River Cleanups

The banks of the Haw River capture floating debris from upstream.
The banks of the Haw River capture cans, bottles, toys, cups, and foam from upstream sources. Photo by Bob Brueckner

The Carolina Canoe Club works with conservation groups, river managers and resource agencies to clean up the rivers we paddle. There are three major events each year. (Look for announcements closer to the time of the cleanups.):

Mighty Mayo River Trip: Held in mid-January at Mayo River State Park in Rockingham County.After paddling the river and eating lunch, we pick up trash near the Boiling Hole Rapid.

Haw River Cleanup: Held in mid-March on the Haw River in Chatham County. We try to field three teams on the Upper, Middle and Lower sections of the river.

Tuckasegee/Fontana Lake clean-up: The club schedules a cleanup at the mouth of the Tuckasegee on Fontana Lake. Paddlers work side-by-side with the local group Swain Clean. In the past, we have collected up to 150 bags of trash.

In addition, The club also fields teams to perform monthly trash cleanups:

  • Robeson Creek Canoe Launch on the Haw River
  • Bynum Beach on the Haw River
  • US 64 access on the Haw River
  • Governor’s Island Bridge Overlook and Access on the Tuckasegee River

Cleanup Guide