Volunteers clean up Sacramento riverbank ahead of the rainy season
SACRAMENTO, Calif. —
Around three dozen volunteers gathered at Robert Matsui Park, behind the SMUD Museum of Science and Curiosity in downtown Sacramento, to clean up the riverbank and remove debris from the area’s waterways over the weekend.
Caltrans partnered with the River City Waterway Alliance for the cleanup, which is part of their regular efforts to maintain the area’s waterways. The group has about five to six cleanup events per week across the area, said Jeff Burdick of Caltrans.
“[The] Sacramento Valley is a huge receiver of all the water from the mountains and the rainstorms and it comes here and there’s a big conveyance of it,” Lisa Sanchez of River City Waterway Alliance said. “And we’re just here to try to make sure that the water that flows through Sacramento is clean when it leaves, before it goes into the Delta.”
Volunteer Alan Anderson was familiar with cleanups from when he used to live near the San Joaquin River. During Saturday’s cleanup, Anderson found a hypodermic syringe used for illegal drugs.
“They’re everywhere unfortunately,” Sanchez said. “We have collected under — within four years — over 30,000 needles and syringes in our waterways only. And that’s really where we are working, is waterways. I can’t imagine how many are around the streets of Sacramento.”
Volunteers collected approximately 1,500 pounds of debris during the event.
“We’re trying to get it done before the fall and winter rains and everything—all the water comes up and then it just washes back out into the Delta,” said Judy Worman of the River City Waterway Alliance.
Sanchez emphasized the importance of community service, saying, “We’re gonna help out. That’s what volunteering’s about. Community service.”
See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel.