Hundreds of volunteers participated in the three days of the annual Allegheny River Cleanup last week.

“The 14thaAnnual Allegheny River Clean-up was a great success,” organizer David Snyder said. “More than 200 volunteers showed up over the course of the cleanup. We gathered more than 30 cubic yards of garbage and 38 tires.”

The cleanup focused on the stretch of the river from Allegheny Outfitters in Warren to Tidioute–in three parts.

Organizer Nate Welker said the depth of the water – unusually shallow due to near-drought conditions in the county–led to the discovery of more junk in the river.

According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, about 58 percent of the county is unusually dry.

While the many volunteers were on and along the water, many more contributed to the cause.

In the “large dumpster almost full of recyclable metal” was “the world’s largest horseshoe,” according to Snyder. “It is estimated to weigh more than 1,000 pounds.”

“We’ll post an actual weight when we have it,” he said.

Dollars collected through recycling are used to purchase materials needed for future cleanup events.

CONEWANGO CLEANUP

The total weight of trash removed from Conewango Creek during the annual cleanup there a week before the river cleanup was determined to be 1,400 pounds.

The Conewango Creek Watershed Association annual Gala will be held form 6 to 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 11, at the Audubon Community Nature Center at 1600 Riverside Road, Jamestown, N.Y.