Volunteer your time and help work towards a Trash-Free Chattahoochee
In 2025, we hosted 39 cleanups and removed more than 72 tons of litter with the help of more than 2,500 volunteers – but we still need your help!
Our waterways provide us with fresh drinking water, recreational opportunities like canoeing and fishing, and respite from our busy day-to-day lives. Join our work to protect this precious resource by volunteering to help clean our rivers, streams, lakes, and wetlands.
Click here to view a Storymap about the history of our Trash-Free Chattahoochee initiative.
Take a look at what we’ve accomplished since launching our Trash-Free Chattahoochee initiative 16 years ago.
Company Sponsored Cleanups
Interested in hosting your own company cleanup? Cleanups are a great way to engage your employees in our mission and demonstrate your commitment to the Chattahoochee River. For a $1,700 donation, we will organize a private service project for your team (up to 50 of your staff), allocating approximately three hours for the project. All cleanup supplies are provided, which include cut-resistant gloves, trash bags, trash pickers, and snacks.
For more information, please contact our Outings Director Tammy Bates.
Upcoming Cleanups
Below are the scheduled cleanups for this year. This list will continue to grow, so check back frequently for new dates!
Registration for each cleanup opens about two weeks before the cleanup date.
Additional information and specific trip details will be provided one week prior to the trip date.
Stay Up-To-Date On Volunteer Opportunities
General Registration Information
We host 1-2 public cleanups a month and it is free to participate. Registration is required, and we encourage you to register early, as each trip has a limited capacity. Optional donations are appreciated to help us continue our efforts to host cleanups. All volunteers receive a one-year membership to Chattahoochee Riverkeeper!
Why don’t we post the location?
Based on the amount of rainfall throughout the year, trash is constantly on the move. To ensure each event will be an effective cleanup, we do not decide project locations until two weeks prior, at which point we distribute the location to registered volunteers. Most cleanups are within a 20-mile radius of metro Atlanta and are generally between the hours of 9 am to 12 pm (land) and 9 am to 3 pm (paddle).
Each participant is required to sign a CRK Liability Waiver. This is authorized as an electronic signature during the registration process. Click here to preview the CRK Liability Waiver.
YOUTH PARTICIPATION:
Please note that while we welcome children, they must be supervised at all times by their parent/guardian. Although a cleanup is not usually dangerous, it can be to an unattended child. Parents will not be allowed to drop off children and leave – you must remain on site with your child. Walkers and waders must be at least ten years old. If paddling solo, the paddler must be at least 15 years old. If paddling tandem, youth must be at least ten years old and accompanied by an adult at least 21 years old.
Please direct questions about our cleanups to Outings Director Tammy Bates at tbates@chattahoochee.org.
About Our Cleanups
Land-based Cleanups
- There is no charge to participate in a public cleanup. Registration is required, and we encourage you to register early, as each trip has a limited capacity.
- Participants receive a one-year individual CRK membership.
- Additional information is provided in your confirmation email and specific trip details two weeks prior to the trip date.
- Each participant is required to sign a CRK Liability Waiver. This is authorized as an electronic signature during the registration process. Click here to preview the CRK Liability Waiver.
- Youth Age Requirements: Minimum 10 years of age. All volunteers under age 18 must have parent/guardian supervision on site at cleanup events.
Paddle Cleanups and Trips
- Boating equipment is not provided unless prior arrangements have been made with Chattahoochee Riverkeeper to borrow a boat. Participants must bring their own equipment. These trips are intended for kayaks and canoes only. Generally, inflatable boats are not permitted due to potential damage they can incur on the river, but please email tbates@chattahoochee.org with questions.
- Coast Guard-approved, non-inflatable Personal Floatation Devices (PFDs) are required while on the river and must be securely worn on all paddle trips. No exceptions. In some instances, helmets are required.
- Shuttling is a group effort and we will typically meet around 9 am at the put-in to unload all boats and shuttle to the take-out before we get on the river.
- All paddle trips have a maximum capacity – we encourage you to register early to ensure participation.
- Youth Age Requirements: If paddling solo, paddler must be at least 15 years old and accompanied by a parent/guardian. If paddling tandem, youth must be at least 8 years of age and accompanied by an adult at least 21 years.
Paddle Cleanup Physical Requirements
- All participants must be able to swim competently.
- All participants must be able to get in and out of a kayak/canoe unassisted (i.e., those with knee or back injuries may have difficulty).
- Paddling uses your core muscles, arms, and shoulders. Anyone with injuries in these areas may have difficulty.
- If you have open wounds, you are encouraged to wear a waterproof bandage and antibiotic ointment.
- Please consult your physician if you are concerned about your ability to participate.
Sponsor Another CRK Event
Our events educate and entertain. From film festivals and cocktail parties to river races and family-friendly festivals, there’s an ideal happening for your company. For more information, please contact our Development Director Kyndall Thiessen.
Special Thanks To Our Cleanup Supporters
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