Saturday, September 13, 2022
Columbia Bottom Conservation Area, St. Louis, Missouri

September 13, 2008, was Missouri River Relief’s third clean-up at the Confluence, and once again it was a great success. 168 volunteers ignored a stormy weather forecast and hit the river in force.

With some crews heading upstream to the Sioux Passage Ramp, and others cruising out onto the Mississippi River, a massive amount of trash was brought to shore by Missouri River Relief’s hardworking trash boats.

Many groups and individuals were dedicated Missouri River clean-up crews, having been to four or more clean-up events in the St. Louis area. One of these, Mike Clark of Big Muddy Adventures, took a crew of volunteers for an afternoon trash run in his 24 foot canoe, the Clipper! Several of our agency boat drivers had been to Friday’s Watershed Festival and stuck around for the cleanup as well.

Trash Tally

• 152 Large Bags of Trash! Plus..
• 65 tires (including one monster tractor tire 4 feet in diameter weighing over 500 lbs)
• 5 refrigerators
• 2 chairs
• 2 blue 55-gallon plastic barrels
• 3 metal 55-gallon drums
• 9 large styrofoam chunks
• 33 pieces of scrap metal
• 2 five gallon buckets
• 1 inflated green floaty ring
• 1 Tigger toy ball
• 1 full beer can labeled “211” found by Stream Team 211
• 1 German plastic toy soldier
• 1 green plastic shed
• 1 bike frame
• 1 blanket
• 1 tent
• 2 gas tanks
• 1 Sit & Spin toy
• 1 douche
• 1 mail box
• 1 toilet float
• 1 sand-buried, dilapidated metal shed
• 1 hot water heater
• 1 metal sign
• 1 baseball bat
• 3 propane tanks
• 1 fisherman’s jug w/ hook
• 1 bicycle (well past its prime)
• 1 bed spring frame
• 1 table
• 1 large metal ratchet
• 1-30 gallon metal tank
• 2-50 gallon plastic garbage can
• 3 barge cables
• 1 construction barrel
• ½ of a metal drum
• 1 barge turnbuckle key
• 1 car seat
• 1 TV picture tube
• wood stakes
• 1 truck headlight
• 1 cooler
• 1 toilet seat