Conservation district kicks off river cleanup series

COLON – Tires, fishing gear, and a fair amount of bottles and cans were retrieved last weekend from Swan Creek and a small stretch of the St. Joseph River.

The 2.5-mile route Saturday was the first of the St. Joseph County Conservation District’s four river cleanup events this summer. It marks the agency’s 14th year overseeing river cleanups.

Eric Pretzlav, who is coordinating the four 2024 events for the Centreville-based Conservation District, said eight people volunteered their time to help Saturday.

“We’re always grateful to get help; people had fun even though we had to duck under (overgrowth) a few times, but everyone appeared to be glad they could help out,” Pretzlav said. “We managed to collect three large trash bags, so it was a success from that standpoint.”

Debris collected includes a metal basket, an aluminum A-frame ladder, Styrofoam, a buoy, an inflatable raft and four tires.

The route started off Catherine Street and followed Swan Creek. It continued where Swan Creek meets St. Joseph River and ended in an area off Sturgeon Lake.

Pretzlav said it was good to get the first event of the year out of the way and even better to feel a sense of accomplishment.

Up next is a weekday collection on the Prairie River. Pretzlav said the July 19 cleanup route will be in Lockport Township with the likely starting point at Hoshel Road to an area near Sauganash Country Club.

With the cleanup on a weekday, he said Conservation District staff members and community groups are able to lend a hand without monopolizing a summertime Saturday.

Anyone interested in volunteering is asked to call the Conservation District so organizers can coordinate kayak or canoe rental, as well as plan food for lunch. It can be reached at 467-6336, Ext. 5.

Prospective volunteers interested in using their own watercraft are welcome to show up; transportation back to the launch site will be available.

The July 19 event – and all others – starts at 9:30 a.m. Participants are asked to arrive 15 minutes ahead of the start time.

Subsequent cleanup events are:

• Aug. 13 – Nottawa Creek, from Rawson’s King Mill County Park in Leonidas Township to the M-66 bridge.
• Sept. 21 – Portage River, from North Fisher Lake Road in Park Township to Carpenter Road in Lockport Township.