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Debris hangs from trees on the banks of the French Broad River near the main building of Hot Springs Resort and Spa. The river gauge at Hot Springs was offline during the main rain events immediately preceding the Sept. 27, 2024 floods but registered a peak just under 21 feet. The record stage is 22 feet, but that record will likely fall after review of provisional weather-gauge data by the National Weather Service. Much of the debris generated by flooding on the French Broad River in Western North Carolina made its way downstream toward Douglas Lake in Tennessee. Thomas Fraser/Hellbender Press
Volunteers needed for 36th Ijams River Rescue set for March 8
KNOXVILLE — The thousand-year rains brought by Hurricane Helene flushed incalculable amounts of garbage from multiple major watersheds in East Tennessee and Western North Carolina in late September 2024. The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency and Tennessee Valley Authority, for instance, resorted to booms and cranes to corral and collect thousands of tons of garbage along more than 200 miles of Douglas Lake shoreline. The cleanup continues.
High water downstream also carried debris and detritus of every description into Knox County via the French Broad River, which then deposited it along urban and regional lake and stream banks.
Removing this pulse of pollution and flotsam from the Tennessee River, already known as a conduit of microplastics, could take years or generations. You can start the process March 8 along multiple TVA lakes in the area. We all live downstream.
Here’s the release from Ijams Nature Center, one of the main sponsors of the annual event:
Volunteer and make your community a cleaner, healthier place to live, work and play during the 36th annual Ijams River Rescue from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, March 8. A severe weather date is set for Saturday, March 15.
Ijams Nature Center’s annual cleanup event brings together hundreds of individuals, families, Scout troops, businesses and church groups to remove tons of trash and tires from sites along the Tennessee River, creeks and streams. Sites are typically located in Knox, Anderson and Blount counties.
Last year’s 390 volunteers removed an estimated 10.48 tons of trash, 46 tires, large household appliances and car parts from 31 sites along area waterways.
Site captains will be stationed at each site. Bags, gloves and other supplies will be provided.
Volunteers will receive a free T-shirt featuring a chubby-cheeked chipmunk designed by Stephen Lyn Bales.
The 36th annual Ijams River Rescue is made possible by City of Knoxville Stormwater Engineering, Dow, First Horizon Bank, Brunswick Boat Group, Borderland Tees, Vulcan Materials Company, Knoxville TVA Employees Credit Union, Old Sevier District, Tailwater Properties and Tennessee Valley Authority, with support from CAC AmeriCorps and Water Quality Forum.
