French River Connection

Cleanup Campaign

The French River Connection performs one or more cleanups each year. The towns of Thompson  and Dudley hold Earth Day events which allow us to easily dispose of river trash. These events are usually somewhat limited by spring water levels, so we attack common dumping areas. In August we usually plan for a more extensive cleanup at low water levels in less accessible areas where trash has been accumulating for decades, removing everything from water bottles to automobile axles to refrigerators to the ubiquitous take-out coffee cups. We find that after an initial industrial-strength cleanup, keeping an area clean requires about ten percent of the effort annually. In the last seven years we have removed tons of trash and hundreds of tires from about five miles of riverbank,  and have cleaned several miles of roadside near the river.  The areas we have cleaned are shown in red. You can pan and zoom the map or change the background using the buttons.

One last thing.................

We have a "no mercy" policy toward dumpers.  We will report you to local police, who will make you clean up and you may be sentenced to community service.....it's happened.   If you dump, we are perfectly willing to spend our day ruining yours.

View French River Cleanups in a larger map

Dudley

Webster

Thompson

                      Out of the water                                                                        To the top of the bank                                                                              Onto the truck              

CLEANUPS 2011:

The French River Connection celebrated Earth Day by cleaning up the river along Chase Avenue in Dudley. Thanks to the efforts of ten volunteers, forty bags of trash were collected, along with tires, a shopping cart, luggage, and other items which were taken to the Dudley highway barn. Items collected earlier in the week from Oxford Avenue and Lower Perryville Road were also taken in. The Webster side of the river was also cleaned earlier in the week, with the collected trash taken in by the Webster Department of Public Works.

The Chase Avenue area, located just downstream of downtown and featuring several small channels, remains a common collection point for floating trash, and its proximity to the bridge means dumping occurs there.

Before the opening of French River Park in August, the bordering section of the river, and upstream to near Peter Street, was cleaned of many tires, a couple of bicycles, and automobile seats.

Finally, a small amount of trash was removed from the river between  Perryville and Wilsonville in Connecticut