Litter trashes activity on Oklahoma City rivers and lakes

BY MICHAEL KIMBALL

Published: December 1, 2008

Careless litter is certainly not a problem that is unique to Oklahoma City.

But people who use the city’s waterways would probably appreciate it if more discarded water bottles and burger wrappers made it to a trashcan instead of a gutter.

Now more than ever, especially on the Oklahoma River, the city’s bodies of water are becoming central to the area’s outdoor activity options.

If you check out one of the rivers or lakes in the metro area, it’s more than likely you’ll see someone boating, fishing or just hanging out.

"We’re reclaiming the Oklahoma River,” said Mike Knopp, executive director of the Oklahoma City Boathouse Foundation. "It used to be a ditch. Now it’s a waterway that people use for fun.”

If you toss trash out of your car window, the chances are good it might end up in the river, or at least one of the debris barricades set up to try to catch litter before it gets to widely used areas.

The Oklahoma River, as with most waterways in the state, also fails quality standards for bacterial pollution, Derichsweiler said. But that doesn’t mean the river is unsafe.

Most people using the river for normal recreational activities, even swimming for a short time, are at little risk of getting sick from the water.

Many pollution sources, both bacterial and otherwise, on the river are from natural or industrial sources, Derichsweiler said.

But some things ordinary residents do contribute to the mess as well.

The main culprits are pet waste, improperly discarded fluids, like motor oil, and litter, Derichsweiler said.

To make sure you aren’t part of the problem, pick up after your pets — everywhere, including your own property — throw away trash and always properly dispose of hazardous or unnatural liquids.

"We can all be good stewards of the river, and that’s what most of the people who use it try to do,” Knopp said.

We’re reclaiming the Oklahoma River. It used to be a ditch. Now it’s a waterway

that people use for fun.”

Mike Knopp
executive director of the Oklahoma City Boathouse Foundation

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