Crews from the Department of Public Works have completed a massive cleanup effort in the Sweetwater River Channel near Bonita by removing dozens of abandoned shopping carts and other trash. Debris and several carts were scattered along the popular bike path and pedestrian walkway - many of them were in the river channel mired deep in the mud. Carts along the pathway presented a safety hazard to cyclists and pedestrians; those in the channel presented an unsightly mess and adversely impacted a natural habitat.
A total of 60 carts, two large metal racks, two tires, one chair, two mattresses and assorted trash were removed from the popular bike path, riverbank and river channel.
The cleanup was done by hand, without the use of heavy equipment which could have damaged the fragile habitat. A County biologist was also on site to monitor the effort. During low tide DPW personnel threw grappling hooks from the shore, or waded out into the channel, to snag the carts, and then winched them out of the mud onto the shore where they were loaded onto trucks and removed. The effort took several days.
The channel, and wildlife habitat, is once again in a natural, pristine and unlittered state. The public can help in maintaining the beauty of the popular recreational area, as well as the fragile environment of the river channel, by reporting any abandoned carts in the area.
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