A growing scourge to the otherwise pristine waters of the Clackamas River are popped and abandoned vinyl pool toys. While we celebrate all forms of float craft (I got my start in an inner tube), we discourage any that might be left behind as trash. And if you are excited to retrieve these plastic juggernauts of nautical waste, join us on September 11th for the annual Down the River Cleanup on the Clackamas River! We still have room, and there will still likely be more vinyl pool toys.
And while every hot day brings new waves of river debris, many have also commented on how clean the river looks.
Thanks again to the River Ambassadors, the Clackamas River Basin Council ‘Stash the Trash’ program, Park staff, and the myriad other volunteers and good citizens who have been doing cleanups all summer.
Many of the worst trashings have already been cleaned up. These regular DIY cleanups have plucked, cut out, drained, and retrieved 100’s of these vinyl pool toys (including a few gargantuan floating mattresses). And that’s on top of 100’s and 1000’s of flip flops and sandals, cans, bottles, wrappers, sunglasses, cell phones, coolers, lawn chairs, and other lost treasures (and straight up trash). We have work to do, particularly in getting some river users to step up and pack out their trash.
And it is not too late to join the 2022 Down the River Cleanup, where we will pick the river clean of lost pool toys, overlooked trash, and forgotten picnic supplies. And then we celebrate with a cookout!
Either way, we hope to see you on the river soon, where we all can enjoy the wild splendor of the Clackamas River unmarred from popped vinyl pool toys.
