ILLINOISANS TO PICK UP TRASH SATURDAY

The Ohio River is at, or nearing, flood stage in many areas, but everything is on "Go" for the annual Ohio River Sweep on Saturday.

This year's cleanup will encompass the 980-mile length of the river, from its origin at Pittsburgh, Pa., to its end at Cairo, Ill., said Jeanne Ison, spokeswoman for the Ohio River Valley Water Sanitation Commission, sponsor of the annual event.

Members of organizations, civic groups, recreational clubs, Boys and Girls Scout groups and senior citizen groups volunteer in the six states that border the river to comb for debris.

"The water is a little high here," said Sam Johnson, mayor at Mound City, Ill., coordinator for the cleanup in that area, "but we'll have a group ready to go."

People in Pulaski County will meet between 8:30 and 9 a.m. along the levee at Mound City, near the boat dock.

One the largest volunteer groups will be at Metropolis, Ill., where more than 250 volunteers are expected. The groups will meet at Fort Massac Park Museum, along the river. Fort Massac park superintendent Terry Johnson is Massac County coordinator for the cleanup.

Bob and Carolyn Mayberry of Cairo are Alexander County coordinators. Their group will meet at the Eighth Street levee in Cairo and will conclude at Fort Defiance Park where the Ohio merges with the Mississippi River.

The river stage at Cairo was 40 feet Monday but was expected to crest by Wednesday.

Less litter

More than 20,000 volunteers participated in last year's riverbank cleanup, which produced about 9,000 tons of trash.

The river level is high at some points, but officials said with more than 2,700 miles both sides of the Ohio River and its many feeder streams volunteers should still find a lot of litter.

The litter has declined from 11,000 tons picked up three years ago to 9,000 tons the past two years.

Over the years, coordinators say they see less litter along the Ohio.

This reflects more public awareness of the importance of rivers, Ison said. People have cleaned up their act, keeping the areas cleaner, not only for recreation and scenic enjoyment but as habitat for fish and other aquatic life.

Everything from refrigerators to car bodies, and from batteries to plastic cups have been removed from the riverbanks.

The Ohio River sweep has been successful in Southern Illinois. Hundreds of volunteers turn out annually along the 133 miles of river that touches six counties.

Sweep organizers toured sections of the river by barge a week ago. A lot of cans, jugs, plastic bottles and other small stuff was noted, but not much big stuff cars or refrigerators.

The river sweep started in 1989, with volunteers turning out to pick up trash at some of the more littered spots between Ashland, Ky., and Cincinnati, Ohio. It has grown to cover both shorelines of the river and many of the river's feeder streams.