SRRC - River Clean-Up Program

Overview

The SRRC works to maintain a clean and litter-free watershed. Recent projects have focused on watershed-wide road and river bank clean-ups as well as multi-year, organized efforts to remove large junk items.

In 2006, the SRRC coordinated the "Leave No Junker Behind" project. Over 330 cars, 625 tons of scrap metal, and 37 tons of tires were removed from the watershed and recycled.

River Clean-Up Day

Each year, the SRRC and concerned community members hold a River Clean-Up Day in conjunction with the California's North Coast Clean-Up Day. This annual event disposes of much of the yearly litter that accumulates along roadsides and river access points.

Additional clean-up days are held throughout the year as the need arises. Impromptu acts of litter control are always welcomed.

The History & Problem of Junk

Junk has been accumulating on the Salmon River since miners began hauling in supplies and equipment in the early 1850’s. While much of this junk has rusted, been buried, reused, or removed, abandoned vehicles and machinery, worn-out household appliances and other unusable items remain scattered throughout the watershed.

Abandoned vehicles and large appliances are potential sources of chemical pollution into streams and ground water. Gasoline, diesel, oils, Freon, and containers of unidentified fluids can be found in the watershed. These items are safety hazards, eyesores and often violate county codes.

"Leave No Junker Behind" Project

The “Leave No Junker Behind” project was a remarkably successful cooperative effort to remove junked cars, appliances, tires, and recyclable scrap metal from the Salmon River watershed.

Phase One: Inventory, Map, & Plan

The initial phase of this three year project was funded by the US Forest Service/RAC in 2004. SRRC inventoried and mapped all of the crushable, recyclable metal on public and private property in the watershed. A plan was developed to collect, haul, and remove the scrap metal.

Phase Two: Collect, Haul, & Crush

The Siskiyou County Planning Department administered Phase Two of the project, and the Karuk Tribe contributed money for hauling vehicles and scrap metal in 2006. The junk was collected at three central locations over a period of two months. Local volunteers hauled more than 300 vehicles from locations around the Salmon River to the collection sites. A contracted scrap metal recycler crushed the material at each collection site and hauled it out of the watershed for recycling. This effort was complicated by the fact that large wildfires were burning throughout the watershed as the crushing and hauling was taking place.

Completion

The Leave No Junker Behind project was completed in the late summer of 2006. A total of 332 junk vehicles, 625 tons of scrap metal, and 37 tons of tires were removed from the watershed. Most of this material was recycled. Community members contributed nearly 2000 volunteer hours to make this project a success.

Program Coordinator

Sarah Hugdahl,

Salmon River Restoration Council
PO Box 1089
25631 Sawyers Bar Road (shipping only)
Sawyers Bar, CA 96027

phone: 530-462-4665 or 800-840-4665
fax: 530-462-4664