Fifth river cleanup

A 55-gallon drum and a bail of fencing were among the items recovered from last weekend’s St. Joseph County Conservation District river cleanup.

The fifth of seven cleanup events this season took place Saturday in a 2.7-mile stretch of the Rocky River, from Bent Road to Flatbush Road in Flowerfield Township.

A group of seven volunteers also snagged three tires and five full bags of trash weighing about 400 pounds in all. A large cylinder used for fertilizer application was unable to be removed from the river, as it was too large and bulky for volunteers to lift.

Jen Miller, conservation district administrator, said the event drew two kayak enthusiasts from the Chicago area who planned a weekend trip around the cleanup schedule. Other helpers included a kayaker from Paw Paw and a high school student from Three Rivers.

The next river cleanup will take place Aug. 24 on the White Pigeon River, beginning at Vistula Road and ending at Thomas Road for a distance of 2.7 miles.