More than 575 Nevada volunteers worked across 26 Truckee River watershed sites and removed 120,125 pounds of waste in one day (Image Credit: KTMB)
The scale of this year’s effort was spread across 26 different locations rather than concentrated at a single stretch of the river. KTMB reported that the volunteers removed 120,125 pounds of waste, equivalent to more than 60 tons. The organisation’s breakdown shows that 9,095 pounds was litter, while 46,710 pounds was green waste and another 64,320 pounds consisted of invasive weeds. Volunteers pulled 64,320 pounds of invasive weeds, alongside 46,710 pounds of green waste. Together, those two categories made up more than 111,000 pounds of the total material collected. Of the 9,095 pounds of litter collected overall, volunteers removed 2,500 pounds directly from the river. It has organised the event since 2004, bringing volunteers together for litter removal, weed pulling, storm-drain stencilling and park beautification across the watershed, according to KTMB. In 2025, more than 550 volunteers removed nearly 25 tons of trash and green waste. Local news outlet KRNV reported that more than 575 volunteers participated across the watershed and described the preliminary results as more than 60 tons of trash, along with more than 55.5 tons of weeds and green waste. The report also confirmed the 2,500-pound river litter figure and the additional planting and storm-drain work.
Because unwanted plant species can compete with native vegetation and alter the character of surrounding habitats, removing invasive vegetation can be an important part of maintaining areas around waterways. The 2026 results therefore represent a much larger one-day collection than the previous year’s reported total, although the material categories and reporting methods should not be assumed to be identical.
KTMB says the work is intended to help prevent litter and potentially hazardous materials from remaining in or reaching the river. That allowed volunteers to address several kinds of environmental work at the same time. The results were substantial. The numbers also show that the cleanup was about more than picking up discarded rubbish. Invasive weeds accounted for the largest individual portion of the material removed during the event. KTMB lists invasive weed removal among its regular cleanup activities, alongside litter collection and other watershed projects. The cleanup also focused specifically on material that had already reached the Truckee River. This figure provides perspective on the different challenges involved in protecting a watershed. Waste lying in parks, along paths or in open spaces can eventually be carried into waterways by rainfall and runoff. The Truckee River Cleanup has become an annual community effort. For KTMB, the event is designed not simply as a large-scale rubbish collection but as a way to bring residents, organisations, businesses and local authorities together around the watershed.
