More than 25 canoes and 50-plus volunteers took part in the 2022 Great Miami River Watershed’s Clean Sweep. The group removed trash along a five-mile stretch of the Great Miami River. The annual event is co-hosted by The Miami Soil and Water Conservation District, Miami County Park District, and Miami County Solid Waste.
Mike Ullery | Miami Valley Today file photo
Courtesy photo | Linda Raterman, of the Miami County SWCD
Volunteers from the 2023 Clean Sweep of the Great Miami River. The event hosted by the Miami Soil and Water Conservation District, Miami County Park District, and Miami County Solid waste has been cleaning the Great Miami River since 2006.
Courtesy photo | Linda Raterman, of the Miami County SWCD
A painting by Chris Rowland, of Tipp City, commemorating the 2024 Clean Sweep of the Great Miami River.
By Eamon Baird
TROY — The Clean Sweep of the Great Miami River returns this weekend to Miami County.
The volunteer event focuses on removing trash from the 170-mile-long river. Volunteers will meet at several locations between Piqua and Tipp City on Friday, July 19. There will also be a canoe cleanup from Sidney to Piqua on Saturday, July 20, from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.
The Miami County Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) has been partnering with local organizations and volunteers for the annual cleanup of the Great Miami River for nearly 20 years.
“Since 2006, we’ve tallied 15,172 volunteers,” Linda Raterman, information and public relations specialist for the Miami County SWCD said. “(A total of) 7,516 tires (have been) taken out and 347.525 tons of trash (removed) from the Great Miami River, combining efforts that start up at Indian Lake and have gone all the way down to the Ohio River.”
Raterman said volunteers for the Friday clean-up are asked to meet at Treasure Island Park at 8:30 a.m. for a safety talk. After that they will be shuttled to their clean-up spot.
Concord Township will have trucks waiting at the halfway point at Twin Arch to collect debris from full canoes and will then come to Treasure Island where they will meet trucks from the city of Troy to collect the rest. Raterman anticipates most canoers will be back at Treasure Island between 11:30 and noon to enjoy lunch provided by the Miami County Cattlemans, and receive their free T-shirt.
Raterman said last year her group collected roughly one and a half tons of trash.
“I believe it was from Farrington Road down to Treasure Island, we had like 35 tires collected in that three-mile stretch,” she said.
Anyone volunteering for the event is encouraged to dress appropriately with a hat closed toed shoes and sunscreen.
Some of the main sponsors for this clean-up project include: Cargill, Atlantis Sportswear, The Miami Conservancy District, Heidelberg Distributing, the city of Sidney, POWW, Concord Township, and the city of Troy.
Raterman also recognized Chris Rowlands, of Tipp City, an artist naturalist for the National Audubon Society, who provided the artwork for this year’s clean-sweep.
This river cleanup is about much more than picking up trash. It’s a day for communities to demonstrate their desire for clean water and healthy rivers.
“I think it is a wonderful way for people to realize what they can do to improve things themselves,” Raterman said. “Also to get ownership of the river and that is their river, and when you have ownership, you also feel a larger sense of taking care of it.”
Volunteer registration for Friday’s event is closed but walk-ins can still participate on the day of the event. For more information on this year’s clean-sweep event, including information on future clean ups go to www.cleansweepofthegreatmiamiriver.org.
