Preparations are continuing for an ambitious five-day cleanup of the 31 miles of the Allegheny River between the Kinzua Dam and Tidioute.

The cleanup is scheduled for Sept. 15-19 and is aimed at removing garbage found in and around the river.

Piper Lindell, owner of two canoe liveries Allegheny Outfitters and Indian Waters Canoe and Kayak is organizing the event.

Lindell has solicited help from the U.S. Forest Service, the Warren County Chamber of Business and Industry, Whirley DrinkWorks, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Allegheny Site Management, the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, Northwest Savings Bank, the Young Professionals of Warren County and the Boy Scouts of America.

Veolia Environmental Services has agreed to dispose of the trash collected.

On Wednesday, John Beard, of Northwest Savings Bank and the Boy Scouts' Chief Cornplanter Council board of directors, along with Nathan Welker, of the U.S. Forest Service, spent time in SCUBA gear underneath the Hickory Street Bridge in downtown Warren in an effort to raise awareness of the event.

According to Beard, there is various debris in the 12-foot deep water under the bridge, including several shopping carts.

The Allegheny River Cleanup kicks off with the Tributary Tip-off on Saturday, Sept. 12 that will include a cleanup on the Conewango and Brokenstraw creeks.

On the last day of the cleanup, volunteers are invited to a post-cleanup party in downtown Warren.

For more information on the cleanup, visit www.alleghenyrivercleanup.com on the Internet.