We welcome all corporations, nonprofits, outdoor clubs, gardening groups, churches, schools, etc. – any group who would like to get a team together and work on a specific site. Each of your volunteers will need to individually register, and you will be able to designate your Team Name during registration. Remind your volunteers to register early as each site has a maximum capacity. 

Child/Youth Participation: We welcome children, but they must be supervised at all times by an adult. While a cleanup is not normally dangerous, it can be to an unattended child. Walkers/Waders: Minimum 10 years of age. Paddlers: If paddling solo, paddler must be at least 15 years old. If paddling tandem, youth must be at least 10 years of age and accompanied by an adult at least 21 years of age.