What:              The fourth annual Cahaba River cleanup is Saturday, April 10. Volunteers will meet at the Piper Bridge boat ramp at 8 a.m. to remove trash, tires and discarded items from the river. The cleanup will end at noon, followed by a hotdog lunch.

This Renew Our Rivers cleanup is coordinated by the Friends of the Cahaba River National Wildlife Refuge. In 2009, 60 volunteers removed 2.52 tons of trash and debris from the Cahaba River.

Overview:      Volunteers for Renew Our Rivers, one of the Southeast’s largest river

cleanups, have collected more than 10 million pounds of trash and debris from Alabama and Southeast rivers since its inception in 2000. Twenty-five cleanups are planned through October.

Cleanups are held each year on the Cahaba, Coosa, Tallapoosa, Black Warrior, Mobile and Alabama rivers.

Directions:     Directions to Piper Bridge boat ramp

From Birmingham – Take Interstate 20/59 toward Tuscaloosa.  Take Exit 97.  Take a left onto Highway 11.  At the flashing light, take a left onto Highway 5.  Travel nine miles and take the second West Blocton exit at the flashing light onto Blocton By-Pass/Cahaba River Road/County Road 24.  Travel five miles to the Piper Bridge boat ramp.

From South of Birmingham and Shelby County – Take Interstate 65 South toward Calera.  Take the first Calera exit onto Highway 31 South.  Take a right onto Highway 25 South and travel approximately 19 miles.  Take a right onto County Road 65/Bulldog Bend Road and travel four to five miles.  At stop sign, take a left onto County Road 24.  Travel approximately one to two miles until the Piper Bridge boat ramp.

Contact:         Paula Fancher cahabafriends@gmail.com.

News Media Contact:  Hallie Bradley, 205-257-4155