On Saturday, September 12, 2026, We Love Clean Rivers (WLCR) and the Clackamas River Basin Council (CRBC) teamed up for the annual Down the Clackamas River Clean Up. From Milo McIver State Park to Clackamette Park, community members rallied on foot, in rafts, and on kayaks to maintain Oregon’s beloved Clackamas River watershed.
The eNRG Kayaking crew helped support the day’s on-water logistics by supplying rafts and guides. A group of paddlers from our year-round Youth Kayak Team and summer camp programs also joined the clean up, paddling the Barton to Carver section while picking up trash.
Volunteers pulled an impressive 2,980 pounds of trash from the waterway and surrounding banks—outperforming last year’s collection by 220 pounds.
Trash Breakdown by River Section
- McIver to Barton: 420 lbs
- Barton to Carver: 520 lbs
- Carver to Riverside: 520 lbs
- Riverside to Clackamette: 720 lbs
- Clackamette Cove: 800 lbs
Clackamette Cove saw dedicated on-land and shoreline cleanup attention this year following a disrupted in-water boathouse demolition, allowing crews to clear significant loads of metal scrap, tires, abandoned gear, and roadside debris.
Creative Finds & Contest Highlights
The traditional post-cleanup trash contest turned river stewardship into lighthearted community fun, with volunteers entering their oddest and most striking discoveries:
- Trash Rainbow: 7 cans matching every color of the spectrum
- Trash Twins: Two matching Crocs recovered a full mile apart
- Trash Jackpot: A funky embroidered shoe
- Trash Fashion: A complete vintage outfit with a matching hat
- Cutest Piece of Trash: A red monster stuffed animal
- Most Vintage: A classic high school Polaroid photo
- Most Punk Rock: Heavy-duty industrial gear rigged with blue rope
- Funniest / People’s Choice: 2000s-era booty shorts
Other notable hauls hauled out of the river included an entire abandoned metal boat, a gaming chair, a soggy foam mattress, a submerged shopping cart, and a rogue costume mermaid tail.
Community & Sponsor Gratitude
This annual river effort is powered by the dedication of local partners, agencies, and businesses providing funding, rental gear, shuttle logistics, and post-cleanup refreshments:
- Key Partners & Sponsors: Clackamas River Basin Council, We Love Clean Rivers, Mt. Hood Territory, Water Environment Services (WES), Clackamas River Water Providers (CRWP), eNRG Kayaking, Tigard Water District, Metro, and Warn Industries.
- Volunteer & River Support: Stream-N-Team, American Medical Response (AMR), and the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office Marine Unit.
- Local Business Contributors: Stone Circle Cider, Oregon City Brewing Company, Starbucks (McLoughlin), Chris Cakes Northwest, Carver Hangar, and the Barton Store.
- Live Music: Singer-songwriter Shane Brown for soundtracking the post-cleanup celebration at Barton Park.
We hope to see you on the water for future events!
