Kayakers, along with on-foot volunteers, arrived at Porterdale's Yellow River Water Trail on Oct. 11...

1. Volunteers show up for Rivers Alive to clean up Porterdale
portion of Yellow River Water Trail
Kayakers, along with on-foot volunteers, arrived at
Porterdale's Yellow River Water Trail on Oct. 11 for the
Rivers Alive clean-up event. Volunteers were able to
remove 1,620 pounds of trash from the river, and were
educated about various species of local fish that inhabit
the river. (Special Photo)
PORTERDALE -- A Newton County portion of the Yellow
River is much more pristine than it was a few days ago
after a clean-up event removed some unwanted litter.
About 60 volunteers showed up at the Yellow River Water Trail for the Rivers Alive trash removal
project Saturday, according to Porterdale Village Manager Bob Thompson. More than 40 kayakers
and several on-foot volunteers arrived Saturday morning and were able to remove 1,620 pounds of
trash from the Yellow River. This year's Rivers Alive had the largest turnout out of any previous
Porterdale Rivers Alive events.
"The Yellow River Water Trail planned ahead to get local community Rivers Alive volunteers up close
and personal to our rivers," said Tonya Bechtler, director of the Yellow River Water Trail
organization. "Having our team event stationed riverside allowed us to expand our trash pickup to
include education and even more partnerships."
For example, Georgia Forestry Commission member Beryl Budd provided information about
riverbank restoration and firewise community education. Adopt-A-Stream coordinator Kevin Sorrow,
who works with the city of Covington's wastewater treatment facility, was also on hand educating
citizens about the water quality testing program in Newton County.
In addition to cleaning up the local waterway, volunteers from the North American Native Fishes
Association came to educate participants about the various species of fish that inhabit the regional
waters of the Yellow River. NANFA was able to net seven different species of fish, including two
threatened ones.
Many people volunteering with the clean-up also learned about the Yellow River Water Trail itself,
which can be accessed from the Broad Street bridge in downtown Porterdale.