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Sweep the Hooch returns in March with West Point Lake Cleanup sites at McGee Bridge Park and the Liberty Hill Recreation Area.

Chattahoochee Riverkeeper (CRK) will host its 14th annual Sweep the Hooch River cleanup on Saturday, March 23 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.

The annual volunteer cleanup is part of CRK’s commitment goal of a trash-free Chattahoochee.

“Litter pollution poses a constant threat to rivers, lakes and oceans around the world. The Chattahoochee River is no exception: trash in the river, its lakes and its tributaries can harm both wildlife and the communities who depend on these waterways every day,” CRK said in a press release announcing the cleanup.

The annual watershed-wide day of service brings together more than 1,500 volunteers at dozens of parks, tributaries, and access points along the Chattahoochee River to clean up litter.

Volunteers will be equipped with gloves and trash bags before setting out on foot, wading in streams, or paddling canoes and kayaks to collect trash of all shapes and sizes for proper recycling and disposal.

Both volunteer locations in Troup County are shoreline walking sites, but other locations will have volunteers wading out into the water or by boat.

The McGee Bridge Park cleanup will be hosted by the Middle Chattahoochee Sierra Club and the Liberty Hill cleanup will be hosted by Civilian Conservationists of LaGrange.

Volunteer opportunities are available at over 60 cleanup sites, beginning at the river’s headwaters in North Georgia and continuing along the river as far south as Columbus, Georgia.

Sweep the Hooch is presented in collaboration with the National Park Service’s Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area, which will host 15 cleanup sites within the Park boundaries.

CRK says thousands of volunteers have collectively removed 236 tons of trash and recyclables from the Chattahoochee River watershed since 2011.

“Sweep the Hooch has brought together so many communities, spread over 200 river miles, to protect and enjoy all the Chattahoochee has to offer,” CRK Outings Director Tammy Bates said.

“Each year we recruit more volunteers and remove more trash, making this a truly impactful day of service to the waterways that we all rely on and enjoy.”

Volunteers can sign up for a cleanup site near them at sweepthehooch.org. Participation is free, but individual registration is required.

CRK will provide the necessary supplies and will thank volunteers for their dedication with a one-year membership to the organization.

Teams, clubs, and community groups are welcome to participate, but are encouraged to sign up early; once a site reaches capacity, registration for that site will close.

For more information about CRK and other events visit chattahoochee.org.