Since the city of Santa Clarita’s incorporation in 1987, your City Council has made protecting our local environment a top priority. In 1994, the city’s first River Rally Cleanup took place, bringing volunteers to remove debris from the Santa Clara River, which is one of the last natural river systems in Southern California. Since then, the event has become an annual tradition that local residents and groups look forward to participating in each year.

Over the years, volunteers have collectively cleaned more than 463,000 pounds of trash from the Santa Clara River. Last year’s event was the 11th consecutive year where more than 1,200 participants have volunteered, and with this year marking the 27th annual river clean-up, there is even more reason to carry on this important tradition.

Each year, the River Rally takes place at a different portion of the riverbed or its tributaries. The Via Princessa Bridge off of Wiley Canyon Road will act as a backdrop for this year’s event, which will take place on Saturday, Sept. 17, beginning at 8 a.m.

In addition, the event location sits adjacent to the South Fork trail, where volunteers can ride their bikes to the event and take advantage of the free bike valet service courtesy of Incycle. Once participants arrive, they will check in at the volunteer booth and undergo a brief biologist training before entering the riverbed.

After the event, volunteers can enjoy the nearby Environmental Expo, which is an outdoor resource fair, with the opportunity to learn tips and resources to live a greener and more sustainable lifestyle. To participate in this year’s River Rally, the city requires volunteers to pre-register on SantaClaritaVolunteers.com. You can get assistance by emailing volunteers@santa-clarita.com or by calling (661) 250-3708.

While the River Rally is an annual opportunity that comes just once each year, residents can still protect water quality in the riverbed all year long. Pet waste, in particular, is a contaminant that the city is finding in local water runoff and creates environmental health hazards for our community. This comes as a result of residents leaving their pet waste on the ground, which washes into the city’s storm drains and into the Santa Clara River. That’s why it’s important to Do Your Doody and pick up after your pet using a pet waste bag that can be found at our local parks and on our paseos and trails. We ask that you tie the bag and dispose of it in a regular trash container. Cleaning up after your pet is just one of the many ways you can do your part.

GreenSantaClarita.com is a valuable resource where residents and businesses can find information and resources on upcoming green events, recommendations for energy-efficient programs, locations of electric vehicle charging stations and much more. We look forward to seeing you at this year’s River Rally and hope you take advantage of local resources to go green!

Ken Striplin is the City Manager for the City of Santa Clarita and can be reached at kstriplin@santa-clarita.com.