Bikes, shopping carts and oil drums were among the trash pulled out of Winnipeg's Seine River
Caitlyn Gowriluk | CBC News | Posted: August 19, 2023 11:00 AM | Last Updated: August 19, 2023
Save Our Seine team collected enough garbage to fill over 100 bags, co-ordinator says
They pulled 15 tires, 13 shopping carts and five bikes out of Winnipeg's Seine River.
That was just some of the trash a team from an environmental non-profit removed from the river as part of their annual summer cleanup. There was also a suitcase so heavy and full of water it tipped their canoe, three knives and children's toys. Plus, oil drums, a rollerblade, and an old projector.
Abby Rodrigue, co-ordinator of the Save Our Seine summer river keeper team, said the crew found enough garbage in the water to fill 107 trash bags from the beginning of June to this week, when they wrapped up for the season.
Rodrigue said she worries the river "would become a complete dump" without those efforts.
"I don't think there would be much of a river left, honestly, without someone caring for it every year," she said.
"I worked on the team last year and we pulled out so much — and to see a lot of it back again, or just more stuff, is saddening."
Monique Ellison, lead hand on this summer's river keeper team, said the crew has found plenty of what appears to be recently dumped garbage, like water bottles, beer cans and coffee cups.
But they suspect much of what they find is leftover from decades ago when the river was used "like a dumping ground."
"Every year we're trying to clean up more and more and more, but stuff just keeps resurfacing as the water levels change," Ellison said, adding garbage is visible now because of lower water levels.
Garbage can cause erosion, hurt animals: expert
Shawn Clark, a professor serving as head of the University of Manitoba's civil engineering department, said those lower water levels are largely due to the relatively dry summer weather this year.
Clark, who's an expert on understanding river flow, said there are many reasons why it's important to remove garbage from a body of water like the Seine River.
For example, obstacles in the water can raise the river level and potentially create a flooding risk for nearby areas. In addition, they can make it difficult or even dangerous for people to navigate the water in a kayak or canoe, he said.
Obstructions can also cause swirling and accelerated water flows that lead to erosion and kick up sediment from the bottom of the river, which can affect fish and other aquatic life, Clark said.
WATCH | Winnipeg volunteers explain challenges of cleaning up Seine River:
And the garbage itself can also be transported downstream into other larger rivers and lakes.
"Trash in the Seine River at some point can very well make its way into Lake Winnipeg — and large bodies of water like that can accumulate microplastics and that sort of thing," he said, adding it can also affect wildlife in the area.
"Those plastics can be around for a long time. So it is commendable, I think, that there's a group going out there taking time out of their day to try to clean that up."
Attitude shift needed to protect 'serene' resource
After a summer spent trying to lug huge pieces of trash out of the water without falling in and breaking down giant fallen trees with hand saws, Ellison said she has a real appreciation for the work that goes into protecting an important natural resource like the Seine River.
"It's so beautiful and serene," she said, adding locals are fortunate they can access the area, which also has walking trails, year-round.
"You don't have to travel an hour away, you have it right here in the city," she said. "I think that's really important for people to be able to connect with nature."
Rodrigue said she's come away from the experience with a similar feeling about the river — and she hopes others will too.
"I think we just feel really fulfilled and that we want to keep pushing this to the public to bring awareness to the Seine River," she said.
"Hopefully people will be more considerate with their garbage and maybe use the Seine River more."