Saguaro Lake & Lower SAlt River Trash & Invasive Removal Project
XXXX 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 & AVNET Cares Grant PRogram.
We are the proud recipient of an Athletic Brewing Company’s Two for the Trails grant & a grant from Avnet Cares! With funds from Athletic Brewing Company and Avnet, our military veteran-based Dedicated Restoration Team made a significant impact on the Tonto National Forest by removing XXXX pounds of trash & invasive stinknet 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.
Scroll down for project photos
Saguaro Lake ~ 689 pounds of trash Removed
BEFORE
BEFORE
BEFORE
BEFORE
BEFORE
BEFORE
BEFORE
BEFORE
BEFORE
BEFORE
Lower salt river ~ 2,913 pounds of trash removed
This was the second cart we pulled out of Phon D sutton near the river.
BEFORE
Every bit matters!
Stopping to pick up EVEN one water bottle makes a positive impact!
BEFORE - bottle of water in the tree
AFTER
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.
Cluster of invasive apple snail eggs
Knocking cluster of apple snail eggs into the water
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.
BEFORE
AFTER
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.
BEFORE
AFTER
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.
BEFORE
AFTER
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.
An awesome team from Salt River Tubing helped in a HUGE way by picking up trash from us at Sheep Crossing & Mud Cliffs! We were grateful to them for saving us a hike with all of this trash to the dumpsters in the parking areas.
BEFORE
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.
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!
A team from Salt River Tubing also joined us on the river, picking up trash.
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.
