photo by: Sylas May/Journal-World

The Kansas River is pictured on Thursday, July 2, 2026.

Friends of the Kaw is known for paddling out onto the Kansas River and cleaning up trash. But its newest project this summer is all about stopping that trash from getting into the river in the first place.

It’s called the Lawrence Watershed Cleanup Project, and it will be providing free supply kits, maps and instructions for volunteers who want to pick up that trash in their own neighborhoods.

“All the trash we see on the ground, if it’s not cleaned up, then it will eventually, after a windy day or a rainy day, it will get blown or washed into a storm drain or a stream or tributary, and eventually it really does have the potential to make its way to the river,” said Kim Bellemere, Friends of the Kaw’s director of programming and outreach. “And so the first goal (of the cleanup project) is getting it before it gets there.”

The project is funded by the City of Lawrence’s stormwater management program, and signups are open now for the cleanup kits. Each kit includes instructions, safety information, educational materials and rules about where to clean up; a map of the city’s watersheds; trash bags and 20 pairs of gloves; hand sanitizer; snacks; and a five-gallon bucket.

Teams will have until Aug. 16 to complete their cleanup and report their results to Friends of the Kaw using a form included in the kit. The form asks them questions about where they cleaned up and what they found, and Bellemere said “we very much want them to send us pictures of what they find.”

“It’s going to be a fun project, I think, for a lot of people, and I think all of them will learn more about our community,” Bellemere said.

Often, people aren’t aware of all the ways the river and its streams fit into the community and the state of Kansas as a whole. Bellemere said the Kansas River watershed covers 61,000 square miles and includes “many, many streams, many, many tributaries.” People may not know which creek their neighborhood drains into, for instance, “and also understanding where that creek flows – knowing, does it flow into the Wakarusa? Does it flow into the Kansas?”

On the watershed map in the kit, people will be able to find the answers to those questions.

“They’ll be able to find that on the map,” Bellemere said. “… They’ll be able to see which of the smaller watersheds they live in and what stream their neighborhood drains to, and then what river that stream drains to.”

Also included is more general information about how watersheds work, about the Kansas River, and even about drinking water in Lawrence, for which the river is one of the two sources.

“I don’t think a lot of people always really understand that either,” Bellemere said. “… Getting trash out of our watershed keeps it from flowing into the tributaries and flowing into the river, and it directly impacts our drinking water sources.”

The city’s support has been invaluable, Bellemere said, and she thinks the stormwater staff there wants people to learn more about the watersheds, as well.

“They also care deeply about helping people understand that it’s more than picking up the trash, it’s really understanding how all of these different things are connected to one another and understanding that we all have a role to play,” she said.

To sign up for the Lawrence Watershed Cleanup Project, go to bit.ly/WatershedCleanUpKit. The form asks where you plan to do your cleanup and where you plan to pick up your supplies. Two pickup times and locations are available to select: 4 to 6:30 p.m. Thursday, July 9, at the Cottin’s Hardware Farmers Market, 1832 Massachusetts St.; and 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, July 11, at The Merc, 901 Iowa St.

If you can’t make it to these pickup times, you can email Bellemere at kim.bellemere@kansasriver.org to make other arrangements. The number of kits is also limited, but Bellemere said people are welcome to participate without one if supplies run out.

“If they’re going to do something this summer and the cleanup kits are gone and they still want to participate, they can still do that,” she said. “Again, I would just ask them to email me.”

Groups who submit their reports can also win prizes donated by Friends of the Kaw if they cover the most area or submit the best cleanup photo. The prizes are as follows:

• Largest area cleaned up by a group of five people or fewer: free kayak rentals for one of Friends of the Kaw’s educational paddle trips in 2027.

• Largest area cleaned up by a group of six to 25 people: Friends of the Kaw bandannas or baseball caps for everyone in the group.

• Best cleanup photo: $100 gift card to an area restaurant.

Bellemere said that the cleanup is a pilot project this year, but that if it goes well, it could return in future years, too.

“I really, really am excited about the possibility or the opportunity for people to really get out and learn more about where they live,” Bellemere said.