Volunteers across Clackamas County can wade into Johnson Creek or work from shore to haul out a year's worth of accumulated trash on August 22, then stick around for a free lunch and awards at Johnson Creek Park.

The Johnson Creek Watershed Council is hosting the annual cleanup from 8:45 a.m. to noon, with support from Clackamas Water Environment Services, the county agency that manages stormwater and wastewater for unincorporated areas and partner cities including Oregon City.

Seventy tons of trash. That's how much volunteers have pulled from the creek since the event launched in 2007, according to the watershed council's event page.

Why it matters locally

Johnson Creek runs 26 miles from headwaters near Boring to the Willamette River, passing through both Clackamas and Multnomah counties.

The creek supports steelhead, Chinook and coho salmon, cutthroat trout, red-legged frogs, painted turtles, and great blue herons, according to the watershed council.

Clackamas Water Environment Services, which received the 2025 Outstanding Member Agency Award from the Oregon Association of Clean Water Agencies, backs the cleanup through its RiverHealth Stewardship Program.

That program awarded $330,000 in grants in June 2026 to 12 organizations working on habitat restoration, invasive species management, and trash removal from local waterways.

The county's event listing notes that Water Environment Services "is proud to support events like this that help protect our environment."

How to take part

• When: Saturday, August 22, 8:45 a.m. to noon
• Where: Johnson Creek (specific access point provided upon registration); post-cleanup celebration at Johnson Creek Park
• Cost: Free
• What to expect: Volunteers can get in the water or stay on dry land. After the cleanup, a free lunch, award ceremony, and community networking follow at Johnson Creek Park.
• Register: jcwc.org/events/2026-johnson-creek-clean-up

The watershed council, established in 1995, grew out of a coalition of agencies and citizen stakeholders first convened by the City of Portland in 1990 and coordinates stewardship across the creek's full 26-mile corridor.

Upcoming community dates

• Sunday, August 16: Molalla Avenue repaving nightly closures begin in Oregon City
• Saturday, August 22: Johnson Creek Cleanup, 8:45 a.m.–noon, Johnson Creek Park celebration to follow