Unc River Cleanup at Pa-Co-Chu-Puk

Join the Uncompahgre Watershed Partnership and Colorado Parks & Wildlife staff for a volunteer cleanup along the Uncompahgre River at the Pa-Co-Chu-Puk area of the Ridgway State Park on Wednesday, October 21 from 1 to 4 p.m.

Did you know that fishing line takes up to 600 years to break down in nature?

Plastic beverage bottles take up to 450 years, aluminum cans up to 200 years, styrofoam cups up to 50 years, nylon fabric up to 40 years, and cigarette filters up to five years.

Pa-Co-Chu-Puk is Ouray County’s most popular fly fishing location with fantastic trout habitat in the Uncompahgre River below Ridgway Dam and two ponds stocked with Rainbow trout. Staff from local fishing guide services and outfitters will make up our central volunteer crews and we welcome anyone else interested in helping their efforts. Thank you to Montrose Anglers, RIGS Fly Shop & Guide Service, and Telluride Flyfishers for supporting this event.

We will provide bags and buckets for volunteers to use as they pick up fishing line and the various litter left behind by river users. Please join us even if you can’t stay for the full three hours. We will also provide snacks and drinks. Please bring a water bottle, sturdy shoes and work clothes. Masks are required when assembled in a group for instructions and other times when you cannot maintain social distancing of at least six feet. We recommend sunglasses, sunscreen and possibly bug spray.

Note: Children are welcome if accompanied by a parent, teacher or other guardian, but this event is not recommended for those under 10 years old. Please don’t bring dogs unless they are on a leash, are friendly to other dogs and humans, and can be kept under control.

Please sign up so we can plan for the volunteer numbers and so we can send you more detailed information: Google Form.