Yuba River cleanup event removes estimated 10,000 pounds of trash
NEVADA COUNTY — The South Yuba River Citizens League (SYRCL) held its 27th annual cleanup event to pull trash from the Yuba Watershed, and they're calling it a huge success.
The event takes place traditionally once the summer swimming season wraps up. This year, an estimated 10,000 pounds of trash were removed from the river.
"I moved out here a couple years ago and i had never heard of the yuba. And it's just mind blowingly gorgeous and serene and majestic and perfect," Frass valley resident elias iristree.
The SYRCL wants to keep it that way. The nonprofit has been around for 40 years, focusing on keeping the Yuba Watershed clean.
"Despite our best efforts, a lot of trash gets left behind. It's unfortunate, but it is what it is. And so our river clean up is the culmination of ok we've done everything we can now let's pick it up," said Aaron Zettler-Mann, the nonprofit's executive director.
More than 500 volunteers spread out across 80 miles along the Yuba River from the Castle Valley area of Nevada County all the way down to Marysville where it hits the Feather River.
"One of our greatest resources here in Nevada County is the Yuba River. We see people leave trash behind, but it's more than that. It's obviously big garbage," Nevada City resident Tina Heck said.
Volunteers even pulled out about 60 tires.
"There's always a lot of camping stuff. In the river itself, we see easy-ups, pool floaties, a countless number of cigarette butts," Zettler-Mann said.
Some of the weirder finds include counterfeit money and a deer carcass wrapped in Tyvek, but the nonprofit said at least it's all out.
Zettler-Mann told me a story about some mountain bikers who noticed the cleanup, ditched their bikes and grabbed bags to help.
"We're a longtime, 40-plus-year community advocacy organization. So we've got deep roots in this community and one of the things that's humbling is that they show up," he said.
"It's a beautiful thing when people volunteer to take care of our environment," Heck said.
The SYRCL does more than just cleanups. They also focus on restoration and education.