That’s because the participants will be picking up any litter they find in the water and along the river banks. The effort has been dubbed “pickin’ up while paddlin’ down.”

Similar efforts were conducted years ago, but water levels that were too high or too low have prevented them recently, according to Matt Cosgrove, director of Webster County Conservation.

“We’ve collected a lot of material in the river,” he said.

Volunteers are being sought for the upcoming cleanup. To sign up, call Webster County Conservation at 515-576-4258.

- Messenger photo by Bill Shea
The Des Moines River is seen, looking north from the boat ramp near the former Sunkissed Meadows Golf Course Wednesday evening. An Aug. 6 cleanup effort will target the river between the boat ramp and 170th Street.

Cosgrove said all volunteers will meet at the boat ramp near the former Sunkissed Meadows Golf Course.

Those willing to take a longer trip down the river should gather at 9 a.m. They will be taken to the Deer Creek Access point and will enter the water there. They will take a 10 mile trip downstream to the Sunkissed Meadows boat ramp.

Those interested in a shorter trip should gather at 9:45 a.m. They will be taken to the Becker Wildlife Area on 170th Street, and will enter the river there. They will take a five mile trip.

Cosgrove said there will be a couple of places where the canoeists can drop off the material they have collected.

He added that cleaning up Duck Island, which lies in the middle of the river in Fort Dodge, will be an objective.

“There’s a fair amount of junk on Duck Island,” he said.

The cleanup is expected to take three to four hours. When it is done there will be free food for participants at Amigo’s, 280 N. First St.

The effort is sponsored by the Fort Dodge city government, Webster County Conservation, Friends of Webster County Conservation, Fort Dodge Ford Lincoln Toyota, Iowa Central Community College Graphics and Web Tech program, Webster County Wellness, Blue Ribbon Pelham Water, Amigo’s and the North Central Iowa Regional Solid Waste Agency.