Waterway Cleanups

Despite much focus on toxic pollution and habitat restoration, litter and solid waste are a real problem for our waterways.  More than just unsightly, litter and debris (especially plastic and styrofoam) create problems for fish and wildlife.  Through ingestion, strangulation, entrapment and injury, marine debris kills and injures thousands of animals every year.  Due to the long life of these products, litter and debris will continue to harm the environment until someone comes along to clean up the mess.

Puget Soundkeeper Alliance (PSA) conducts multiple cleanup events every year, involving hundreds of volunteers from dozens of workplaces and organizations.  Focusing on waterways and shorelines, PSA volunteers clean beaches, paddle kayaks to find trash in hard to reach spots, and tow large debris safely to shore with larger boats. Contact Chris Wilke at chris@pugetsoundkeeper.org for more information and to sign up!

The Sweep (since 2003):  Our biggest cleanup of the year - supported by dozens of businesses and organizations - when over 200 volunteers take to the water annually in May to remove 2-3 tons of trash from Lake Union and Portage Bay. Kayakers, paddling teams, row boats and motorized craft take to the water to remove trash, then are treated to a picnic lunch provided by event sponsors and PSA.

Ship Canal Cleanup (co-sponsored by the Seattle Marine Business Coalition): PSA’s kayakers support volunteers on large working boats to remove up to 17 dumpsters worth of trash and marine debris from Seattle's working waterfront.

Everett Waterfront Cleanup (with Port of Everett and local boating groups):  Volunteers clean up trash annually in May, along the largest marina on the west coast and the Jetty Island natural area.

Beach Cleanups: Throughout the year PSA volunteers clean trash from Puget Sound beaches, including many Seattle Parks beaches such as Lincoln Park, Golden Gardens, Discovery Park and Carkeek Park. Contact us if you would like to organize a volunteer cleanup event for your workplace.

Habitat Restoration

Although a primary focus on protecting water quality guides many of Puget Soundkeeper Alliance’s activities, restoration projects provide substantial benefits to Puget Sound’s wildlife and marine animals.

Shoreline Restoration: By removal of invasive plants like blackberry, knotweed and Scots broom, and planting native plants in their place which benefit native wildlife species; PSA volunteers help restore important habitat adjacent to waterways. On-going efforts are underway at Golden Gardens in Seattle and Jetty Island in Everett.

Native Oyster Restoration: The diminutive Olympia oyster is the only oyster native  to the Pacific Northwest. These oysters provide habitat and sustenance for native invertebrates, birds and fish while filtering the water. In 2007 PSA volunteers worked with Puget Sound Restoration Fund to restore a native oyster population on Vashon Island

Water Quality Monitoring

Specializing in ultra-clean sampling techniques for trace metals, PSA volunteers test stormwater discharges from bridges and industrial pipes and monitor metals in urban creeks and marine water locations.