Advocacy Group Removes 100,000 Pounds Of Litter From Black Warrior River Watershed

TUSCALOOSA, AL — Black Warrior Riverkeeper on Thursday announced its Volunteer Litter Cleanups program has successfully removed 100,000 pounds of litter from the Black Warrior River watershed.

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The nonprofit waterways advocacy group says the milestone was reached following the program's launch in 2021, which began with a Martin Luther King Day Cleanup in collaboration with Cahaba Riverkeeper.

The program covers 17 Alabama counties and includes efforts from Smith Lake to Lake Tuscaloosa and Demopolis.

Since its inception, the program has partnered with a wide range of organizations, including businesses, civic groups, government agencies, nonprofits, religious institutions, and schools, to tackle litter and protect the watershed.

Katie Fagan, hired part-time in late 2020 to explore the feasibility of the cleanups program, is credited with playing a crucial role in its development, in addition to securing a grant from the Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham and a Birmingham City Council resolution endorsing the initiative.

Black Warrior Riverkeeper then said Katie Holmes succeeded Fagan in late 2023 and has continued to drive the program forward, engaging numerous volunteers and partners.

“I am thrilled that we have removed over 100,000 pounds of litter from our watershed,” Holmes said. “We rely on our partners and community members to make these cleanups successful, and 100,000 pounds is just the beginning."

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