Our River Clean Up program removes trash from the banks and the bottom of the Spokane River by foot and by boat. Removing trash from the river is important to protect wildlife, prevent water pollution, and ensure a safe and enjoyable environment for our community.
Current Litter Totals
let’s TEAM UP ON TRASH!
Public Clean Ups:
We offer public river cleanup events a few times per year, where we gather as many volunteers as we can in one spot to clean up along the shores in a particular location. Our most popular public clean up is our Earth Day clean up every April at High Bridge Park.
Private Clean Up:
You also can request a private event, where our staff will lead your group on an informative riverside litter cleanup. Availability depends on staff capacity at time of scheduling.
DIY Clean Up:
We will lend you pickers, bags, and gloves, help you pick a location if needed, and haul away the trash after you are done. Perfect for a group that wants to volunteer but needs more flexibility! Scheduling depends on equipment availability.
If your group would like to volunteer, please fill out the form below and we can arrange a cleanup (we provide supplies)! If you’d like to join our public River Cleanups, sign up for our email list and we will notify you (we typically hold one or two a year).
Request a River Cleanup
Use the “Book an Appointment” Button below to request a privately led river cleanup. We will provide the supplies and disposal, you provide the people power! You can request a cleanup 60 days in advance.
Please note that we are in the field most days in the summer and will respond to your email within 3-5 business days.
Private Clean Up Calendar
DIY CLean up request Form
If you’d rather do a DIY Cleanup, perfect for groups that fall outside our schedule or small groups, request one on the form below and we can arrange to get you the supplies or stop by the office at 35 W Main, Suite 308 and grab supplies during business hours. If you’d like us to suggest an area of the river, let us know in the comments.
Thank you to our program sponsor, Northwest Renewables!
Our work is also partially funded through a generous grant from the Department of Ecology’s Community Litter Cleanup Program (CLCP) administered by Spokane County Detention Services. Our disposal fees are covered by the City of Spokane.
River cleanups are a great way to enjoy the beauty of the outdoors while also doing something for the river.
If you have a special spot along the river you’d like help cleaning up, let us know!
A typical river clean up involves walking the banks of the Spokane River, along paths or uneven surfaces.
The kids at Summit School found a good use for all the trash they collected on their river clean up. A trash monster costume!
A typical haul includes bikes, shopping carts, clothing, plastic, and sleeping bags.
Our friends at Wiley Waters helped us out one day. Luckily they brought their 16 foot raft.
Our summer 2018 intern Jillian Howell snorkeling for trash.
Sean Visintainer of Silver Bow Fly Shop helped us remove over 200 tires from the banks and bottom of the Spokane River.
2023 Earth Day River Cleanup Photo Gallery
270 volunteers removed 7,500 pounds of trash from the shoreline of the Spokane River on April 22nd, 2023. Thank you to our sponsors for making this happen!
