David Snyder, who has helped lead the cleanup efforts for the past 17 years, recently told Warren City Council members that it’s also noteworthy what volunteers aren’t finding during the annual cleanup.

“Volunteers now handle less metal, fewer tires and less garbage per day than in the early years, showing that our efforts are making a real difference. The river is cleaner, safer, and more ecologically sound than ever,” Snyder told council members.

That doesn’t mean the work is done. Snyder said the 2025 cleanup drew 154 volunteers who donated 1,232 hours. The crews removed 1,500 pounds of recyclable metal, 40 tires and 28 cubic yards of garbage – enough to fill the bed of a standard pick-up truck nine times.

Over 17 years, volunteers have spent 59 days working on the Allegheny River and Conewango Creek. Over those two months’ worth of cleanup days, 16 have been spent within the city of Warren. That number doesn’t include the Conewango Creek sections within the Warren city limits and the stretch from Betts Park west.

Photo courtesy Allegheny Outfitters Facebook page A trailer of debris pulled from the Allegheny River is pictured being loaded by volunteers.

“A significant portion of our effort directly benefits this city,” Snyder said. “Now, here’s a little pitch. Many volunteers use their personal vehicles to transport garbage, tires, metal, even other volunteers. A modest contribution such as gas cards could help offset that expense and make it much easier for people to participate.”

The Allegheny River has been named the state’s River of the Year twice in 10 years. It starts as a stream in Potter County, meandering through a field of wildflowers before crossing briefly through New York and then through six counties in Western Pennsylvania, according to DCNR. The 325-mile river ends in Pittsburgh where it meets the Monongahela River and flows into the Ohio River, providing drinking water to more than one million people and acting as an ecologically and economically precious water trail. According to the DCNR, the US Forest Service has documented over 50 mammals, 200 birds, 25 amphibians, 20 reptiles, 80 fishes, and 25 freshwater mussels in and around the Allegheny, including the threatened Salamander Mussel, who help improve the water quality by filtering out sediment and pollutants.

“I can’t say enough good things about the effort of all the volunteers and the organizations that support this,” said Mayor David Wortman. “There’s a lot of different reasons why the Allegheny River has won the River of the Year a couple of times and the Conewango Creek as well. And I think this is at the top of the list in terms of one of the reasons why. You hit it, I think, the nail right on the head in terms of ownership and pride in such a beautiful natural wonder of the Allegheny River. I really think our community embracing that and continuing to support that and the recommendations that you have going forward to to make that effort even better, I think are well received and

we’ll continue to work hopefully to help that out.”

Snyder was recently honored by the Warren County Chamber of Business and Industry with its Community Service Award. Snyder has been a dedicated resident of Warren County since 1982. Snyder has spent more than three decades working on volunteer projects with the U.S. Forest Service and the Allegheny River and Reservoir Cleanups. Snyder has also served more than a decade on the Board of Directors for the Warren Public Library and volunteers his time at the Warren First Church of the Nazarene Food Pantry and the First Presbyterian Church’s Sharing Place.

Photo courtesy Allegheny Outfitters Facebook page A boat load of debris is pictured during this year’s Allegheny River Cleanup.

“It’s one of the best volunteer or one of the best volunteer efforts in this community, which shows how great Warren and Warren County is all about,” said Councilman Maurice Cashman. And David, you got that started.”

“I won’t take credit for starting it,” Snyder said.

“You’re at the forefront,” Cashman continued. “And so I give you the credit. But I hope as things continue and when you get worn down I hope there is somebody right behind you. Remember succession planning is always great and thanks again for the huge effort. It is a huge effort.”