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Glasgow Missouri River Cleanup 2013

Stump Island Park - Glasgow, MO
Saturday, August 17th, 2013

Glasgow is a beautiful, historic river town perched on a bluff above the Missouri River. It has the "oldest continuously operated library west of the Mississippi" and is located on the "sharpest bend on the Missouri River". It probably has the highest percentage of residents that are proud to call themselves "river rats".

Glasgow residents love their river, and it shows. There is just not the normal amount of recreational and party trash as we find in most places. Stump Island Park is almost pristine. People take care of the river.

This was our third clean-up in Glasgow, but because of high water and bad weather in 2004 and 2007, this was our first time getting everyone out on the river. And we had a blast.

Almost 4 tons of trash was collected. Photo by Doug.

123 volunteers showed up and they removed 3.9 tons of junk from the banks of the river. 30 of those volunteers were from the Stienmetz 4-

H organization in Glasgow, who also cleans up Highway 5. Other volunteers came from as far away as Kansas City, Chillicothe and Arnold.

With the help of Mo. Dept. of Conservation Agents and Biologists, we got most of those folks out on the river to collect trash. With trash bags, shovels, a gas-powered chop saw, bolt cutters and their gloved hands, they cleaned up about 10 miles of the river.

One group spent all morning directly across the river from Stump Island Park, cleaning up refuse from years of scrap and tire dumping, as well as your general party trash. The Prentzler family brought their own boat and cleaned up all along the downtown Glasgow riverfront. Several boats attacked floating rafts of trash with nets.

After the morning's clean-up, all the volunteers enjoyed a great lunch donated and prepared by the Farmer's Pick Buffett at Isle of Capri Casino in Boonville. We gathered for a really fun trash contest with the treasures people found on the river. You can see the winners (and the full trash tally) below.

Volunteers sit along the river bank while they enjoy lunch donated and prepared by Farmer's Pick Buffett at Isle of Capri Casino in Boonville. Photo by Kimberline.

We spent the afternoon hauling all the trash in, including one boat entirely full of scrap metal. Then our crew got to enjoy the nearly full moon evening camping under the beautiful cottonwoods of Stump Island Park.

Trash Tally:

83 Bags of Trash
14 Tires on rim
1 Tractor Trailer Tire on rim
1 Tractor Trailer Tire w/out rim
1 Combine Tire on rim
5 Tires w/out rim
1 Inner Tube
1 Tire Rim, no tire
7 Chunks O’ Styrofoam
1 Cooler
2 5-gallon Metal Buckets
1 55-gallon Metal Drum
4 55-gallon Plastic Barrels
1 Refrigerator Coil
1 Drier Front
1 Deep Freezer
1 Helium Balloon Tank
1 green plastic Yard Chair
1 plastic Chair Seat
1 large piece Foam Rug Padding
3 Exhaust Pipes
1 Car Bumper
1 Tractor Seat
1 large orange Plastic Marker
1 Shovel
1 Concrete Test Core
1 Chainsaw Chain
1 Chemical Sprayer
25’ Corrugated Tubing
4 lengths heavy Barge Rope
22’ Rubber Hose
1 Ceiling Tile
1 Firebox Liner Brick
1 large orange Vinyl Floater
1 ceramic Sewer Pipe
1 large Conveyor Belt
1 Toilet Bowl
1 Fishing Line w/ Weights & Hooks
1 Grill
1 plastic Pumpkin shell
1 heavy Iron Chain
2 4” heavy wall Cast Iron Pipes
8” heavy wall Cast Iron Pipe
1 men’s Polo Shirt (perfect condition)
1 Fence Post
2 Angle Irons
4 sections Rebar
1 Window Weight
12 pieces Wire Cable 5’ to 30’
11 Iron Pipes
1 Scaffolding
2 Freon metal tanks
152+ Pieces Scrap Metal Steel (very heavy)

We ask volunteers to bring back items they find out on the river to submit into our trash contest! Photo by Kimberline.

Trash Contest Entries!

category winners in BOLD

Best Darned Find of the Day

1 Porky the Pig red piggy bank
1 Turtle Shell
1 plastic Genie Bottle

Wierdest Trash

1 side to a Price Chopper shopping cart
1 unique Oil Can
1 Christmas Tree Cookie Cutter
1 Doll Leg
1 Stereo Speaker
1 Toy Wheels

Biggest Trash

1 Red Board
1 Metal Wheel Rim
1 Duck Decoy
1 Heavy Steel Pipe elbow marked 1896

Most Fashionable

1 pair of plastic Hipster Glasses
1 pink Headband
1 Leather Shoe
1 Perfume Bottle
1 old Glass Bottle

Most Artistic

1 Tree Trunk w/roots
2 pieces of Drift Wood
1 Christmas Cookie Tin
1 plastic Pedestal

Oldest Trash

1 Light Bulb
1 Glass Bottle
1 Machete
1 Boat Hook

Most Useful

Assortment of Balls
1 Sharpie Highlighter
1 Depth Finder for fishing
1 Flip Flop, 1 Croc
1 plastic drink Thermos
1 metal drink Thermons
1 Fire Extinguisher
1 Trailer Light
1 Glass Bottle
1 car Head Light
1 red Milk Crate

Best Animal Finds

1 Deer Antler
1 Mussel Shell
1 Alien Head (actually a chert nodule)
3 Rubber Duckies

Confluence Cleanup Results

Photo album on Flickr

Photo album on Facebook

Total Volunteers: 123

  • River Relief Crew: 32
  • Boats: 9 (4 MRR, 4 MDC, 1 4-H: Prentzler Family)
  • River Miles Cleaned: 10 (MM 230 – MM 220)
  • River Stage: 11-ft. @ Glasgow gauge
  • Landfill: 1.6 tons
  • Scrap Metal: 1.8 tons
  • Tires: 23 - 0.45 tons

Total Trash Tonnage: 3.9 tons

Groups Participating: The Missouri River Relief Crew, MO Dept. of Conservation, Missouri Stream Team, Steinmetz 4-H Club, Logboat Brewing Co., Friends of Big Muddy, Truman State University

Fun Team Names: Roller Skating Land Sharks, Bad A** Boys, the Amazing Tacos, Destroyers of Trash (D.O.T.), Muddy Water Shenanigans, the Pirate/Fairies, Cistine Wonders, the Prentzler boat, The River Rulers and Hellbenders.

A Big Muddy Thank You To Our Event Sponsors:

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