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15th-Annual Kinzua clean-up deemed an ‘amazing success’

Photo submitted by Christopher Warner/ANF Andrew Lloyd, volunteer, uses an old canoe he found in the tree line to transport a rusted 55 gallon drum, tires, metal, other trash from shore to a Forest Service boat at the Onoville Marina, in Steamburg, N.Y., May 11.

Another huge pile of trash is out of the Allegheny Reservoir thanks to the 15th annual Allegheny Reservoir Clean-up.

This year’s event was based at Onoville Marina.

“This year’s cleanup was an amazing success for so many reasons, but mainly because we had outstanding volunteers that showed up ready to work hard and smile while doing so,” Allegheny National Forest Public Affairs Officer Christopher Warner said. “Warm temperatures and clear and sunny skies allowed 77 volunteers to successfully put in a full day’s work, volunteering 616 hours on the reservoir.”

“A cooperative of several federal, state, county, private organizations, and private citizen volunteers patrolled the Allegheny Reservoir’s northern shorelines using boats and trucks, while others walked to collect trash and debris,” Warner said.

They collected 32 cubic yards of trash, several thousand pounds of metal, and 192 tires.

Photo submitted by Christopher Warner/ANF Volunteers load an old semi-truck tire, rusted metal 55 gallon barrel, and other trash onto Cattaraugus County bucket loader at the Onoville Marina, in Steamburg, N.Y., May 11.

Since the event began with 27 volunteers in 2005, the effort — including a few special tire events — has put almost 9,000 hours toward removing 331 cubic yards of trash and more than 15,000 tires.

“The Allegheny Reservoir Cleanup is another great example of the shared stewardship the Allegheny plateau has between all of the federal, state, local governments, and private organizations,” Warner said. “With these types of collaborative approaches to keeping our natural resources safe and clean we can ensure that we have safe and clean waterways for drinking water, recreation use, wildlife habitat, and for all future generations to enjoy.”

“The next water cleanup event will be the Allegheny River Cleanup held Sept. 7 through 14,” he said.

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