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IARVCP

(Iowa River Clean-up Project) 

9.5 miles of the Iowa River Water Trail



*** IMPORTANT NOTICE ***
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08:59 08/30/2022
Johnson County Conservation will coordinate an Iowa River Clean-up on October 08, 2022 from the Izaak Walton League Access to Hill Access.  Please contact Johnson County Conservation for registration information and questions.
 
 
16:40  08/24/2022:
Please contact Johnson County Conservation for information regarding future Iowa River clean-ups in the greater Iowa City area.
 
 
10:00 08/12/2021:
Johnson County Conservation will coordinate the 2021 clean-up of this river section. Please check back for announcements or contact JCCB with any questions you may have.
 
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        IARVCP HISTORY        
 
08:51 03/12/2020:
September 14, 2019 CLEAN-UP RESULTS
USGS 05454500, Iowa City:   420 cfs
72 land & water volunteers
 27 canoes on the water
2.27 tons of trash
2.23 ton of metal
                                                       1.06 tons,  61 tires                                                           
2019 TOTAL: 5.56 tons(11120 lbs) removed from the Iowa River! 

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>GRAND TOTAL OF 6 YEARS OF IARVCP<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
59.5 tons, 119060lbs, (over 967 tires) 
 
 
 
Thanks to an awsome group of land and water volunteers supported by a long list of Sponsors, the 2019 event was another huge success! You have made a difference! A special shout out to the USACE for moderating Coralville Lake outflow to optimum river claen-up levels. Thank you!
 
 
 
 
13:41 09/21/2017:
September, 16 2017 CLEAN-UP RESULTS
USGS 05454500, Iowa City:  228 cfs
96 land & water volunteers
29 canoes, 1 kayak on the water
7.7 tons of trash
2.5 ton of metal
                                                       3.6 tons, 195 tires                                                           
2017 TOTAL: 13.8 tons(27600lbs) removed from the Iowa River! 

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>GRAND TOTAL OF 5 YEARS OF IARVCP<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
50.2 tons, 100400lbs, (over 912 tires) 
 
 
13:50 09/18/2017:
Thanks to an awsome group of land and water volunteers supported by a long list of Sponsors, the 2017 event was a huge success with 30 boats on the water averaging 3 mega loads of trash each! Trash numbers will be posted soon. 
 
Check out the images taken by the IARVCP photographer Dave Ratliff.
 
Event images available here.
 
 
15:19 09/11/2017:
River has been scouted and it needs your help! Much trash, tires, a couple couches & picnic tables. We are still looking for both land and canoe based volunteers.
 
For those into GPS: Pin 41.6417, -91.5384; Mid-Point 1 41.6158, -91.5371; Mid-Point 2 41.6064, -91.5229; Tout 41.5551, -91.5193; Couches 41.5912, -91.5261; Picnic table A 41.5989, -91.5252; Picnic table B; 41.5827, -91.5297 REMOVED
 
13:35 09/28/2015:
September 12, 2015 CLEAN-UP RESULTS
USGS 05454500, Iowa City:  804 cfs
~70+ land & water volunteers
30 canoes on the water
6.2 tons of trash
1 ton of metal
                                              72 tires (~ 1 ton of tires)                                      
2015 TOTAL: 8.2 tons(16400lbs) removed from the Iowa River!

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>GRAND TOTAL OF 4 YEARS OF IARVCP<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
40.00tons, 80000lbs, (over 717 tires)
 
Link to press coverage:
 
Clean-up Project Targets Iowa River. The Daily Iowan
 
Link to images: IARVCP 2015 images
 

3:23 09/19/2013:
A huge Thank You to the IARVCP volunteers from your IARVCP Coordinators, Dan Ceynar, Lynette Seigley, & Carol Sweeting on a awesome job! Whether you were on land or on water, the clean-up was a huge success made possible by your involvement!   Below are the results of your efforts:
 
September 14, 2013 CLEAN-UP RESULTS
USGS 05454500, Iowa City:  142 cfs
2.53 tons of trash
1.38 tons of metal
                                    200 tires (~ 2.47 tons of tires)                                      
2013 TOTAL: 6.38 tons(12760lbs) removed from the Iowa River!

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>GRAND TOTAL OF 3 YEARS OF IARVCP<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

31.98 tons, 63960lbs, (over 641 tires)

Link to press coverage:

Cleanup Event Takes Place in Iowa City and Cedar Rapids, The Gazette 

Volunteers Joins Annual Cleanup Effort, The Iowa City Press Citizen 

 

09:15pm, 10/12/2012:
Thanks to the tremendous volunteer effort, a significant amount of trash was removed from the Iowa River on IARVCP 2012. Whether you were on land or in a canoe, each and every one of you made a difference and contributed to the success of the clean-up. You Rock!!

October 6, 2012 CLEAN-UP RESULTS
USGS 05454500, Iowa City:  145 cfs
10840 lbs (5.42 tons) garbage
1850 lbs (0.93 tons) mixed metal
                              4488 lbs (2.24 tons) 188 tires                         
2012 total: 17178 lbs (8.6 tons) removed from the Iowa River!

Event images are available  here.


11:02pm, 10/18/2011:
IARVCP Round II was a small informal addendum to IARVCP2011 that took place 10/16/2011 with a group of 7 people and 6 private boats dedicated to retrieving tires (and a bit more) between the Issac Walton Access and Hill's Access. Thanks to dedication and tenacity of this small, but mighty crew, we were able to significantly add to the the prior week's already impressive totals.

October 16, 2011 ROUND II CLEAN-UP RESULTS
USGS 05454500, Iowa City:  191 cfs
1.47 tons, (2940 lbs) 79 car/pickup, 8 truck, 4 tractor = 91 Tires
0.19 tons, (380 lbs) Garbage
        0.15 tons (300 lbs, est.) Scrap metal        
TOTAL = 1.81 tons (3620 lbs) removed from the Iowa River!

IARVCP Round II images are available here.

9:42pm, 10/14/2011:
Thanks to the tremendous efforts of volunteers, the 2011 IARVCP was a great success! All of the volunteers land and water based ROCKED!

October 9, 2011 CLEAN-UP RESULTS
USGS 05454500, Iowa City:  281 cfs
5.07 tons, (10140 lbs) Tires, 160 +
5.6 tons, (11200 lbs) Garbage
              4.52 tons (9040 lbs) Scrap metal            
Total = 15.19 tons (30380 lbs) removed from the Iowa River!

IARVCP Round I images are available here.

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IARVCP 2011 TOTALS
6.54 tons, (13080 lbs) Tires, 251+
5.79 tons, (11580 lbs) Garbage
               4.67 tons (9340 lbs) Scrap metal               
17 tons (34000 lbs) removed from the Iowa River!
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The idea for IARVCP stems from the observations/discussions of many paddlers who participated in the early August 2011 water trail dedication float of the Iowa River. During this float, copious amounts of trash of all shapes and sizes were noted and the talk quickly turned to doing something about it.

River Clean-ups have become fairly common across the state and are a great way to take ownership of our natural resources. This clean-up will be canoe based, free of charge, and involve both on-water volunteers picking up trash and on-shore volunteers sorting and recycling. No experience is necessary to participate. Some representative images of both “trophy trash” and normal trash are shown below. 

A special call to veteran river clean-up volunteers, based on the numerous tires, barrels, tires, etc., your experience is needed. Please try to participate in this event.

Thanks to the generosity of sponsors, a light breakfast (coffee, juice, doughnuts) and limited snacks, and a sandwhich for lunch will be provided.

Since inclement weather and cold temperatures are possible, please plan to check this website the evening prior to the event to determine if the event has been canceled. 

A limited number of canoes, paddles, and Personal Floatation Devices (PFD) will be provided free for those who don't have or don't want to use their own. PFDs are required to be worn at all times while participants are on the river.

Images of what you will find! More images available here.







 
 

Questions? Contact the IARVCP planning committee by clicking, "Contact."