A Project AWARE volunteer canoes down the Iowa River during the July 2012 event. (Photo by volunteer Rusty Martin.)

On July 6, volunteers will launch their canoes in the Des Moines River on the northern edge of Algona, to begin the annual river cleanup and canoe adventure known as Project AWARE (A Watershed Awareness River Expedition).

This year's AWARE will cover a 94-mile segment of the Des Moines River, ending on July 13 in Lehigh. Deadline for volunteer registration is Friday, June 21.

Since 2003, Project AWARE volunteers have removed nearly a half-million pounds of scrap metal, tires, abandoned appliances and various other trash that had been illegally dumped or dragged into Iowa rivers by floodwaters. Most of this trash was recycled. Last year, 387 people were part of the event, spending up to seven days removing debris from an 85-mile stretch of the Iowa River during the day and camping on its shores at night.

Project AWARE is "designed to connect Iowans with their rivers, providing them with opportunities to experience Iowa's diverse landscapes while at the same time strengthening their sense of place within the natural world," said Lynette Seigley, Project AWARE coordinator for the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. Iowa DNR is the organizer and lead sponsor of Project AWARE.

The State Hygienic Laboratory is one of many sponsors that donate money or resources to support the event. Several staff members from the Hygienic Laboratory's Limnology and Environmental Health Programs are veteran AWARE volunteers.

Additional information is available on the Project AWARE website.