Clean Neighborhoods
Clean Waterways
Keeping Indianapolis Waterways Clean
Litter has a nasty habit of making its way to streams and rivers. Trash in our waterways hurts wildlife, harms water quality, blocks water flow, and makes these assets less welcoming to people and animals alike. No matter how it gets there – blown, tossed or dumped – its impact ripples for years.
Left uncollected, garbage can become trapped in the waterways by sediment, debris, and vegetation. Then, over decades, that trash can degrade and pollute water – a critical habitat for many wildlife – with microplastics and toxic forever chemicals such as PCBs.
Keep Indianapolis Beautiful works closely with three community-led groups focusing on Little Eagle Creek, Pleasant Run, and Pogue’s Run. These committees are made up of volunteers who live near, work near, or enjoy spending time along the waterways. Committees plan events and host litter cleanups
Interested in joining one of these committees? Reach out to Kyle Martin, Keep Indianapolis Beautiful’s Waterways Coordinator who can connect you with other community members making our waterways thrive.
Join us in restoring your city’s waterways!
You have many ways to get involved with and support Keep Indianapolis Beautiful’s clean waterway efforts. Your options include:
- Lend your time and energy at a KIB waterway cleanup. To sign up, visit our volunteer calendar to find an upcoming project.
- Plan your own waterway cleanup! Our Great Indy Cleanup program provides supplies, like trash bags and gloves, and dumpsters and/or compactor trucks to groups organizing their own efforts. Learn more about the Great Indy Cleanup today!
- Make a financial gift to Keep Indianapolis Beautiful today. Our waterway litter abatement work removes an average of 2500 pounds of trash each month. Support that impact today with a one-time or sustaining donation!
Have questions for us? Contact our team here.
Keeping Waterways Clean, Together
KIB partners with other waterways-focused organizations to maximize our impact. Our partners include:
Friends of the White River
Friends of the White River has a mission to protect, preserve, and promote our vital resource for communities in Central Indiana by connecting people to the White River. They focus on watershed restoration, environmental justice, and outdoor education.
Keep Indianapolis Beautiful partners with Friends of the White River often on litter cleanups along the White River and Fall Creek.
White River Alliance
The White River Alliance is a 16-county consortium of local governments, industry, utilities, universities, agriculture, and the regional community. Its goal is that exists to improve and protect water quality on a watershed basis in the larger Upper White River Region. Keep Indianapolis Beautiful partners with White River Alliance on storm drain and stormwater infrastructure-focused cleanups.