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ORSANCO & WAVE Recruit Volunteers for Ohio River Litter Cleanup
Featuring Life Below the Waterline 2,200 gallon freshwater aquarium showcasing Ohio River fish diversity
(Newport, KY) – The WAVE Foundation at Newport Aquarium and Ohio River Valley Water Sanitation Commission are collaborating for an Ohio River Sweep litter cleanup and environmental education event on the shore of the Ohio River at Newport Aquarium. The event will be held Saturday, June 8th from 9:00AM to 11:30AM. Participants will remove trash along the Newport shoreline and afterwards have the opportunity to see ORSANCO’s 2,200 gallon mobile freshwater aquarium full of native fish from the Ohio River. The event is open to the public, educators will be there to interact with volunteers and answer questions. In addition to a special edition souvenir t-shirt, WAVE Foundation will provide volunteers with a free lunch ordered from Strong’s Brick Oven Pizzeria. Registration is required, sign up at wavefoundation.org/events/riversweep.
ORSANCO’s Life Below the Waterline and Ohio River Sweep program coordinator Sarah Segars explains, “It is very special to combine our two programs (Ohio River Sweep & Life Below the Waterline) together with a great partner like WAVE Foundation, as the programs are inextricably linked. The aquarium will be stocked with Ohio River fish that are caught one day prior to the event and returned safely to the river following the exhibit.” Segars likens the experience for the fishes to a friendly alien abduction. “Litter pollution has major deleterious impacts on aquatic life in the Ohio River. The fish help us to teach our communities about the incredible biodiversity supported by the Ohio River and why it is imperative to keep our waters clean from litter pollution.” Fish species assemblages can be indicators of water quality and are used in conjunction with other biological data by ORSANCO including macroinvertebrate populations, habitat, and substrate type, to determine the overall health of the Ohio River in pool assessments submitted annually by the organization.
Ohio River Sweep has occurred annually since 1989, and WAVE Foundation has been a major contributor and valuable program coordinator for 13 years. WAVE Foundation Community Engagement Manager Kristen Woods states, “WAVE Foundation continues to participate in the Ohio River Sweep each year, because it directly links to our mission to inspire and foster environmental stewards of aquatic life through education, conservation, and volunteerism. WAVE is proud to be a sponsor and event host for Ohio River Sweep 2024 and it's always a great experience to see how many community members come together to help with this event. We are so grateful to ORSANCO for providing T-Shirts, trash bags, and protective gloves to our volunteers.” In 2023, 143 volunteers removed over 1,500 pounds of litter from the Newport shoreline at the ORSANCO/WAVE Ohio River Sweep event.
Litter pollution is a global problem and a threat to the quality of water depended on for drinking water and a thriving ecosystem. The Ohio River Sweep aims to promote behavior change through participation of volunteers in litter cleanup events along the Ohio River and basin-wide educational messaging about the importance of protecting vital uses of the Ohio River as a natural source of drinking water (after reasonable treatment), recreation, industrial supply, and healthy aquatic life. ORSANCO Executive Director Richard Harrison explains, “While we are proud of the hundreds of tons of trash removed from the basin and thousands of volunteers mobilized through the Ohio River Sweep program, our ultimate goal is to stop litter at the source so cleanups are no longer necessary to preserve the health of our rivers and streams. Through our network of volunteers and engaged partners like WAVE Foundation, we hope to set an example of how to preserve our great natural resource that not only provides drinking water for over 5 million people, but also serves as a cornerstone for commerce, recreation, and aquatic habitat.”
Through ORSANCO’s Ohio River Sweep program, anyone can join the effort and be a part of the solution to litter pollution! There are three options, 1) Become a sponsor of the Ohio River Sweep program, become a host and organize a cleanup event, or participate in a planned event this season March-October! More details can be found online at orsanco.org/river-sweep.
ORSANCO
Since 1948, ORSANCO and its member states have cooperated to improve water quality in the Ohio River Basin, ensuring the river can be used as a public supply and for recreational purposes, as well as support a healthy and diverse aquatic community. ORSANCO is a compact interstate agency with authority to operate water quality monitoring and assessment programs along the Ohio River and its tributaries. The Foundation for Ohio River Education (FORE) is a 501c3 supporting nonprofit organization, established in 2004 to provide education and outreach programming in conjunction with and in support of ORSANCO’s public involvement goals. The Ohio River Sweep is a part of FORE’s programs and is fueled by the generosity of sponsors and volunteers.
WAVE Foundation at Newport Aquarium
WAVE Foundation inspires and fosters environmental stewards of aquatic life through education, conservation, and volunteerism. WAVE Foundation is an independent 501c(3) charitable organization, working in partnership with Newport Aquarium. This year, WAVE Foundation celebrates its 25th anniversary.
ORSANCO Ohio River Sweep website, orsanco.org/river-sweep
ORSANCO Life Below the Waterline website, orsanco.org/education/life-below-the-waterline
FORE website, riverlearning.org
WAVE Foundation website, wavefoundation.org
MEDIA CONTACT
Annette Shumard
Communications & Environmental Education Manager, ORSANCO
5735 Kellogg Ave, Cincinnati OH, 45230
513-833-1376
ashumard@orsanco.org
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