Brandon Sanders of the Sierra Nevada Conservancy and JJ Plank of Trout Unlimited worked at the Highway 26 cleanup site.

On Saturday, September 19, 2009, nearly 170 volunteers working in six areas along the Mokelumne River removed 2,290 pounds of trash and 1,400 pounds of recyclables from the river and its banks.

The Mokelumne River Cleanup was cosponsored by Foothill Conservancy, New York Fitness, California Sportfishing Protection Alliance, Camanche Recreation Company, Mokelumne Coast to Crest Trail Council and the East Bay Municipal Utility District. The Conservancy has been primary sponsor of the event since the first cleanup in May 1991.

This year’s effort was part of the first Great Sierra River Cleanup and California Coastal Cleanup Day. Statewide, volunteers removed more than one million pounds of debris from beaches, shores, and riverbanks.

“It was a beautiful morning and we had a record turnout,” said Foothill Conservancy Executive Director Chris Wright, who led the work at one site. “We’d like to thank everyone who donated their Saturday morning to clean up the Mokelumne and help our community. We’re especially pleased that a number of local high school students took part this year. The participation shows how much people love our local river.”

This year’s volunteers included kayakers, anglers, and other river lovers; representatives of the Foothill Conservancy, Mokelumne Wilderness Volunteers, Mokelumne Trailbusters, U.S. Forest Service, Sierra Nevada Conservancy, East Bay MUD, and Trout Unlimited. They also included teams from New York Fitness in Jackson, Amador High School Earth Club, West Point Revive and Re-Leaf, and Rite of Passage in Calaveras County, and elected officials — Calaveras Supervisor Steve Wilensky of Glencoe and EBMUD Director Frank Mellon of Castro Valley.

Volunteers worked at EBMUD’s Mokelumne Day Use Area, along Gwin Mine Road, near Middle Bar Bridge, along Electra Road, at the North Fork Mokelumne crossing of State Highway 26, and at Blue Hole on the North Fork in the Mokelumne Wilderness above Salt Springs Reservoir.

To volunteer to help plan next year’s cleanup, call us at 295-4900 or e-mail Randy.