A Successful Year of Trash Cleanup on the Columbia Slough

For years, the Council has hosted an annual event in July, the Great Slough Cleanup, where community members remove trash and debris throughout the watershed. We always remove a massive amount of trash at this event, but it only puts a small dent in the waste found in and around the Slough. So, in 2023, we decided to expand our cleanup program.

Photo taken by Paddle Team Volunteer & Board Member, Peter Hedman.

Launched in January of 2023 by then-new Community Outreach & Event Director, Amanda Gallegos, the Council now has a monthly cleanup program for the watershed! Some events take place on land, with volunteers walking throughout natural areas, riverfront spaces, dead-end streets, and more to remove trash. However, the majority of cleanup events take place on the water. Participants can bring their own boat, or take advantage of life jackets, paddles, and boats from the Council. From there, we head out onto the water to remove trash and debris from difficult areas to access, including areas in the Slough itself and along the banks.

From January through October 2023, the Council experienced a record-breaking year of trash removal. With the support of hundreds of community volunteers across 18 cleanups, 186 yards of trash and debris were removed from the Columbia Slough, along with 51 needles and 98 tires. “Providing community members with an opportunity to explore and learn about the Slough, while also volunteering, creates a unique connection to these natural spaces.” says Amanda Gallegos. “The hope is that through these events, we at the Watershed Council can facilitate and encourage deeper connections with natural spaces, as well as with others in the community also doing this work.”

Photo taken by Eyes on the Slough Volunteer, Mike Beymer.

While most of our cleanup events have been open to all community members, there were a few held for specific communities. In June, CSWC saw a large turnout for Queers for a Cleaner Slough, and in September we held a successful BIPOC-centered cleanup. For the final event of the year, the Council hosted a Halloween-theme event at the boat launch located at the corner of NE Glassplant Rd. and NE Alderwood Rd. Nearly 30 community members joined the on-water efforts for trash removal, and in costume at that! This group was able to remove 15 cubic yards of trash in just two hours.

In addition to the events that the Council has hosted, our Eyes on the Slough program continues to support the organization's mission to remove trash. Eyes on the Slough is a volunteer program where participants adopt a section within the watershed and work throughout the year to take care of their space. In 2023 this program included Mike Beymer, Bill Bradford, Bob Dolphin, Michelle Galaria, Zora Hess, Adam Reese, Annabelle Reese, and Paul Taylor. These individuals have worked countless hours to enhance the Slough and surrounding area, which has made a huge difference in the watershed. Paul Taylor has alone clocked over 2,135 hours on the water cleaning the Columbia Slough since September 2020. Paul says, "I started cleaning up the Slough three years ago because it was just so disheartening to kayak along the waterway and see so much trash in the water and along the banks. Since then, there has been a huge effort by the Columbia Slough Watershed Council and others to detrash the Slough and a lot of progress has been made. I learned early on that picking up trash was the easy part, and getting rid of it was the challenge. So when community partners like Budget Dumpster step up and help with the disposal of trash, it's just simply awesome, and I'm entirely grateful!"

This work would not be possible without dedicated volunteers who continue to show up for the community and for the Slough, 2023 community partners* who support our work, generous dumpster donations made by Affordable Junk Removal and Budget Dumpster, as well as continued financial contributions from Oregon Metro, Oregon Bottle Drop Give, Communicare, and East Multnomah Soil and Water Conservation District.

The Columbia Slough Watershed Council looks forward to continuing this work in January 2024. To get more involved with trash cleanup volunteer opportunities, please visit CSWC’s event calendar or the Eyes on the Slough information page. Donations to support the work of CSWC can be made here.

*Cleanup community partners in 2023 include Mosquito Fleet, Through the Trees Collective, Portland Parks & Recreation, Affordable Junk Removal, and SOLVE.