Times Observer file photo Hundreds of tires pulled from the 2017 Reservoir Cleanup.

Keeping things clean is one of the keys to battling COVID-19.

But, nature is not a health priority with respect to the pandemic and a long-standing event that helps keep our environment clean is in some jeopardy.

The 16th annual Allegheny Reservoir Cleanup is scheduled for Saturday, May 9.

That date is up in the air.

At a recent planning meeting, with most members attending virtually because of the COVID-19 pandemic, organizers agreed that they want to hold the event, but are not confident it will be on the scheduled date.

“It’s still two months away,” U.S. Forest Service Allegheny National Forest Aquatic Ecologist Nate Welker said. “What two months will bring is hard to tell. After two days everything changes.”

“Everybody’s in the same boat, really,” organizer and volunteer David Snyder said. “Nobody knows how long it’s going to last.”

The group discussed moving forward with the event as scheduled, just on a smaller scale in the interest of maintaining social distancing.

Problems with that idea were identified.

“Even if we downsize it, we’re taking health risks that we don’t need to take,” Snyder said.

Members of the group suggested having the cleanup later in the year.

“I’d still like to take a crack at it,” Welker said. “We can pick just about any weekend in the summer.”

But, there are problems with delaying the event, too.

“The vegetation’s going to be up,” Welker said.

“The briars and the brush… once it’s greened up, it makes it very challenging getting very far up the shoreline,” Kinzua Dam Park Ranger Steve Lauser said. “Who knows where the water level is going to be.”

Some of the decision could be in Cattaraugus County government’s court.

That body shut down non-essential operations weeks ago, shortly before the planning meeting.

“We’re in a wait and see mode right now,” Onoville Marina Recreation Manager James Welch said.

The good news for the leaders is that the event can be put together quickly.

“We’ve done this enough, I think we can get it going in a short amount of time,” Kinzua Dam Resource Manager Doug Helman said.

Holding the cleanup shortly after the danger of COVID-19 has passed – shortly after the removal of restrictions and advice to maintain distances could improve turnout for the event, even if the conditions aren’t otherwise ideal.

There should be no shortage of areas in need.

With many functions deemed non-essential and not life-sustaining, there will be campgrounds and recreation areas that haven’t been tended to for weeks or months.

“Our campgrounds can all use attention,” Welker said. “You can really spread (volunteers) out that way.”

And, people may be eager to get back to doing things together. Back to recreating. Back to normal life.

“I really like the idea of giving people something to jump on,” Welker said. “A lot of activities are going to be canceled.”

The group will get together again in April and the members hope to be able to make more concrete plans at that time.

“I look forward to getting out on the water with you and doing this project,” Welker said. “I can’t imagine not doing some kind of cleanup.”

One thing is sure. There will be some cleaning done on the Allegheny Reservoir.

“If nothing else, I’ll be out on May 9 in my canoe,” he said.