Get Involved
Celebrate the 4th of July with a purpose! Gather your friends and head outside to participate in a watershed wide effort to preserve our recreation areas. After the holiday, these areas tend to accumulate excess litter, which we want to clean up before it floats downstream and harms our waterways.
By volunteering your time, you can directly contribute to reducing waste and protecting our local wildlife. Litter attracts animals that can leave harmful bacteria in the water, risking the well-being of both humans and wildlife. Let’s show our dedication to the environment and make a positive impact on our community together.

Photo credit: Kalai Kollus, Oak Creek Watershed Council
Mark your calendars and gather your friends and family for this meaningful event that combines celebration and conservation. Embrace the spirit of independence by joining us and helping our community thrive. Don’t forget to share your experience on social media using the hashtag #PurdyVerde. We can’t wait to see your posts and celebrate our collective efforts to keep our waterways clean, safe, and enjoyable!
Here are the details:
- Choose a day between July 4-9, 2023.
- Select a location from our map or anywhere near you.
- Create your own team of volunteers to clean up parts of the Verde River.
- Use this form to collect data for Arizona Water Watch about the site where you clean up trash. Remember to include “Purdy Verde” in your group name.
- Share your photos and videos by email (sending to SupportUs@verderiver.org) or on social media using the hashtag #PurdyVerde.
- Once you’re done with your clean-up, enter the data you collected on this website when you have cell service.
The data you collect will help inform land managers about litter issues in the Verde Watershed, enabling better planning decisions!
For information on what to bring and how to handle the trash, please visit our blog post. Join us in making a difference and keeping our waterways clean and beautiful!

Photo credit: Kalai Kollus, Oak Creek Watershed Council
Event Video
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