River Cleanup Technique and Contest @ Lee Creek

[Half Ton]

I know that there is some good ideas out here among the members of the message board........

and just like Jim Carey's Riddler role in Batman......I would suck the ideas out of your heads if I only had that special brainwave device that the Riddler came up with in Batman......

So, since I don't have that device.

What are your best ideas when it comes to cleaning up broken glass on the river ?

all I can think of is using 5 gallon buckets instead of trashbags so that glass can be recycled and won't tear a trash bag.

But, the act of picking up the glass is not so "user friendly" in a lot of cases. Especially when it comes to safety concerns for the general public.

Any advice or ideas would be appreciated.

[Roger]

Idea: Start with some sort of large collander or strainer. Shovel glass, dirt and debris into collander/strainer. Start pouring water over collector to rinse out mud, etc. Dump remains into container for later disposal.

Just an idea.

[Paddlegal]

How about a rake? Start with a garden rake to get the big pieces first then switch to a leaf rake for the smaller stuff. Unfortunately, I don't think you'll completely remove all the glass from an area.

Make the youngins keep their tennis shoes on.

By the way, ask Sharkattack sometime about his experience with glass in Lake Ouachita. Bad stuff!

[Jim Krueger]

Half Ton,

If I were trying to clean a specific area thoroughly, like a swimming area, I could only guess a technique like Roger mentioned would be the best.
When you mentioned glass in the river though, I thought of all the, usually single, pieces, and whole bottles ,I've found on the Caddo over the years. Often, when I find a piece of glass, I'm out of my boat either swimming or wadding along. Quite frankly I must say my technique with isolated glass is usually to pick it up, take aim, and throw it up the bank and out of the flood plain as much as possible. Of course, when circumstances permit, and especially with whole bottles, I stick them in my 'Game&Fish approved' trash bag for later disposal. The important thing is to remove it one piece at a time , and that's usually how I find it.
I know it's a little 'off topic' but one good thing about glass... as insidious as it is and can be, is that it's relativity soft in terms of lithic material. For instance, on a hardness scale of 1-5., glass is about 1 and naturally occuring shards of razor-sharp Novaculite is about 4.5. None the less, broken glass in the river is a stupid, thoughtless act of man. But I have also been pleased to see how quickly the stream will reduce it to smoothness, as in all the Coke bottle bottom 'medallions' I've found over the years. Smooth or not though, I always reference it to higher ground as I find it, one piece at a time

Best Regards
Jim Moose

[Half Ton]

Idea: Start with some sort of large collander or strainer. Shovel glass, dirt and debris into collander/strainer. Start pouring water over collector to rinse out mud, etc. Dump remains into container for later disposal.

I like the Idea Roger

How about a rake? Start with a garden rake to get the big pieces first then switch to a leaf rake for the smaller stuff.

Especially combined with paddlegal's

If I were trying to clean a specific area thoroughly, like a swimming area, I could only guess a technique like Roger mentioned would be the best.

I agree, especially combined with paddlegal's approach, but mebbe with a broom also because one of the spots I'm talking about is a hard pack dirt camping area known as Cedar Flats, which is located right next to Lee Creek just outside of Devils Den.







Granted you can't see the glass in these pics.....It is there in very large quantity and in pretty small pieces.

Does anyone have a portable Dyson and a generator ? The raked/scraped loose glass could be sucked up, 5 gallon bucketed, and emptied into a collander for seperation.

Any Other ideas, besides the great ones already mentioned for the location shown?

also what about for places like the gravel put in/take out areas of the Lee Creek ACC put in ?

[Fish]

If you can get a strong vacuum and a generator, you might get most of that glass up. Granted, it better be one tough vacuum...

- Fish

[Half Ton]

Here's two more photos.

The first- 1 of 20 or so trashed camp spots in cedar flats.



The second - Example of SilverBridge Put-in parking lot after the 4th of July

[Jim Krueger]

Half Ton, Until I viewed your pictures, I didn't realize you were mainly referring to campsites on dry land... Certainly for those on bare earth, I really recommend a flat shovel to scrape the ground,and plenty of capacity to haul the spoils away. It's certainly more difficult in the 'weedier' areas but even they can be addressed with a string trimmer then rake and shovel. Sad part is it will be a repetitive operation.
'Confessions of a retired landscaper", also stayed at a Holiday Inn back when there was only one kind...

Best Regards
Jim Moose

[Half Ton]

Jim, Yeah, most of the time I don't fully explain things in complete detail as I should. Sorry for any confusion that I might have caused.

I agree with you that repetative efforts are needed to keep our resources here in the natural state in great condition. And it is very unfortunate that more people can't take the extra step of disposing of litter properly.

I do think that the Cedar Flats, Fall Creek, Silver Bridge, and ACC take out areas of Lee Creek could all be cleaned every year and there would still be more broken glass left to pick up.

I'm sure it's the same on a lot of other riverside campspots and access points as well.

The good news is that these areas at Lee Creek will be cleaned this Sept 6th as part of the Keep Arkansas Beautiful: Great Arkansas Cleanup effort..... of which the ACC is playing a very important leadership/ git'er done role!!!!

hmm. I wonder who cares about Lee Creek and who is willing to participate in the cleanup more????? The River Valley Chapter or the NWA chapter ?????

I'd lay a bet that one chapter will have more members participate than the other.

Any thoughts on that gauntlet that just got laid down ?

[Half Ton]

Well then, I'll go ahead and say that NWA will have more ACC clubbers picking up trash on Lee Creek on Sat. Sept. 6th

I have heard word of some Central Chapter Members participating also.... could they possibly be the dark horse participation winner ? Mebbe.

If I were to rank participation I'd Say 1) NWA , 2) RV , 3) Central.

Which for people to come to Lee Creek for a cleanup from the Central Chapter makes them a winner no matter what

[DMG]

I'm game! I'm working the weekend of the 6th but I'm off the Thursday and Friday before it. Gimme some directions to the site that needs the most help and I'll give y'all a head start. I have a truck and access to a dumpster as long as I don't fill it all in one shot. Fill the dumpster in one shot and I'll be doing a cleanup at my apartments!

[Half Ton]

DMG, What up? Besides you da man!

I will accept, as I am sure the club will also, any help on any day for the river cleanup. Of course, I would love for more NWA clubbers and boaters to turnout than RV boaters simply because I'm a competive NWA clubber and would love to prove our love and interest for Lee is, indeed, superior to that of the RV chapter..........

No need to worry about the dumpster at your place. Devils Den has Dumpsters already in the park that you could place the trash beside on Friday before the event on Sat. The reason I say beside the dumpster, or even in a pile at the place you pick up is because I will take pictures of all that trash that has been collected from Lee Creek.

Also, I will more than likely be delivering some goods down there on Friday so If I can't hook you up with trash bags before mebbe we can coordinate to get you some on the Friday before.

There are several places that need cleaning that are closer to Fayetteville. Cedar Flats, Ellis Creek, Lee Creek from the park to Cedar Flats. Other places are a little further and longer to drive to, but still close: Fall Creek, SilverBridge put in, and The ACC take out for the Lee Creek run.

Also, and I love to hold out hope for this option..... If it happened that the river was running anytime during that week, I would strait up skip work to float from DD park to the Silver Bridge!

As I said, You da man DMG ! and dang right NWA chapter of ACC will have more participants than the RV chapter because we love and appreciate the Lee Creek more. I know them may be fighten words, but a fight is worth a clean and extraordinary Lee Creek. Plus, I'd love to be proven wrong even at the expense of losing the contest.

[Cowper]

Is there any "official" meeting time or place you want the ACC participants to show up at?

[Sasquatch]

Is there any "official" meeting time or place you want the ACC participants to show up at?

Cowper
I think John will post details now that a lot of stuff was ironed out at today's meeting. I will brief the future winners RV Chapter at Mondays meeting.

[Sasquatch]

Keep Arkansas Beautiful
Lee Creek Clean up September 6th 2008
Clean up committee members
Carla Spencer (Washington County Conservation District)
Robyn Reed / Sophie Stephenson (Washington County Environmental Affairs Office)
Roy Estep / Mike Harrison (USFS)
John Pennington (Washington County Cooperative Extension Service)
Lucas Caldwell / Rebekah Spurlock (Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism)
Mike Chiolino / Debbie Doss (Arkansas Canoe Club)
The River Valley Chapter of the Arkansas Canoe Club will Sponsor from the Silver Bridge down to Hwy 59. Our effort will be the lower Lee Creek area. This will be difficult during dry weather but George Locke will contact several land owners to get access to four different positions for the cleanup area. A map will be provided at the check in point at Natural Dam and signs will be posted designation clean up access areas.
The RV Chapter will man a check in point at Natural Dam with trash bags, water, bug spray, first aid and maps. The check in point will be the main drop off for trash when finished. The trash drop off will be open all day. We will only operate the check in point from 9:00AM until 1:00PM.
Thus allowing volunteers to travel to Devils Den State Park for lunch and door prizes.
George Locke has graciously offered all volunteers access to the Beaver Pond for a swim afterwards if they chose to do so.
The off road four wheeler group plans to clean up most of the area around the white water run. We can also get to most of this section with boats and wading.