The Upper Deschutes Watershed Council is thrilled to be hosting the 28th annual Deschutes River Cleanup on Saturday, July 27th! 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 stream banks. The cleanup sites are La Pine State Park, Farewell Bend Park, Riverbend Park, First Street Trail, Tumalo State Park, and Sunriver.

All volunteers will be asked to register for a specific site when they sign up starting on June 1st. While much of the work will take place along the streambanks, we are excited to once again have several volunteer divers from Central Oregon Diving join us this year and are seeking fifty paddlers to support our divers on the water during the cleanup. One week prior to the event you will receive an email with specific site details and meeting logistics, and on the morning of the cleanup you will meet your volunteer host at 9:00 am at the site you selected. We encourage all volunteers to come prepared with sturdy shoes, a hat and sun protection, gloves, a water bottle, and snacks!

The event wrap-up celebration will take place at Confluence Fly Shop in the afternoon following the cleanup. Wrap-up activities will include volunteer acknowledgment, thank you to sponsors, and door prize giveaways. You won't want to miss out!

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!