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Annual reservoir volunteer effort back for 18th year

Times Observer file photo Volunteers at a 2021 tactical cleanup event in the Allegheny River watershed deposit trash on a trailer near Grunderville.

Organizers of the 18th annual Allegheny Reservoir Cleanup are hoping it’s time to bring people together again.

The reservoir has missed out on two community cleanup efforts thanks to COVID-19.

There have been smaller events in the meantime, but nothing close to the 100-volunteer efforts of years past.

“Spring is coming fast,” Allegheny National Forest Aquatics Program Manager Nate Welker said. “It’ll be good to get the old cleanup going again.”

The organizers are moving forward with a full cleanup and have set a date — Saturday, May 14.

Times Observer file photo Volunteers at the 2021 Allegheny River cleanup pile trash into a trailer at Tidioute.

During a Wednesday planning meeting, individuals and representatives of the U.S. Forest Service (USFS), U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Warren County Adult Probation, Warren County Chamber of Business and Industry, Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, and Allegheny Cleanways/Tireless Project gathered to get things rolling.

“Up until 2013, we focused all of our energies on the Pennsylvania portion of the reservoir,” Welker said. “And we pretty well cleaned it up.”

“The positive effects of this community conservation event are very apparent,” Organizer David Snyder said. “As a result of this annual event, the shorelines and waters of the Allegheny Reservoir are much safer, cleaner places for wildlife and recreation.”

“I believe it was 2014, we moved to New York State and focused on the New York State portion,” Welker said. “Everything we catch coming in off the river is less stuff we’re going to have coming into the reservoir.”

The main cleanup will again focus north of the border and the work will be headquartered at Onoville Marina.

Past and potential agency partners for the event include the Seneca Nation of Indians, Cattaraugus County, Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, New York Department of Environmental Conservation, Allegany State Park, and others.

It’s too early to put out a general call for volunteers, but the organizers are hoping people will put the date on their calendars.

“We anticipate having lots of volunteers,” Snyder said. “What we really need is people with boats and logistical support.”

They hope some boat owners will volunteer to get people where they are needed.

They stressed that owners could volunteer their boats (and their driving time) for two kinds of services — ferrying people (who are likely to get wet and somewhat muddy) from the marina (or other put-in location) to areas that need to be cleaned and hauling both volunteers and garbage.

That garbage could include old appliances, 55-gallon drums, and will almost certainly include muck-filled tires. Organizers understand that there are those who would not like to see such items on their boats.

Having a good idea of how many boats will be available will help determine how many volunteers will be needed. Those who are interested are asked to sign up at alleghenyrivercleanup.com.

In addition to setting a date for the cleanup, the group scheduled two pre-cleanup events. Like the cleanups held over the past two years under COVID restrictions, those are tactical, small-scale efforts intended to improve areas that are too remote or complicated for the cleanup volunteers.

Details about the cleanup are available by visiting alleghenyrivercleanup.com.

Starting at $2.99/week.

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