Saguaro Lake & Lower SAlt River Trash & Invasive Removal Project

3,602 pounds of trash removed & thousands of invasive apple snail eggs knocked into the water

Funded by Athletic Brewing Company’s Two for the Trails Program

We are the proud recipient of Athletic Brewing Company’s Two for the Trails grant program!

Athletic Brewing Company’s love for the great outdoors is why they created their Two for the Trails program, where they donate up to $2 million annually to help protect, preserve, and maintain local trails.

With funds from Athletic Brewing Company, our military veteran-based Dedicated Restoration Team made a significant impact on the Tonto National Forest by removing 3,602 pounds of trash from the Lower Salt River and Saguaro Lake, as well as knocking thousands of invasive apple snail eggs into the water at the Lower Salt River. Check out our previous grant from Two for the Trails HERE.

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Saguaro Lake ~ 689 pounds of trash Removed

Lower salt river ~ 2,913 pounds of trash removed

1 of 2 homemade carts we pulled off the river. This one was stuck in the river in the vegetation & the other one was on land at Phon D Sutton near the river.

this cart was stuck halfway between Phon D & Granite Reef, so Justin & Ryan from our Dedicated Restoration Team floated the cart down the river once we got it free.

This was the second cart we pulled out of Phon D sutton near the river.

Every bit matters!

Stopping to pick up EVEN one water bottle makes a positive impact!

Invasive apple snail eggs

Years ago in Arizona, apple snails were sold as pets for home aquariums. Unfortunately, someone illegally dumped their unwanted pet snails into the Lower Verde River. Since then, apple snails have become well established in the Lower Salt River.

Invasive apple snail eggs are bright pink & laid in clusters above the waterline on plants or structures. They are a telltale sign of the invasive apple snail, a species native to South America that has spread throughout the US Gulf Coast & beyond. These snails are voracious eaters of aquatic vegetation & can significantly alter freshwater ecosystems.

Why are apple snails a problem?

Habitat destruction: Apple snails consume large amounts of aquatic vegetation, which can disrupt native plant life & negatively impact the food chain for other species.
Spread: They reproduce quickly, laying multiple egg clusters containing hundreds of eggs.

Apple snails are highly invasive! Female snails are capable of producing thousands of young each year. They outcompete native snail populations, which are an important food source for many fish and wildlife, in large part because there are no local predators that will eat them.

Apple snail eggs are laid above the waterline and need to remain moist but not submerged to hatch. By knocking them off vegetation & submerging them, we’re preventing thousands of invasive apple snails from hatching in the river.

You can help! Anytime you float the river & see bright pink clusters of apple snail eggs, knock them into the water if you can do so safely!

1,953.63 pounds of trash removed

After memorial day weekend, we teamed up with our friends from Salty Scuba Squad, Salt River Waste & Trash Removal Team, & the River rangers from the tonto national forest to float the river from Pebble Beach to goldfield, picking up trash from the river & riverbanks while Salty scuba squad divers pulled trash from the river bottom.

We ran into an awesome team from Salt River Tubing out picking up trash! We were grateful to them for taking the trash picked up & put into piles at Sheep Crossing & Mud Cliffs. ⁠

We picked up trash around the picnic area, pulled invasive stinknet found around the picnic tables at Pebble Beach, & knocked invasive apple snail eggs into the water as we floated.

1,052.97 Pounds of trash removed

After 4th of july weekend, we teamed up with our friends from Salty Scuba Squad, Salt River Waste & Trash Removal Team, Salt River Tubing, the River rangers from the tonto national forest, & Redline Rentals & Sales to float the river from Pebble Beach to goldfield, picking up trash along while their divers pulled trash from the river bottom.

Thank you, Salt River Tubing!

We met at Goldfield to air up our boards & then the awesome team from Salt River Tubing brought their box truck to help us haul boards & gear up to Pebble Beach. Salt River Tubing also provided a shuttle bus up to Pebble Beach, this was a huge help for all of us!

We stopped at Sheeps Crossing, Mud Cliffs, & Goldfield to weigh & unload trash. Salt River Tubing brought their team & a truck out to take the trash back to their dumpster which was a HUGE help to us!

A team from Salt River Tubing also joined us on the river, picking up trash.

Thank you, REDLINE RENTALS & SALES!

Our friends at RedLine Rentals & Sales brought their box truck to help us haul boards & gear up to Pebble Beach and went down the river with us, picking up trash.

Thank you to everyone at Athletic Brewing Company for their support of our mission & these restoration projects!

About Athletic Brewing Company

Athletic Brewing, founded in 2017 by Bill Shufelt and John Walker, is the 13th largest craft brewer in America and the leading producer of non-alcoholic craft beer. The company’s brews are distributed in all 50 states and available at over 50,000 retail stores nationwide. In 2023, Athletic was ranked as the 4th fastest-growing company in the Americas by Financial Times. Athletic was also ranked as the fastest-growing U.S. beverage manufacturer by Inc. Magazine in 2022, and named one of TIME’s “100 Most Influential Companies.” The company has won over 75 prestigious brewing awards and has earned the title of North American Brewer of the Year in the last four International Beer Challenge competitions. Athletic has custom breweries in Milford, Connecticut, and San Diego, and donates up to $2 million annually to protecting and restoring outdoor spaces across the globe via its Two For The Trails program. Athletic Brewing is proudly a Certified B Corporation™. Its full-flavored near beers and hop-infused sparkling waters are available on www.athleticbrewing.com.