Volunteers keep tons of trash out of San Marcos river

On March 6, nearly 900 volunteers participated in the 36^th Annual Great Texas River Clean Up and picked up tons of trash and debris in and along the Upper San Marcos River to Stokes Park, its tributaries, Plum Creek, and the Blanco River.

During the event, volunteers picked up 5,570 pounds of trash and 1,970 pounds of recyclable litter. They also picked up a total of 50 tires: 39 from passenger vehicles and 11 from trucks.

“The dedication of our community members to the river system, even throughout the pandemic, shows how impactful the natural ecosystem is in their lives,” said Community Enhancement Initiatives Manager Amy Thomaides.

The 36^th Annual Great Texas River Cleanup was sponsored by the Texas Rivers Protection Association, the City of San Marcos, the City of Kyle, and Texas State University. Donors included the Edwards Aquifer Authority, H.E.B/Central Market, Keep Texas Beautiful, and the San Marcos Lions Club.

Prior to the March cleanup event, an estimated 200 canoers volunteered to pick up trash in the San Marcos River from Cummings Dam to Palmetto Park. On February 27, the group collected 50 cubic yards of trash and about 6 cubic yards of recycling.

“It’s always rewarding to see the enthusiasm and hard work displayed by our river cleanup volunteers,” said Habitat Conservation Plan Manager Melani Howard.

To minimize litter in waterways throughout the year, Keep San Marcos Beautiful works with the Edwards Aquifer Habitat Conservation Program and the MS4 program to host hot spot cleanups on the first Saturday of each month.

To receive notifications about future cleanup events, email Amy at athomaides@sanmarcostx.gov. Residents interested in assisting with Habitat Conservation Plan efforts may contact Melani at mhoward@sanmarcostx.gov.