Students from Birmingham and across Jefferson County joined adult volunteers and local agencies this past weekend to clean up trash and debris during the Valley Creek Clean-Up, one of 30 Renew Our Rivers-affiliated cleanups taking place this year.
Volunteers converged Saturday at four locations – in Bessemer, Birmingham, Lipscomb and Oak Grove – picking up trash that could otherwise wash after rainstorms into Valley Creek. A second, multi-site Valley Creek cleanup is scheduled for September.
Multiple organizations, including Alabama Power, combine resources to support the Valley Creek cleanups. Among them are the Jefferson County Conservation District, Jefferson County Health Department, City of Bessemer, City of Birmingham Stormwater Management, Jefferson County Stormwater Management, and the nonprofit Freshwater Land Trust.
Renew Our Rivers cleanups are taking place throughout this spring, offering volunteers several opportunities to help clean Alabama lakes, rivers and creeks across the state. To learn more about Renew Our Rivers, which is celebrating its 20th year, and to view the cleanup schedule, please visit www.alabamapower.com/renewourrivers.
Hundreds turned out this past weekend for the Renew Our Rivers cleanup of Valley Creek. Volunteers in multiple locations cleaned up the waterway as well as the watershed areas to prevent trash from making it to the waterway. (Michael Sznajderman / Alabama NewsCenter)
Hundreds turned out this past weekend for the Renew Our Rivers cleanup of Valley Creek. Volunteers in multiple locations cleaned up the waterway as well as the watershed areas to prevent trash from making it to the waterway. (Michael Sznajderman / Alabama NewsCenter)
Hundreds turned out this past weekend for the Renew Our Rivers cleanup of Valley Creek. Volunteers in multiple locations cleaned up the waterway as well as the watershed areas to prevent trash from making it to the waterway. (Michael Sznajderman / Alabama NewsCenter)
Hundreds turned out this past weekend for the Renew Our Rivers cleanup of Valley Creek. Volunteers in multiple locations cleaned up the waterway as well as the watershed areas to prevent trash from making it to the waterway. (Michael Sznajderman / Alabama NewsCenter)
Hundreds turned out this past weekend for the Renew Our Rivers cleanup of Valley Creek. Volunteers in multiple locations cleaned up the waterway as well as the watershed areas to prevent trash from making it to the waterway. (Michael Sznajderman / Alabama NewsCenter)
Hundreds turned out this past weekend for the Renew Our Rivers cleanup of Valley Creek. Volunteers in multiple locations cleaned up the waterway as well as the watershed areas to prevent trash from making it to the waterway. (Michael Sznajderman / Alabama NewsCenter)
Hundreds turned out this past weekend for the Renew Our Rivers cleanup of Valley Creek. Volunteers in multiple locations cleaned up the waterway as well as the watershed areas to prevent trash from making it to the waterway. (Michael Sznajderman / Alabama NewsCenter)
Hundreds turned out this past weekend for the Renew Our Rivers cleanup of Valley Creek. Volunteers in multiple locations cleaned up the waterway as well as the watershed areas to prevent trash from making it to the waterway. (Michael Sznajderman / Alabama NewsCenter)
Hundreds turned out this past weekend for the Renew Our Rivers cleanup of Valley Creek. Volunteers in multiple locations cleaned up the waterway as well as the watershed areas to prevent trash from making it to the waterway. (Michael Sznajderman / Alabama NewsCenter)
Hundreds turned out this past weekend for the Renew Our Rivers cleanup of Valley Creek. Volunteers in multiple locations cleaned up the waterway as well as the watershed areas to prevent trash from making it to the waterway. (Michael Sznajderman / Alabama NewsCenter)
Hundreds turned out this past weekend for the Renew Our Rivers cleanup of Valley Creek. Volunteers in multiple locations cleaned up the waterway as well as the watershed areas to prevent trash from making it to the waterway. (Michael Sznajderman / Alabama NewsCenter)
Hundreds turned out this past weekend for the Renew Our Rivers cleanup of Valley Creek. Volunteers in multiple locations cleaned up the waterway as well as the watershed areas to prevent trash from making it to the waterway. (Michael Sznajderman / Alabama NewsCenter)
Hundreds turned out this past weekend for the Renew Our Rivers cleanup of Valley Creek. Volunteers in multiple locations cleaned up the waterway as well as the watershed areas to prevent trash from making it to the waterway. (Michael Sznajderman / Alabama NewsCenter)
Hundreds turned out this past weekend for the Renew Our Rivers cleanup of Valley Creek. Volunteers in multiple locations cleaned up the waterway as well as the watershed areas to prevent trash from making it to the waterway. (Michael Sznajderman / Alabama NewsCenter)
