Durangoans who’ve been guilty of a little river carnage over the last few months have a chance to make up for it next Saturday. In conjunction with Trout Unlimited’s Statewide River Cleanup, the Five Rivers Chapter of TU, along with the City of Durango, will be conducting the end-of-summer Animas River Clean-Up on the morning of Sat., Sept. 13.

The clean-up takes place from 9 – 12 noon along the banks of the Animas, from Home Depot to 32nd Street. Volunteers should meet at the Santa Rita Park shelter, near the volleyball courts prior to 9 a.m., where they will be dispatched with trash bags, gloves, directions and refreshments. TU’s clean-up sandwiches the tail end of the river season, with Animas Riverkeepers’ taking the lead for springtime duties. According to TU’s Ty Churchwell, president of the Five Rivers Branch of TU, last year’s clean-up netted the biggest turn out yet, with 83 people combing the shores of the Animas in less than three hours. He is hoping this year’s turn-out, given the unusually large amount of trash, will bring out even more folks.

“We’d love to see a bigger turnout this year. We’re encouraging everyone to come down, bring the kids, bring the dog,” said Churchwell. “It only takes about two hours, and the river sure could use the help.”

– Missy Votel