Great Texas River Clean Up volunteers pick up tons of trash

The 36th Annual Great Texas River Clean Up netted nearly 5,600 pounds of trash and 2,000 pounds of recyclable litter along the Upper San Marcos River to Stokes Park, its tributaries, Plum Creek, and the Blanco River, the City of San Marcos announced Wednesday. 

Nearly 900 volunteers participated in the annual river cleanup on March 6, picking up 5,570 pounds of trash, 1,970 pounds of recyclable litter and 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,” Community Enhancement Initiatives Manager Amy Thomaides said in a statement. 

According to the city, 200 canoers cleaned the San Marcos River from Cummings Dam to Palmetto State Park on Feb. 7, collecting 50 cubic yards of trash and approximately 6 cubic yards of recycling. 

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

This year’s Great Texas River Clean Up was sponsored by  the Texas Rivers Protection Association, City of San Marcos, City of Kyle, and Texas State University. The Edwards Aquifer Authority, H-E-B/Central Market, Keep Texas Beautiful, and the San Marcos Lions Club donated to the event.

The city said Keep San Marcos Beautiful works with the Edwards Aquifer Habitat Conservation Program and the MS4 program for hotspot cleanups every first Saturday of the month to minimize litter in waterways throughout the year. 

Those interested in receive notifications regarding future cleanup events can email Thomaides at athomaides@sanmarcostx.gov. San Marcans interested in assisting with Habitat Conservation Plan efforts can email Howard at mhoward@sanmarcostx.gov.