Oneida, Tennessee: The Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area (NRRA) is initiating a new river clean up volunteer program this year. “The Big South Fork River Otter program is a volunteer partnership for people who love the park’s streams and want to help take care of them,” said Superintendent Niki Stephanie Nicholas. The goal of the program is to provide an extended presence in the park while providing Big South Fork staff with assistance in keeping the waterways clean of debris.
The River Otters will be expected to paddle their adopted section of stream at least two times during the calendar year. They also will report on overall conditions, pick up any trash, and submit a report after each visit. River Otters will collect trash and deposit it at designated locations for pick up by staff. No motorized equipment is allowed.
River/stream sections available to adopt:
1) Alum Ford to Big Creek (3.8 miles)
2) Bear Creek to Blue Heron (4.6 miles)
3) Blue Heron to Worley (2.6 miles)
4) Brewster to White Oak Creek (5.1 miles)
5) Burnt Mill Bridge to Confluence (4.3 miles)
6) Confluence to Pine Creek (3.1 miles)
7) Leatherwood Ford to Station Camp (7.6 miles)
8) New River Bridge to Confluence (9 miles)
9) O&W Bridge to Leatherwood Ford (2.2 miles)
10) Peters Ford to Brewster Bridge (6.7 miles)
11) Pine Creek to O&W Bridge (1.5 miles)
12) Station Camp to Bear Creek (12.4 miles)
13) White Oak Creek to Burnt Mill Bridge (6.3 miles)
14) Worley to Yamacraw (2.2 miles)
15) Yamacraw to Alum Ford (5.2 miles)
To learn more about the Big South Fork River Otter program, email the park’s Volunteer Coordinator at effie_houston@nps.gov or call (423) 569-9778.
