Kiski Watershed Association to hold highway cleanup in Leechburg and Gilpin

A nonprofit dedicated to conserving and rehabilitating natural resources is doing its part to clean up litter and debris that could potentially get into the Kiski River.

The Kiski Watershed Association will hold a highway cleanup along River Road and Market Street in Leechburg and Gilpin at 9 a.m. Saturday. The cleanup will start at The River’s Edge Canoe and Kayak in Gilpin, and volunteers will walk toward Leechburg.

The group is holding the highway cleanup in place of the annual River Sweep — another causality of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

River Sweep is a volunteer cleanup event where people pick up litter and debris along local waterways, including the Allegheny, Ohio, Monongahela, Youghiogheny, Beaver and Kiski rivers.

The Ohio River Valley Water Sanitation Commission, which organizes River Sweep, said covid-19 restrictions prohibit the large groups of volunteers the event usually has. Because of that, people will be carrying out their own River “Mini” Sweep cleanups through November.

“We don’t know really how much garbage we’ll actually get, but we thought a highway cleanup would be easier for people to still get out and more safely social distance, and still be able to pick up trash that during a large rain event may end up in the Kiski River,” said Chelsea Walker, watershed association secretary.

Cleaning up trash on a highway may seem like a small thing, but it can drastically help improve the quality of a river.

“We’re looking at this being a bigger impact in decreasing the amount of plastic and garbage that gets into the waterways that would have an even bigger impact to, let’s say, the oceans; it goes the whole way to there,” Walker said. “It’s just protecting those that live downstream from us.”

Leechburg Mayor Wayne Dobos and Gilpin Supervisors Chairman Charlie Stull applauded the association’s efforts.

“They’re very dedicated about keeping their mission going,” Dobos said. “It shows that no matter what, they’re going to try to help clean up around the Kiski River.”

“Any effort to limit pollution of our waterways is a good effort,” Stull said.

The association will provide volunteers with safety vests, disposable gloves and trash bags. Wearing face masks and social distancing will be encouraged.

“Our goal will be to space out,” Walker said. “Everybody will get their own garbage bag; they’ll have gloves and they can kind of keep it at safe distance, at what they feel is comfortable to them.”