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Team members from Yuba Water Agency took part in a cleanup effort in support of the Yuba River Cleanup, a week-long program coordinated by the South Yuba River Citizens League.

Team members from Yuba Water Agency clear out trash between two road block barriers at the MMX Racing parking lot in Marysville.

Team members from Yuba Water Agency took part in a cleanup effort in support of the Yuba River Cleanup, a week-long program coordinated by the South Yuba River Citizens League.

Team members from Yuba Water Agency clear out trash between two road block barriers at the MMX Racing parking lot in Marysville.

Summer brings quite a bit of traffic to the rivers and coastal areas of California. 

Yuba, Sutter, and Colusa counties are no different with residents frequenting the area’s three major watersheds: the Sacramento, Feather, and Yuba rivers. 

According to the South Yuba River Citizens League, the Yuba River alone is enjoyed by approximately 800,000 people each summer. All this activity tends to leave a significant amount of trash and debris behind. Inevitably, if left untouched, these items continue to get swept downstream and into the ocean.  

To combat this, and the buildup of other garbage, a California Coastal Cleanup Day was established to take place in September 38 years ago to encourage the public to take action against maritime pollutants. The South Yuba River Citizens League (SYRCL) has joined in these efforts with the establishment of its annual Yuba River cleanup event. For the past week, SYRCL, pronounced “circle,” has hosted cleanup days at sites all across the Yuba River.

On Friday, the Yuba Water Agency volunteered a group of employees to clean up a portion of the river just northwest of Linda near MMX Racing at 981 Shad Rd. in Marysville. This blue shirted crew sported bright smiles, a set of trash pickers, and some flashy orange trash bags. 

“This is our day dedicated to the cleanup,” said Willie Whittlesey, Yuba Water Agency’s general manager. “We’re gonna clean this area and upstream as far as we can go for the next three hours.”

Whittlesey explained that SYRCL is the organization that coordinates the entire Yuba River cleanup from the summit of the Sierra Mountains all the way down to the mouth of the Feather River. 

“We focus on this area in Marysville since that’s where we’re stationed, but it’s their event we’re participating in,” added Whittlesey.

The team immediately set to work starting inside the parking lot. A substantial build up of discarded clothes and food packaging was found between the road block barriers separating the gravel area from the river banks. At least two garbage bags were filled from just this one small spot. Some members also reported finding a variety of odd debris over the years such as recreational items, tires, couches, and even broken washing machines. 

Today, the official 2022 California Coastal Cleanup Day will be celebrated from 9 a.m. to noon. The public is invited to help clean up the Feather River at the California Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Shanghai Bend Unit in Yuba City. Trash bags will be provided, however participants are encouraged to bring their own work gloves, snacks, and water. Additional equipment such as extra trash bags, buckets, and a trash picker, may also come in handy. 

The group asks that guests check in with the cleanup coordinator at the Shanghai Bend parking lot prior to beginning trash pickup. The area will be located to the right at the end of Shanghai Bend Road and the junction of Levee Road. 

For more information about California Coastal Cleanup Day, visit coastalcleanupday.org or contact the Sutter County coordinator at FriendsofFeatherRiver@gmail.com.

To keep up on events and ongoings of the South Yuba River Citizens League, visit yubariver.org.

Sunny. High 89F. Winds light and variable..

Clear skies. Low 52F. Winds light and variable.

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