Kalamazoo River Cleanup

A KALAMAZOO AREA
2024 KALAMAZOO RIVER CLEANUP

Kalamazoo Mayor's Riverfront Park
Saturday, April 20, 2024, 11:00AM - 3:00PM

Join Us. Make a Lasting Impact. This is our Legacy.

Scroll toward the bottom of page for the volunteer, event sponsor, and MWS partner signup form.

Last updated, April 21, 2024

Rotary Club of Kalamazoo and Michigan Waterways Stewards are partnering together to help clean the Kalamazoo River running through the city which is its namesake. Rotary has a mission, to support activities that strengthen the conservation and protection of natural resources, advance ecological sustainability, and foster harmony between communities and the environment.

We all have a shared responsibility to protect, care for, and improve our treasured and vulnerable waterways. Thus the reason for this being a community-wide event to clear the Kalamazoo River, it's adjoining river trails and parks, and low lands, of litter, trash, and other evidence of urban living.

We are seeking the support of Kalamazoo area businesses and industry, schools and churches, civic and social clubs, local government, and passionate individuals. Join us. Make a lasting impact. It is amazing the ease in which we can accomplish great things when working together.

WMU's Sigma Chi fraternity is the event's first volunteer organization.

KALAMAZOO RIVER AND RIVER TRAIL CLEANUP
Event Headquarters: Mayor's Riverfront Park
Day: Saturday, April 20, 2024
Time: 11:00AM - 3:00PM
Food, drink, and equipment provided.

This is a community-wide celebration. Come join us.
Let's showcase the best of the greater Kalamazoo area and make a lasting impact!

- KALAMAZOO RIVER AND RIVER TRAIL CLEANUP -

It's more than stewardship. It's a celebration of community.

Dear Kalamazoo River and River Trail Cleanup Volunteers,

Thank you for volunteering. With 40 organizations and well over 400 volunteers having pledged their support, this Kalamazoo River and River Trail Cleanup will be the largest volunteer initiative of its type in the greater Kalamazoo area, ever!

This event much has evolved into something much more than stewardship, it is a celebration of community. All we ask is that you enjoy your time on or along the river, conduct a little stewardship, and most importantly be safe. Then when done celebrate knowing the impact that you have made, that you helped make our Kalamazoo River and River Trail cleaner, healthier and looking its best.

To make this a most pleasant and safe event we are providing; your equipment needs, tons of hospitality, shuttling service for paddlers, and safety teams placed on and along the river, and much more. To learn more about the event, please take a moment and read below.

Kalamazoo River and River Trail Cleanup
Event Headquarters: Mayor's Riverfront Park
Day: Saturday, April 20, 2024
Time: 11:00AM - 3:00PM
Food, drink, and equipment provided.

Equipment Provided

Garbage bags, trash pickers, disposable gloves, and 5-gallon buckets (limited quantity), will be provided and available at event headquarters beginning at 10AM. We ask that you return all unused items, along with trash pickers and 5-gallon buckets, when finished.

For those volunteering on the river, we ask that you bring your own kayak, canoe, boat or other. If you don’t have one, but would like to be paired up with another to help on the river, let us know in advance so we can help coordinate. Wearing PFD and following all USCG regulations is required.

Shutting Services Provided

For those paddling and needing help returning to their cars, shutting services will be provided. We simply ask that when you reach your destination, wave down a nearby Communications Team member. They will radio for help upon request.

Nine Event Communications Team members will be strategically stationed along the route. They will be positioned on bridges and at or near planned exit points. They will also be on the water. Each will be wearing brightly colored vests and will have a radio near their ear.

Hospitality Provided | Hot Good, Drinks, and Snacks

In appreciation of all our volunteers, hot meals, snacks, and beverages, will be provided at event headquarters, along the river trail, and on the river.

HOSPITALITY | EVENT HEADQUARTERS

At Mayors’ Riverfront Park, between 11AM - 4PM Milestone Senior Services will be providing for FREE meals and snacks for all our volunteers. This includes 1⁄2 pound burgers, brats, and hotdogs, grilled on site, buns, pasta salad, baked beans set up buffet style in chafing dishes. Also on the buffet will be individual bags of chips, cookies (freshly baked), condiments, water, and pop.

Burgers, brats, and hotdogs, and much more, provided by Milestone Senior Services.

Gordon Water Systems will be providing 5-gallon water jugs for volunteers to fill up their cups or reusable bottles.

HOSPITALITY | ALONG THE RIVER TRAIL

Old Dog Tavern in cooperation with ZSR Solar (transportation) will be providing FREE food and drinks to those volunteering on the river trail. When you see the ZSR color powered golf cart with trailer making frequent roundtrips on the river trail, wave them down for a refreshing drink or hearty snack.

ZSR will also have with them additional trash bags, garbage pickers, and disposable gloves.

HOSPITALITY | AFTER EVENT CELBRATION

For those coming off the river or river trail later in the day, Milestone Senior Services will continue to serve our volunteers at Mayors’ Riverfront Park until 4:00PM. Enjoy for FREE your choice of 1⁄2 pound burgers, brats, hotdogs, pasta salad, baked beans, bag of chips, and fresh baked cookies, condiments, water and pop.

To celebrate a great day and to further express our gratitude, Old Dog Tavern will be hosting a FREE PIZZA BUFFET at their establishment for all volunteers between 3:00PM - 5:00PM.
Old Dog Tavern
402 E Kalamazoo Ave

Emergency Services | Communications Team

Safety of our volunteers is paramount. We will have six communications posts along the river, plus event emergency management services headquarters at Mayors’ Riverfront Park, strategically placed to observe, direct, and be prepared to respond if needed. To learn of their location, see image to the right.

There will also be water rescue team members on the river to assist or to be immediately activated if needed.

Make sure to complete and hand in your Waiver of Liability form.

As a requirement to participate, please take amount to read and sign the Michigan Waterways Stewards Waiver of Liability. You can either:

Prior to Friday, April 19, scan and email it to: [email protected].
On the day of the event bring it to the our event headquarters at Mayors’ Riverfront Park.

Click here to download your Michigan Waterways Stewards waiver of liability.

Our Master Plan
Mapping Our Stewardship Success.

When done, the Kalamazoo River, its riverbanks, and prized Kalamazoo River Valley Trail will be looking its best. To the right is our master plan, depicting:

Our primary targeted area (red circle).
The epicenter of our focus and planned heavy boating area for our most challenging on-river stewardship needs (shaded gray circle).
18 hot spots needing our stewardship focus (black dots).
Placement of our 9 safety management teams (8 red blocks & 1 at event headquarters).
2 paddling zones for our light-to-moderate stewardship needs.
1 EPA

Thank you for making our inaugural Kalamazoo River and River Trail cleanup an unprecedented volunteer even. When done we will be presenting a cleaner, healthier, and more pleasant Kalamazoo River and River Trail. If you have any questions or thoughts on how we can make this event of greater interest and more enjoyable, please drop us a note. We would love to hear from you.

See you Saturday April 20th!

Kalamazoo River Cleanup Event Partners
Join Us • Make A Lasting Impact • This Is Our Legacy

Thank you to our partners, sponsors, and volunteers for making this event possible!

If you too wish to become a volunteer, event sponsor, and MWS partner, scroll down to the section below to sign up.

A Kalamazoo River Trail Assessment | 3.28.24

A 13-mile Comstock to Parchment Round Trip Assessment

Every urban city is challenged with the problem of litter, trash, and other debris found in or near its waterways. It is how those cities rally their community to protect, care for, and improve their waterways which sets them apart. With the leadership of Rotary Club of Kalamazoo and the support of the municipalities of Kalamazoo, Comstock, and Parchment, and the county of Kalamazoo, we are about to redefine waterways stewardship.

With the expectation of over 300 volunteers, possibly well over 400, the Kalamazoo River and its prized River Trail is about to experience a transformation.

With the celebration of Earth Day on April 24, the Kalamazoo River and River and its prized River Trail will be looking its best in years, maybe ever. It is amazing the joy and ease in which we can accomplish great things when working together. Come join us. Make a lasting impact. This is our legacy.

A Kalamazoo River Assessment | 2.23.24

Mayor's Riverfront Park to Merrill Park

We should all be excited about interest to support our spring, Saturday, April 20 Kalamazoo River and River Trail Cleanup. City of Kalamazoo and County support is strong, in fact unprecedented. Rotary Club of Kalamazoo is demonstrating how committed they are to Rotary's mission to support the environment. It's always exciting to see our students giving back to community. Thank you Western Michigan University.

On this date I paddled from Mayor's Riverfront Park to Betty understand the need, measures the risks, and to best allocate volunteer resources have the greatest impact. Every urban area has its challenges. The Kalamazoo area is no different. But, we should feel good that when done this Spring, certainly with our second event in the fall, our Kalamazoo River and its riparian zone will be looking its best in years. A reason to celebrate.

A Kalamazoo River Assessment | 2.10.24

A 20-mile River Assessment From Comstock to Plainwell

Saturday, we took to the Kalamazoo River. We put in at Merrill Park in Comstock, paddled upstream to Morrow Dam, then finished the trip at Plainwell. While every urban area is challenged with urban debris in its waterways, and spring time typically presents the worse conditions after a lengthy winter break and spring snowmelt, everyone should all proud of the overall conditions of this lovely river.

We want to applaud the greater Kalamazoo city for its apparent strong community spirit and civic pride. Every introduction made has been received with quick and enthusiastic offers of support. We’re thrilled to have been invited to contribute to this year’s Kalamazoo River Cleanup.

To best showcase the wonderful city of Kalamazoo and the Kalamazoo River, we are thinking of conducting two Kalamazoo area river cleanups this year. One in early spring, which the date has been set for Saturday, April 20, and then another in the fall.

This weekend’s trip was to conduct a preliminary assessment to determine the overall needs and identify those greatest challenges. We will be returning in another 1-2 weeks to conduct a more thorough review and encourage others to join us.

As expected, problems of litter and trash are greatest near bridges, adjoining parks and river trails, and homeless encampments. But most don’t see where litter collects downriver in nearly each river bend, behind a collection of natural debris, or snagged beneath those old railroad bridges where their trestles are often 20’ or less. Then there is the problem where floodwaters carry trash deep into the lowlands, the nesting area of many migrating waterfowl.

Sadly, those river communities well down river suffer the consequences of their larger neighbors upriver. Miles down river from Kalamazoo, where there is no commercial district or high density buildings, we see large collections of plastics, glass, styrofoam, balls, propane tanks, and other.

This is why we take a community-wide approach toward waterways stewards. To heighten awareness of the need for all of us to protect, care for, and improve our treasured waterways. We seek the support of business and industry, schools and churches, civic and social clubs, passionate individuals and local government.

It is amazing the joy and ease in which we can accomplish great things when working together