Catawba Riverkeeper

10/13/2026

10/08/2026

10/08/2026

Caring for the Catawba River requires constant effort and collaboration with amazing folks from all over the region. At the Catawba Riversweep, we get to see a lot of that effort and collaboration come together in just a short span of time on the first Saturday of October. This year was no different.

Every year, volunteers pull tens of thousands of pounds of trash from our local lakes, rivers, and streams, which is nothing short of incredible. Not only that, but these volunteers inspire more people in their communities to take action for cleaner water, and they inspire us to strengthen our efforts to preserve, protect, and restore local waterways.

Thank you to the hundreds of people who joined us last Saturday in the 2026 Catawba Riversweep! Your hard work resulted in the removal of tens of thousands of pounds of trash from the lakes and rivers we love so much (we're still receiving trash collection weight reports from several of our sites, so the grand total will be announced soon!). With your help, we'll keep fighting for healthier ecosystems and communities for all!

10/07/2026

We'd like to give a huge thank you to our Riversweep sponsors and partners! ⁠
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Ensuring that every one of the over 50 Riversweep cleanup sites is equipped with the materials needed for a safe and successful cleanup is no small task. That's why we're especially grateful for the sponsors and partners who supported this year's event with much-needed funds and supplies. We are always glad to have so many partners who recognize the importance of preserving, protecting, and restoring our local water resources!⁠
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Thank you to our presenting sponsor, the Catawba Wateree Water Management Group, as well as our Headwaters Advocate sponsors, , , , and . We'd also like to thank our Site sponsors, , , and Lake Norman Marine Commission, as well as other partners who supported the event with supplies, boats, or trash disposal services: , , City of Hickory, Cramerton Stormwater, York County, SC, McDowell County, NC, City of Gastonia, City of Lowell, , , and . We appreciate you all!

10/06/2026

Our staff, volunteers, and partners make Riversweep trash disposal look easy! Once all of our wonderful volunteers clean up our waterways and shorelines, that trash has to go somewhere.

We'd like to give a big thank you to all of our municipal and trash disposal partners for completing the final step of Riversweep and moving trash off-site. We appreciate your support!

10/03/2026

10/03/2026

10/02/2026

Riversweep Weather Watch:

Catawba Riverkeeper staff are keeping a close eye on the weather forecast for the Catawba Riversweep, happening tomorrow, October 3rd, from 9 a.m. to 12 pm. Currently, all Riversweep cleanup sites are still on as scheduled.

As with any outdoor event, please attend only if you feel safe venturing out in the weather at your location.

If the weather forecast worsens tomorrow morning and causes us to cancel certain Riversweep sites, we will notify registered volunteers of the cancelation. If you do not hear anything from us tomorrow morning, please assume that your cleanup site is happening as scheduled.

We are still optimistic for an impactful morning of hard work for the betterment of our shared waterways, and we look forward to seeing you out on the water tomorrow!

10/01/2026

Around two decades ago, Liz Duda volunteered at her first Riversweep (then called the Lake Wylie Riversweep). After a year of participating as a volunteer, she became the Riversweep Site Captain for the Tega Cay Marina cleanup site. Now, almost twenty years later, Liz, her husband Aaron, and their three children, Charlie, Harry, and Josie, have turned the Catawba Riversweep into a family tradition.

From a very young age, the Duda children have known that the first Saturday in October is a day dedicated to taking care of their local natural resources, spending time with their community, and growing in their leadership skills. Pulling all kinds of trash from the lake that they love has helped them understand what their hard work and dedication can do to improve their own community. Liz and Aaron have ensured that their children's site captain duties have extended beyond picking up trash--Charlie, Harry, and Josie also help set up the materials, check participants in, and even practice their public speaking skills through giving the introduction and safety talk.

To Liz, the best part about participating in the Catawba Riversweep is the chance to work alongside old friends and to meet new people and hear their stories. She strongly encourages families to bring their children out for a day of volunteering. It's the perfect opportunity to teach the next generation the importance of water conservation and community engagement!

Thank you to the Duda family for their decades of commitment to clean water and healthy communities.

To join the Duda family and hundreds of other neighbors at the 2026 Catawba Riversweep, visit www.catawbariverkeeper.org/riversweep to learn more about the cleanup sites that still need walk-up volunteers this Saturday, October 3, from 9:00 am - 12:00 pm.

09/30/2026

Please join us in welcoming Jennifer Steedley as Catawba Riverkeeper's new Engagement Manager!

Jennifer graduated from Catawba College, where she studied history and music. She went on to earn her M.Ed. in Teaching and Learning. After working in a variety of educational settings, she found her way into outdoor and experiential education. She discovered that her passion extended beyond teaching and centered on helping people connect with the natural world.

As the Engagement Manager for Catawba Riverkeeper, she is passionate about connecting communities across the Catawba-Wateree River Basin with hands-on experiences that inspire learning and stewardship. Through various programs like the Floating Classroom, she helps students, families, volunteers, and partners explore, learn from, and protect our waterways.

Jennifer lives in Concord with her husband and four children. She gets away to the mountains every chance she gets to enjoy hiking and spending time on the water. If she's not outside, she’s most likely tucked away somewhere enjoying a good book.

Welcome to the team, Jennifer!