Volunteers clean up junk at river

Ron Bowman said he was talking to a couple from Oregon who were hiking in the Carson River Canyon near the old mill site.

"They said it was a fantastic site and then they asked 'why is it so trashed?'" he said.

From the bullet riddled washing machines, engine blocks and beer kegs it's hard to believe that the mill site had been completely cleared of debris last September.

"None of this stuff was here last year," Bowman said. "We completely cleaned it up."

However, a year later, more junk has been dumped at the site, commonly known as the "Shooting Gallery."

Kiwanis Club members are seeking volunteers to help in their annual clean up of the Carson River downstream from Deer Run Bridge on Saturday and there is plenty of work to do.

Southwest Gas is providing a piece of heavy equipment to help pry loose a Subaru station wagon that spent the last two seasons in the river.

"We didn't have the equipment to pull it out last year," said Ray Frederick, another Kiwanian.

The clean-up is a family event and is open to anyone who wants to help.

Participants will gather at the Bureau of Land Management Field Office, 5665 Morgan Mill Road, before going to work in the river.

T-shirts commemorating the event, snack bars, water and a meal ticket will be issued when participants check in.

Lunch will be served at 1 p.m. in the parking lot, when the Kiwanians cook up a barbecue lunch.

Bowman said people who want to help should bring work gloves, hat, sunscreen and insect repellent.

Volunteers under the age of 18 need permission slips unless they are with a parent or guardian.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Services' Dan Kaffer said some conservation work will be done on the river during the clean-up.

He pointed out that not all those damaging the river walk on two legs.

Beavers have been chewing on the cottonwoods overhanging the river, felling some.

In order to discourage the beavers, Kaffer said volunteers will be wrapping trees.

The trees are important because the provide cooler areas where trout live.

Kaffer said organizers hope families come out to help. Besides wrapping trees, there will be some planting.

For information, contact Frederick at 841-7163 or Bowman at 885-7302. Kaffer can be contacted at 883-2292.

YOU CAN HELP

What: Carson River Clean-up

When: Check-in begins 8:30 a.m. Saturday. Lunch is at 1 p.m.

Where: Bureau of Land Management Field Office, 5665 Morgan Mill Road