Experts encourage people to keep Tennessee River and creeks clean

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) — Experts with the Tennessee Aquarium are encouraging people to help cleanup the Tennessee River and nearby creeks.

Paddleboarders spent the day out on the water, enjoying the Tennessee River. But in parts of the river and in nearby creeks, there is trash. People with the Tennessee Aquarium captured this video while paddling through Chattanooga Creek.

“That is one that a lot of people stay away from. It is not easy to get down to and it is just a site that is not real safe, but some of the areas, the way the water flows, and then we have a lot of rain, it will bring a lot more litter. All of a sudden, it will come out of the woods and be washed down the streams which end up washing down into the Tennessee River,” said Christine Hunt, the lead horticulturist with the Tennessee Aquarium.

She said the problem isn’t as bad as it used to be.

“We are making some progress on the visible litter. I think there are probably other pollutants in the river, but we are making some progress. Certainly we are trying to make an effort getting rid of single use plastic,” Hunt said.

The Tennessee River Rescue is right around the corner. Volunteers will spread out and clean up the river and area creeks.

“I think we are kind of raising awareness and showing the children and the public that it is not okay to litter and we don’t like it. And it is just not how the river should be and by doing that every year we are saying this river is beautiful, it doesn’t deserve to have litter and trash,” Hunt said.

The Tennessee River Rescue will be on October 6. For more information, click here.

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