![](https://miamivalleytoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/126980332_web1_POWW-volunteers-2-cmyk.jpg)
Protecting Our Water-Ways (POWW) volunteers clean trash out of the Great Miami River between Piqua and Sidney as part of POWW’s 18th annual Clean Sweep of the Great Miami River last Saturday.
Submitted photo
![](https://miamivalleytoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/126980332_web1_POWW-volunteers-1-cmyk.jpg)
Protecting Our Water-Ways (POWW) volunteers for POWW’s 18th annual Clean Sweep of the Great Miami River last Saturday.
Submitted photo
![](https://miamivalleytoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/126980332_web1_POWW-volunteers-3-cmyk.jpg)
Protecting Our Water-Ways (POWW) volunteers clean trash out of the Great Miami River between Piqua and Sidney as part of POWW’s 18th annual Clean Sweep of the Great Miami River last Saturday.
Submitted photo
![](https://miamivalleytoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/126980332_web1_POWW-Jeff-Lange-cmyk.jpg)
Jeff Lange, founder of POWW, collects trash and debris found in the Great Miami River as part of POWW’s 18th annual Clean Sweep of the Great Miami River last Saturday.
Submitted photo
Staff reports
MIAMI COUNTY — Protecting Our Water-Ways (POWW) recently held its 18th annual Clean Sweep of the Great Miami River last Saturday, clearing trash out of the Great Miami River between Piqua and Sidney.
Every third Saturday in July, POWW participates in the Clean Sweep of the Great Miami River by cleaning its adopted 16-mile section of the Great Miami River from south Sidney to south Piqua.
This year, Jeff Lange, founder of POWW, said they used 33 canoes, a crane truck, and multiple other vehicles to pull out 21 tires, seven heavy steel wheel hubs and brake assemblies, a fork lift wheel, a truck camper top, a sofa with pillows, a large throw rug, a cow bone, a miniature Tonka toy, an oven, four bikes, a snow blade for a riding mower, an old milk can, and more from the river.
POWW volunteers also organize yearly spring and fall cleanings of the Swift Run Lake, Echo Lake, Frantz Pond, and Piqua Hydraulic Canal.
For more information, visit www.protectingourwaterways.org or www.cleansweepofthegreatmiamiriver.org.