Photo courtesy of Iowa Project AWARE social media

Registration is now open for the Iowa Project AWARE Skunk River Cleanup, which will take place this summer. 

Standing for A Watershed Awareness River Expedition, the annual, volunteer-driven initiative is scheduled for July 7 to July 12 and will see hundreds of participants canoeing the Skunk River, cleaning up any trash in the process. The area of focus will be a 75.6 mile stretch of the river from Keokuk County to the Mississippi River, passing through Washington, Jefferson, Henry, Lee, and Des Moines counties. After each cleanup day, volunteers will gather back in camp to enjoy a variety of educational programs and interactive activities that broaden watershed awareness.

In the 20 years since Iowa Project AWARE began, over 6,000 volunteers have removed 489 tons of trash from more than 1,400 miles of river with 81% of all trash recycled. To register for the Skunk River cleanup, click here.