The annual Kentucky River Sweep on Saturday brought out 130 volunteers in Clark and Madison counties who picked up 30 tons of trash from along the riverbanks. More than 1,200 pounds of metal was recycled.Clark was one of 24 Kentucky counties that participated.
The event is part of the largest river cleanup in the nation where 3,000 miles of shoreline in six states are cleaned. Clark County has 18.9 miles of shoreline along the Kentucky River.
Sue Elliston, the River Sweep coordinator for the Kentucky River Authority, said the event was successful.
"I think it was wonderful. Each year I see a big difference in the people that are coming down and the awareness. I think people are just becoming more aware of everything in the environment," she said.
Elliston said the main area of focus for this year's event, as in past years, was the area across from Fort Boonesborough Beach, at Lock 10 just below the dam on the Clark County side. The current pushes trash coming downriver over to the rocks when the water is high. As the water goes down, the trash remains among the rocks.
