Idaho Rivers United Highlights Year-Round Efforts to Protect the Boise River

BOISE, Idaho (CBS2) — Along the Boise River, thousands of people float, fish, and spend time outdoors every summer. But behind the scenes, volunteers are working year-round to help keep the water clean and healthy.

Idaho Rivers United is highlighting the work being done through its Boise River Stewards program, which gives community members the opportunity to participate in trash cleanup events and perform water quality testing along the river.

“So we’ve got the Boise River Stewards program, which gives people an opportunity to volunteer to come for trash cleanup events and to perform water quality tests on the Boise River,” said Dave Womack, communications director at Idaho Rivers United. “Last year alone, we picked up 3,800 pounds of trash from the Greenbelt.”

Volunteers say they find all kinds of debris during cleanup efforts.

“We find everything. We find bike parts, old mattresses, traffic cones, there’s really no limit to the number of items that you can find,” says Womack

From small debris to large waste left behind, organizers say volunteers help remove a significant amount of trash from along the Boise River every year while also helping monitor the health of the water through testing efforts.

“We’ve gotten out there and done water quality tests,” said Madeleine Shapiro, a longtime volunteer.

Organizers say anyone can get involved, whether it’s helping during cleanup events, learning about water testing, or becoming more aware of how everyday actions impact the river.

“I recreate almost every single day, either fishing, sitting by the river, or floating when it’s float time,” Shapiro says. “So, I feel like it’s my responsibility to keep it clean and keep it nice, too. That’s all of our role as recreators and as community members in Boise.”

The Boise River remains a major part of life in the Treasure Valley, and volunteers say protecting it takes ongoing care from the community. Through cleanup efforts and water quality testing, organizers hope more people realize that even small actions can help keep the river healthy for future generations.

To volunteer, you can go to idahorivers.org