Volunteers remove large debris from river

By John Lowman
The Facts

Published April 21, 2007

RIVER’S END — They’re sweatin’ the big stuff.

Friends of the River San Bernard will host its annual spring cleaning from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. next Saturday, but heavy debris collection began Friday and will continue Monday. Items such as refrigerators, washing machines, truck tires, car parts and water heaters were removed from in or near the river, allowing next weekend’s volunteers to concentrate on household trash.

Volunteers on Friday used a backhoe to remove a large fiberglass tank from the River’s End area, near the end of FM 2918.

“It’s been in there for years and we didn’t know what we’d find inside,” said Friends of the River member Jan Edwards. Inside the 14-foot round, 8-foot high tank were barnacles, oysters and mud. “It used to be at a bait camp, but someone dumped it off into the river.”

Crews began at 9 a.m. Friday before getting to River’s End.

“There’s all kinds of stuff in there — bottles, cans, plastic containers, bait boxes,” Edwards said. “People just don’t think about littering the river. We’re trying to create awareness to help keep it clean and make the area a better place to live.”

Volunteer Bob Bailey watched from a boat as the green fiberglass tank was taken from the water.

“This would have been a lot more fun without that backhoe,” Bailey joked as a breeze blew beneath the afternoon sun. “And a lot less successful.”

Large items removed were taken to Dumpsters donated by Brazosport Environmental and Recycling Services, with disposal donated by Republic Waste.

In 2006, about 26,000 pounds of trash were removed in the weekend and pre-weekend cleanups. There aren’t as many large items this year, Bailey said.

“Maybe that means we’re getting somewhere,” he said.

Those wishing to help out with the cleanup next Saturday may call David Pope at (979) 798-6251 or visit www.sanbernardriver.com and click on the Spring Clean 2007 tab.

Volunteers will meet at several locations. They include Hanson Riverside County Park, McNeil Bridge, Churchill Bridge, 2J’s Cafe and Marina and River’s End. Workers will sign a release, then receive a T-shirt donated by ConocoPhillips. Drinks will be provided during the cleanup and a thank-you dinner will follow at 4 p.m.

“They should bring boats if they have them or just themselves if they don’t,” Edwards said. “They should also bring gloves, bug spray, strong backs and a willingness to help.”