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2024 Annual Deschutes River Cleanup
July 27 @ 9:00 am - 2:00 pm
The Upper Deschutes Watershed Council is hosting the 28th annual Deschutes River Cleanup! Cleanup activities will take place at six different sites on the Deschutes River where volunteers will help pull invasive weeds and remove litter from the river and its streambanks. The cleanup sites are Farewell Bend Park, First Street Trail, La Pine State Park, Riverbend Park, Sunriver, and Tumalo State Park.
You will register for a specific site when you sign up. While much of the work will take place along the streambanks, we are excited to once again have several scuba divers from Central Oregon Diving and Deschutes County Search and Rescue join us this year! We are seeking fifty paddlers to support our divers on the water in the Old Mill District during the cleanup.
One week prior to the event, you will receive an email with specific site details and meeting logistics. On the morning of the cleanup, you will meet your volunteer host at 9:00 am at the site you selected. Please double-check your email to make sure you are going to the correct cleanup location. We encourage all volunteers to come prepared with sturdy shoes, a hat and sun protection, gloves, a water bottle, and snacks.
For all volunteers who register for Farewell Bend and Riverbend Park, please meet your site host at the Farewell Bend shelter at 9:00 am. There will be a brief introduction and thank you to partners and sponsors prior to cleanup activities. If you registered as a paddler, you will be partnered with a scuba diver to assist them on the water. You must bring a whistle, PFD, and a throwable safety device in order to participate on the water.
Thank you to our fabulous event sponsors: Bend Park and Recreation District, Car Stickers, The City of Bend, Confluence Fly Shop, Luno, Mt. Bachelor/Sun Country Tours, Qorvo, REI, SOLV Energy, Tumalo Creek, and Visit Bend!
The volunteer appreciation celebration will take place near Confluence Fly Shop in the afternoon following the cleanup from 3:00 – 5:00 pm. Wrap-up activities will include volunteer acknowledgment, thank you to sponsors, door prize giveaways, beverages, and food. What a wonderful way to celebrate a day of hard work and active stewardship!
The Deschutes River Cleanup is an opportunity for us to come together to steward the Deschutes River and its riparian areas. Recreation in and around the Deschutes River has led to significant impacts to the health of the river and in order to keep our river beautiful and protect water quality for fish and wildlife, the Watershed Council coordinates the Deschutes River Cleanup every year. Thank you for your support as a river steward!