Project AWARE

2007

In 2007, I did not yet know how cool Project AWARE was, so I only participated for one day on the Raccoon River. Nonetheless, it was a good introduction to this week long paddle cleanup and also a nice warm up for the Dutchman Triathlon.

2008

My overly long 2008 Project AWARE trip report recounts my experiences cleaning up the Winnebago, Shell Rock, and Cedar Rivers in wake of the devastating floods that inundated Iowa earlier that year.

2009

The flotilla of boats that made AWARE possible

For a second straight year, the Cedar River did not wish to be cleaned. Although there was no massive flooding as in 2008, the water level was still too high to safely remove trash from the river in canoes. Also, with the high water much of the trash would have been submerged and the boats would have floated over the treasure.

But the show must go on, so the AWARE staff cranked themselves into high gear and miraculously made last minute paddling accommodations for 100+ people. We moved from traversing one of Iowa's largest rivers to cleaning smaller streams and lakes in the area. These rivers, however, were actually relatively undisturbed and did not warrant a cleanup on the scale of AWARE. Still, trash was removed and everyone had nice paddles, especially considering the little time available for planning these trips. Although it is always better to find clean rivers as we did, it is also nice to actually remove garbage since there are so many rivers that still need the work and the volunteers are sacrificing their time.

Cedar River

The sunset at Palisades-Kepler after a summer storm

Even with the discombobulation and elevated rivers, we were still able to get on the Cedar for a couple of days with the help of the Living Lands & Waters folks. With their flat bottom boats and powerful motors, we were able to attack sites that were still inundated with flood debris, over a year after the disaster and even after multiple cleanups had already been through. It was truly amazing and saddening to know how much the river stole from people's homes.

Down river even further, near Sutliff, the flooded river had picked up dozens of cabins and demolished them upon trees. The spot where they now lay had mostly been forgotten by FEMA and the land owners had little ability to deal with the disaster area themselves. AWARE volunteers descended upon the area and got to work. We hauled the cabins and other debris, piece by piece, into LL&W's boats all day long. There was no possible way for us to get everything, but much debris was removed and the transformation of the area was amazing. The residents were truly humble and thankful for our efforts.

People

Troops waiting to be sent into battle against garbage

As always with paddlers, and specifically AWARE participants, the people transformed this trip from good to great. From staff, to volunteers, to locals, to sponsors, and everyone in between—we joined together to accomplish something that we were passionate about and made out little corner of the world just a little bit better. Cleaning the environment is rewarding in its own right, but it takes the experience to another level and makes a hard week much more enjoyable to be surrounded by these excellent people. AWARE can almost turn into a family reunion, reuniting paddlers from around the state (and even the country), some of who only see each other during this week each year. I was able to catch up with friends from the prior year and got to meet new ones as well.