Photo submitted to Times Observer Volunteers haul tires from the bank of the Allegheny Reservoir to a pick-up area Saturday during the 19th annual Allegheny Reservoir Cleanup.

The Allegheny Reservoir Cleanup has been going on for 19 years and, unfortunately, organizers expect there to be plenty left to do for the 20th anniversary.

“Over the past 19 years, we’ve chased the garbage north nearly to the mouth of the Allegheny River near Steamburg,” Organizer Nate Welker said.

This year’s event was focused on the reservoir in an area surrounded by the Seneca Nation.

“The garbage we picked up this year was largely historic and has floated into the reservoir from the river over the past 50-plus years,” Welker said.

A total of 39 volunteers met at Highbanks Campground north of the Onoville Marina. They were kept busy with more than 60 cubic yards of trash and about 465 tires, he said.

“We were working along the western shore between Horseshoe Bend and Highbanks Campground where a long sweeping bend in the river/reservoir causes a lot of the floating garbage to settle out and collect from the river,” Welker said.

“There is still a bunch left to do next year for our 20th annual event,” Welker said.

Associated clean-up efforts include a number of local waterways — the Allegheny River, Conewango and Brokenstraw creeks, and Tionesta Lake.