Join us for the 7th Annual Illinois River Cleanup!
Cleanups will be from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm followed by a BBQ lunch and raffle at the IRWP Sanctuary in Cave Springs that all volunteers are welcome to join!
Have questions about the cleanup locations? Scroll past the volunteer registration form for more details, or email sarah@irwp.org.
Register below to volunteer for the 7th AIR on Saturday, April 18th, 2026!
Tahlequah Creek in Oklahoma
This cleanup will be taking place on Thursday, April 23rd in partnership with Cherokee Nation and the City of Tahlequah. The main meetup location will be at the Peace Pavilion (177 S Water Ave, Tahlequah, OK 74464), with sub-stations at Norris Park and Felts Park for sign-in and supplies. Volunteers can show up to any of the three stations on the day of to start the cleanup. Lunch will be provided at 12:30pm at the Peace Pavilion along with a door prize winner announcement.
This cleanup is trail and creek based which means you might get wet down in the creek! Bring rubber boots if you have them.
Since this cleanup is on a different date than the other cleanups it has its own volunteer registration page, please go to 7th AIR Tahlequah to register!
Chamber Springs Public Access
This cleanup will be led by NWA Master Naturalist Miranda Kohout and is in partnership with the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission. This cleanup will include the parking lot, the shoreline along the Illinois River, and Chamber Springs Rd.
This cleanup is land-based along the Illinois River, so a pair of hiking or rubber boots is helpful to navigate any vegetation you come across.
Lake Frances Gate Road in Siloam Springs
This cleanup will be led by the Northwest Arkansas Land Trust along the Lake Frances Gate Road near Highway 59, and the meeting location is the grassy lot beside the iconic Lake Frances Sign!
This cleanup is land-based along a gravel road, so a pair of hiking or rubber boots is helpful to navigate any vegetation you come across.
Sager Creek in Siloam Springs
This cleanup will be led by IRWP’s Education and Water Quality Specialist, Suzanne Murphy and is in partnership with the City of Siloam Springs, and the meeting location will be the Siloam Springs Parks and Recreation building.
This cleanup is trail and creek based which means you might get wet down in the creek! Bring rubber boots if you have them.
Flint Creek in Springtown
This cleanup will be led by Springtown City Council Member, Chris Taylor, and the meeting location is the Springtown Town Park.
This cleanup is trail and creek based which means you might get wet down in the creek! Bring rubber boots if you have them.
Prairie Grove Battlefield State Park
This cleanup will be led by IRWP’s Restoration Fellows, Leland Colf and Max Emerson, and is in partnership with Prairie Grove Battlefield State Park.
This cleanup is land-based along the Illinois River, so a pair of hiking or rubber boots is helpful to navigate any vegetation you come across.
Osage Creek in Rogers
This cleanup will be led by the University of Arkansas’ Northwest Arkansas Stormwater Education and is in partnership with Rogers Parks and Recreation. The meeting location is the entry to the Razorback Greenway in Rogers next to Chapel of the Ozarks.
This cleanup is trail and creek based which means you might get wet down in the creek! Bring rubber boots if you have them.
Little Osage Creek in Bentonville
This cleanup will be led by NWA Master Naturalist Judy Anderson and is in partnership with Bentonville Parks and Recreation, and the meeting location is the parking lot for Game X Change in Bentonville.
This cleanup is trail and creek based which means you might get wet down in the creek! Bring rubber boots if you have them.
Lake Elmdale in Elm Springs
This cleanup is led by Wonderful Waterways and in partnership with the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, and the meeting location is at Lake Elmdale Boat Ramp in Elm Springs.
This cleanup is land-based along Lake Elmdale, so a pair of hiking or rubber boots is helpful to navigate any vegetation you come across. If you want to bring your own boat, you are welcome to!
Lake Wedington
This cleanup is led by Audre Darling, and the meeting location is at lake Wedington Pavilion and Recreational Area.
This cleanup will have a 9 -12 AM shift, then lunch will be provided, and then another shift 1 - 6 PM. Please register for this cleanup here.
This cleanup is land-based along Lake Wedington, so a pair of hiking or rubber boots is helpful to navigate any vegetation you come across. If you want to bring your own boat, you are welcome to!
Clear Creek in Johnson
This cleanup will be led by IRWP Volunteer, Emily Alkema, and the meeting location is off of the Highway 112 bridge.
This cleanup is creek based which means you might get wet down in the creek! Bring rubber boots if you have them.
Spring Creek in Springdale
This cleanup will be led by IRWP Associate Director, Morgan Keeling, and is in partnership with the City of Springdale and Downtown Springdale. The meeting location is the Walter Turnbow Park.
This cleanup is trail and creek based which means you might get wet down in the creek! Bring rubber boots if you have them.
Scull Creek in Fayetteville
This cleanup will be led by IRWP Green Infrastructure Program Manager, Kate Shirley, and is in partnership with the City of Fayetteville, and the meeting location is at the Fossil Cove Brewery.
This cleanup is creek based which means you might get wet down in the creek, so bring rubber boots if you have them.
Niokaska Creek in Fayetteville
This cleanup will be led by Brad Austen with the Arkansas Water Resources Center and is in partnership with the City of Fayetteville. Meeting location is at the Gully Park parking lot.
This cleanup is creek based which means you might get wet down in the creek, so bring rubber boots if you have them!
Hamestring Creek in Fayetteville
This cleanup will be led by UA Biological Sciences & Engineering Club and in partnership with the City of Fayetteville, and the meeting location is at the Hamestring Creek Trailhead.
This cleanup is creek based which means you might get wet down in the creek, so bring rubber boots if you have them!
Check out how much fun we had during last year’s Annual Illinois River Cleanup!
