Snake River Cleanup Planned

A trash cleanup along one of the more popular stretches of the Snake River is planned for Saturday, March 23, weather permitting. Additional volunteers are needed to help with this effort, hosted by the Idaho Department of Fish and Game. The river cleanup will be conducted from the Walter's Ferry bridge downstream to the Marsing bridge. "Ducks Unlimited volunteers are helping with the cleanup effort as are some local Fish and Game volunteer reservists," Fish and Game utility craftsman Dennis Hardy said. "But we'd love to have additional volunteer help." Volunteers are asked to meet at the Fish and Game regional office (3101 S. Powerline Road, Nampa) at 8:00 am on Saturday or at the Map Rock access site at 9:00 am. Hardy noted that lunch and refreshments will be furnished to all who volunteer. "A few workers will be assigned to boats for a portion of the cleanup effort," Hardy said. "But most of the volunteers, and we hope to have a bunch of them, will be working along the banks of the river." Trash will be hauled to a central location for transport to a landfill. Because of a waterfowl nesting closure, federally-owned islands will not be part of the trash collection effort this year. Area landowners are encouraged to note the cleanup effort date. "We wanted to inform land owners in advance of the activities planned for that day," Hardy noted. "So when they see a flurry of activity along the river, they will know what's going on." For more information regarding the Snake River cleanup, contact Hardy at Fish and Game's Southwest region office, 465-8465.