As part of Governor Mike DeWine’s H2Ohio Rivers Program, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) partnered with Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) and the City of Columbus Thursday to clean up a concentrated litter area on the Scioto River.

“Collaborative cleanup projects like this one are exactly what the H2Ohio Rivers Program is all about,” said Governor DeWine. “We all have a stake in making sure Ohio’s waterways are free from litter and trash so we can have abundant clean water resources for future generations.”
ODNR, ODOT and the City of Columbus were tasked with picking up single-use items in and around the Scioto River. 

Nearly 20 individuals from these agencies used canoes to collect litter along the shoreline, and larger items were lifted out of the river using a specialized piece of ODOT equipment.

The litter cleanup crew used canoes to collect items in the river, while others worked on the shoreline. 

 The cleanup site was located below the Frank-Refugee Expressway (OH-104 bridge) in Columbus. During flooding and water runoff events in the city, trash accumulates at this section of the Scioto River, negatively impacting the water quality of the river.  Thousands of single-use items, such as plastic bottles and cups, were taken out of the river along with several coolers and a loveseat.
 

A view of a portion of the cleanup site from the shoreline of the Scioto River in Columbus.

“Collaboration with our partners is what makes the huge projects possible,” said ODNR Director Mary Mertz. “The H2Ohio River Program is valuable part of the ODNR and H2Ohio’s mission in conserving and protecting water for everyone in the state.”

ODOT used a unique piece of equipment called a knuckleboom crane for the cleanup efforts. The crane, typically transported and set up on a bridge, is designed to lift and move objects from below.

Removing the litter from this specific cleanup site on the river reduces the number of plastics and other man-made materials from the waterway. Without this effort, much of this material would flow downstream, impacting the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers.

“This collaborative cleanup complements the city’s recent Scioto Sweep annual cleanup, when volunteers collected tons of trash and litter from the Scioto River and its banks,” said Director Kelly Scocco of the Columbus Department of Public Service. “These efforts move us closer to achieving the city’s Climate Action Plan goals for the well-being of all our residents.”

In 2023, the H2Ohio Rivers Program was added the H2Ohio initiative to support and strengthen the health of Ohio’s large rivers. Restoring the health of rivers is key to improve water quality across the state.

H2Ohio is Governor DeWine’s statewide water quality initiative designed to address complex issues impacting Ohio’s waters. Launched in 2019, H2Ohio uses a comprehensive approach guided by science and data to reduce algal blooms, stop pollution, and improve access to clean drinking water by supporting best farming practices, road salt runoff reduction, litter cleanup, dam removal, land conservation, and water infrastructure revitalization. For more information visit h2.ohio.gov.