Thousands of volunteers remove an estimated 100,000 pounds of trash along Milwaukee rivers during annual spring cleanup event

Jessica Rodriguez, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
·2 min read

Saturday's warm and sunny weather welcomed thousands of volunteers picking up trash along the Milwaukee River Basin during the city's 27th annual Milwaukee Riverkeeper Spring Cleanup.

Estefany Montoya, a student at St. Thomas More High School, walked along the Kinnickinnic River with pride as she snatched up stray trash before it drifted into the river in the Pulaski Park neighborhood.

"I grew up in this neighborhood," Montoya said. "It feels good walking around and thinking of old memories here while I'm also cleaning it and making it a better place."

Around 4,300 volunteers throughout 36 organizations participated in Saturday's cleanup, removing an estimated 100,000 pounds of trash along the Milwaukee River, Menomonee River, Kinnickinnic River and nearby neighborhoods.

"What happens every year is the snow piles up and we forget temporarily about the trash and litter and debris," said Anne Michalski, creative director at Milwaukee Riverkeeper. "As the snow starts to melt, we realize what an issue it is again."

The event extends 800 miles throughout Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Washington and Waukesha counties.

The skull of an animal was found by Iranialliz Velazquez Saturday during the 27th annual Milwaukee Riverkeeper Spring Cleanup near Pulaski Park in Milwaukee.
The skull of an animal was found by Iranialliz Velazquez Saturday during the 27th annual Milwaukee Riverkeeper Spring Cleanup near Pulaski Park in Milwaukee.

"All that debris after the snow melts, it all floats around and flies around and ends up in our rivers and our waterways," Michalski said. "The things we rely on for drinking, swimming and fishing."

Travis Hope, president of the KK River Neighbors in Action plan, led one of the groups that collected trash along the Pulaski Park area. A lifelong southside resident, he has volunteered in the spring cleanup for the last eight years.

The Kinnickinnic River, sometimes referred to as the forgotten river, is typically one of the most trash-filled sties during cleanup events.

"Because of the channel design, everything is pushed in there," Hope said. "It's basically a big concrete sewer."

The conditions have improved following the city's river naturalization project — a $390 million restoration effort aimed at reducing flooding dangers, improving water quality and keeping currents from overwhelming storm sewers — but Hope still sees people throwing trash out of their car windows in the area.

"It's still an issue, but now because everybody is more aware, there's a lot more people picking up garbage," Hope said.

After the cleanup, Milwaukee Riverkeeper hosted a waste-free celebration at the Harley Davidson Museum.

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Mike Montenegro helps his 5-year-old son, Rico, put on a glove to help clean up the community during the 27th annual Milwaukee Riverkeeper Spring Cleanup Saturday along South 10th Street in Milwaukee.
Mike Montenegro helps his 5-year-old son, Rico, put on a glove to help clean up the community during the 27th annual Milwaukee Riverkeeper Spring Cleanup Saturday along South 10th Street in Milwaukee.

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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Milwaukee Riverkeeper spring cleanup 2022 removes 100,000 lbs of trash