340 Pounds Of Trash Removed From Decatur - Wilson Morgan Lake and Clark Springs Branch Are Cleaner!

DECATUR, AL — On Sunday, September 27, 2026, Tennessee Riverkeeper, Model Environment, Bryan Animal Clinic and volunteers conducted a litter cleanup along the banks of Wilson Morgan Lake and Clark Spring Branch, a tributary of the Tennessee River in Decatur, Alabama.  

Ten people attended and removed more than 340 pounds of trash from the park and waterways. 

This cleanup is organized by nonprofit Tennessee Riverkeeper and Model Environment.

“The weather was perfect, creek access was manageable, and once we got in the creek there was more trash than expected. More importantly, everyone had a great time. One of the more enjoyable cleanups I've attended,” said Dr. Harry Greenbaum from Bryan Animal Clinic. 

David Whiteside, Founder of Tennessee Riverkeeper said: “These events show that a few people can make a difference, and cleanups provide some hope for hundreds of thousands of citizens who are concerned about our blessed river and its tributaries. Clean water is a nonpartisan issue; we are all in this together.”

“My family and I had a blast, hanging by the stream and leaving it a bit better than we found it. An excellent way to spend a Sunday afternoon,” added Brett Byford.

This area of Clark Spring Branch near the Tennessee River is a collection zone for garbage.  Often litter that gets thrown out on streets will flow into creeks and rivers after rain events via drainage systems.  Unfortunately, this creates a situation where waterways receive a plethora of plastics.  We now know that this garbage negatively impacts water quality and is much more than just a visible eyesore.

“There is no easy solution to this problem. We do know that preventing plastics from entering waterways is an obvious solution and it is easier to remove garbage from the shorelines and shallow water of creeks and rivers.  It is very difficult and inefficient to try to remove litter from deeper water.  Another important solution is education and informing citizens that littering not only makes our community look trashy, it also impairs fishing and water quality,” added Whiteside.