JULY 11, 2024:
This week’s (July 10, 2024) annual Missouri River/Lake Sharpe Cleanup event at Pierre and Fort Pierre took 2.21 tons of debris out of the two bodies of water.
Paul Lepisto with the Izaak Walton League says over 90 volunteers in water and land-based crews, cleaned up areas from the Oahe Dam to east of the Farm Island Recreation Area.
Each year the cleanup effort finds some strange or unique items. Lepisto says this year is no different.
Lepisto says the cleanup was conducted with eight boats– both agency and private– and many land-based teams. He says in the 14 cleanups that have been done, over 1,000 volunteers have picked up over 30 tons of litter and trash from along the river.
The volunteers collected:
- 2,100pounds – 1.05 tons of rubble (lumber)
- 1,780 pounds – .89 ton of litter and trash
- 280 pounds – .14 ton of scrap metal
- 260 pounds – .13 ton of tires
The volunteers enjoyed a picnic supper in Griffin Park following the cleanup. The food was generously donated by Pierre and Fort Pierre restaurants including Casey’s, Domino’s, Jake’s, La Minestra, Longbranch, Mi Ranchito, Perkins, Pizza Hut, Pizza Ranch, Red Rossa, River Run, and the Silver Spur. Thrivent Financial, Eagle Sales, Arctic-Glacier Ice and the Pierre Volunteer Fire Department also contributed to the effort.
The Missouri River clean-up was coordinated by the Izaak Walton League, South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks, the Army Corps of Engineers, the Fish and Wildlife Service and the cities of Pierre and Fort Pierre.
JULY 10, 2024:
The annual Missouri River/Lake Sharpe Cleanup event at Pierre and Fort Pierre will be held today (July 10, 2024) from 5-8pm.
Paul Lepisto with the Izaak Walton League says cleanup will be coordinated out of Downs Marina at Griffin Park in Pierre.
Cleanup volunteer Bret Afdahl says people are needed to help pick up litter and trash from up and down the river.
Afdahl says this will be the 14th Pierre-Fort Pierre Missouri River Cleanup.
Lepisto encourages anyone who has seen large items in or along the Missouri River and Lake Sharpe to let them know ahead of time so they can send the right equipment and number of people to clean it up.
Lepisto will be retiring later this year. Afdahl says he’s been the driving force behind this cleanup effort, coordinating all of the various people, businesses and equipment involved.
Volunteers are asked to register for the cleanup starting at 4:30pm in Griffin Park in Pierre. Additional boats and pontoons are also needed for the cleanup. To register in advance, contact Lepisto at 605-220-1219 or email [email protected].
Volunteers are invited to a picnic supper following the cleanup.
Volunteers:
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will get dirty so wear work-appropriate clothing
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wear durable shoes or boots– no flip flops or sandals
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can bring work gloves and make sure you have sunglasses and sunscreen
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life jackets, gloves and trash bags provided for the volunteers
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those who want to go out on the water and have their own life jacket, should bring it with them
The Missouri River/Lake Sharpe Cleanup is coordinated by the Izaak Walton League, South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks, the US Fish and Wildlife Service, the US Army Corps of Engineers and the cities of Pierre and Fort Pierre. Many other businesses and organizations also contribute to the cleanup.
