Annual Watershed Cleanups
Several times a year, hundreds of residents of the Gallatin Valley come together to pick up trash in our public spaces to prevent urban waste and debris from collecting in our waterways.
Each year, the Gallatin Watershed Council hosts three cleanup events: the Bozeman Dog Poop Cleanup and the Spring and Fall Gallatin Watershed Cleanups. Volunteer teams disperse across the Gallatin Valley, cleaning rivers and streams, riparian areas, wetlands and roadsides that experience heavy use or are recommended by the public. These community events help to keep our watershed clean and prevent 1000’s of pounds of trash and polluted stormwater from further compromising the quality of our beloved rivers and streams!
We hope you can come together with us, to care for and protect our local watershed.
May 16th, 10:00am-1:00pm
Spring Cleanup
The Spring Cleanup occurs in May before peak flows, so that we can prevent high water from dispersing waste downstream. Volunteer teams spread out across the Lower Gallatin Watershed, from the Gallatin Canyon to Missouri Headwaters State Park, to pick up trash and waste. We invite you to join us in watershed stewardship!
Dog Poop Cleanup
May 7th, 1:00pm-4:00pm
It’s no secret that Bozeman has a poo problem. When the snow starts to melt on our local trails, many of our furry friends’ treasures are unveiled when stormwater sends those harmful nutrients into our rivers and streams. In late spring, volunteers conquer our most used trails. This event is in partnership with Gallatin Valley Land Trust and Outside Kind.
Fall Cleanup
To Be Announced
The Fall Cleanup is held in September to clean up after a busy recreation season. The Fall Gallatin Watershed Cleanup is in partnership with the Gallatin River Task Force, where volunteers remove trash from the entire Gallatin Watershed, from Big Sky to Bozeman and beyond!
Can’t volunteer this year?
You can help us through Sponsorship or Donation.
Frequently Asked Questions
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We welcome anyone and everyone. Please fill out an Acknowledgement of Risk upon signing up (forms are valid for one calendar year January-December). Children are required to be with a guardian for safety reasons.
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Team leaders collect the trash and bring it to the dumpster donated by Republic Services at the volunteer celebration. Republic Services then weighs the collected trash and ultimately disposes of it at the Logan Landfill.
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No. Due to the dirty condition of most collected items, they can not be recycled. Therefore, we dispose of all collected items as trash. You are welcome to separate clean recyclables and dispose of them yourself, but we will not have an area for collected recyclables at the volunteer celebration.
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Please fill out an Acknowledgement of Risk before volunteering (forms are valid for one calendar year, January-December).
Volunteers are required to wear gloves (both for health and protection) at all times.
Do not handle hazardous materials, including drums or containers that may contain toxic waste, needles, other biohazard waste, and live ammunition or explosives. Please watch for broken glass, aerosol cans, gas cans, and other containers with chemical residues or traces of volatile materials and handle with care. Sharp objects should be put in hard plastic containers.
Kids should be supervised at all times.
Please be mindful of homeless encampments. Necessary survival equipment is not trash.
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Protective gloves. We will provide rubber gloves, but if you have a pair of work gloves that you prefer to wear, feel free to bring them!
Sunscreen and insect repellent
Snacks and water
Your team leader will provide additional safety information, hand sanitizer, trash bags, a small first aid kit, stickers, and general stoke
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Arrive prepared to handle garbage, walk along stream banks, and wade in the river (depending on your site). We recommend that you wear high-visibility clothing or a reflective vest, closed-toed shoes or wading shoes, and long pants that you don’t mind getting wet and/or dirty.
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Attend the volunteer celebration after the cleanup! The volunteer who finds the strangest thing will win a raffle prize. Additionally, all volunteers at the celebration will receive a raffle ticket for entry into raffles with prizes donated by local businesses. If you are interested in donating a prize or becoming an event sponsor, please email holly@gallatinwatershedcouncil.org.
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Help us spread the word about our cleanup and the importance of a healthy watershed! If you post about this event on your social media, tag @gallatinwatershedcouncil.