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 Celebrate the DuPage River Sweep's 21st Birthday!
Saturday, May 19th, 2012
9:00 a.m. - Noon
Join us in celebrating the 21st Birthday of the DuPage River Sweep! The Sweep is coming of age and we want you to join in on the fun. In 2012 we are getting the party started by having more communities, more volunteers, more trash removed and more land restored to continue our record-setting pace.
 The annual DuPage County River Sweep is a county-wide self-coordinated stream cleanup held each spring. The purpose of the river sweep is to encourage volunteers to help "sweep our rivers clean" by picking up debris in and along the local waterways and restoring nearby land back to its natural state. More than 8,180 volunteers have removed nearly 210 tons of garbage from DuPage County streams since 1991. The Sweep encompasses the East and West Branches of the DuPage River and Salt Creek, as well as many tributaries. Overall, the event covered just under 40 miles of shoreline last year. Volunteers removed more than 9 tons of trash including items like bubble wrap, lumber, a vending machine and more.
During Sweep 2011, over 200 students from 20 communities throughout the DuPage River watershed participated in the cleanup. In total, 620 volunteers were spread throughout the watershed, setting another Sweep record since 2004. Since adding restoration to Sweep activities in 2009, more than eight acres of land near waterways have been stewarded by volunteers removing invasive species such as buckthorn, garlic mustard, honeysuckle and multiflora rose.
To Register
If you would like to be involved in the 2012 DuPage River Sweep, there are three ways to get started: consider being a Community Liaison, Group Coordinator, or Individual Volunteer. Community Liaisons and their groups select a section of stream and through their own coordination remove litter from the area. Supplies and technical support are provided by organizations sponsoring the Sweep to help you coordinate your efforts. To learn more about being a Community Liaison or Group Coordinator, read Sweep Responsibilities and our 2012 Group Coordinator Manual.
Individual volunteers may request being assigned to a group or may work independently in an area of their choosing. To register read the 2012 River Sweep Brochure. Pre-registration is required.
Restoration Sites
If picking up trash isn't your bag, help communities by restoring natural areas near waterways. Please indicate this preference on your registration. Adult supervision is requested for volunteers under age 18.
Participating locations include (Below is a list of tentative locations for 2012):
Blackwell Forest Preserve – Warrenville
Hitchcock Woods Forest Preserve – Lisle
Hidden Oaks Conservation Area - Bolingbrook (park at Hidden Lakes Trout Farm)
Nature Center - Itasca
Hidden Lake Forest Preserve – Downers Grove
Community Liaison Contacts
The following communities have liaison contacts for you (see 2012 River Sweep Brochure) before contacting):
 Watercraft Training & Rental
Having fun on the water is a priority and learning to do so safely is paramount. Here are some suggested resources for canoe/kayak training from some of our seasoned volunteers:
Prairie State Canoeists (Click here to visit website for dates):
- Intro to Paddling, Canoe & Kayak
- Moving Water I
- Moving Water II
Geneva Kayak Center - A variety of classes also available.
Looking for a way to sweep the river while maneuvering a canoe or kayak? Here are two sources for rentals:
REI - Oakbrook Terrace
Geneva Kayak Center
Sponsors & Partners
River Sweep supplies and technical support are provided by these sponsoring organizations and partners:
The following municipalities, over the years, have issued proclamations supporting the Sweep:
Village of Bloomingdale
Village of Itasca
Village of Lisle
Village of Lombard
Village of Roselle
City of Warrenville
City of Wheaton
Click here to read the 2011 River Sweep Daily Herald article.
Click here to read the 2011 River Sweep Press Release.
Click here to read a Daily Herald article on the 2010 River Sweep.
Click here to read an article from The Conservation Foundation's Heron Magazine on the Sweep's 20th Anniversary.
Click here for the: River Sweep Report for 2011 (64.9 Kb), River Sweep Report for 2010 (154 Kb)
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