(Guthrie Center) Project AWARE is going through the Middle Raccoon River in Guthrie County this summer. This is the Iowa Department of Natural Resources annual volunteer river cleanup event.
Guthrie County Conservation Director Brad Halterman reported to the County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday. The four-day expedition will start around the Coon Rapids area and head downriver and end in Van Meter.
Halterman says the trash is dumped off each day in an area designated as the halfway point. The gatherers unload the trash out of their boats and continue collecting trash downriver to one of their four nightly stopping points. He says each day; various entities haul the trash away from the river.
Project AWARE stands for A Watershed Awareness River Expedition. In addition to pulling trash out of the river, participants learn about watersheds, water quality, recycling, and other natural resource topics. This year’s expedition marks Project AWARE’s 18th year for the event.