It is time again for the annual Lower Salt River Clean Up. A crew of volunteers will be clearing the riverbed north of Mesa on Saturday morning. Every summer, the river and its surrounding area are used by picnickers and people floating on inner tubes, and inevitably, they leave trash behind.
Gary Hanna is the district ranger with the Mesa Ranger District, Tonto National Forest. He said the riverbed is kept generally clean in the summer, but when the river is low, it keeps volunteers busy.
"Last year, we had 100 plus, and we got a lot done," Hanna said. "This year, the river flows are extremely low, and we’re expecting to even gather more trash."
Volunteers should wear close-toed shoes and bring water and sunscreen. Trash bags will be provided. Sign-ups will be from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. at the Blue Point Recreation Site. The cleanup will continue until about noon.
