Surovell to hold Little Hunting Creek Cleanup on May 20

A volunteer at last year’s creek cleanup. (Image courtesy of Scott Surovell)

State Sen. Scott Surovell will hold his annual Little Hunting Creek Cleanup on May 20.

Surovell (D-36) sponsors the event each year and works in conjunction with the Friends of Little Hunting Creek, a local environmental group that holds multiple cleanup events each year. 

The creek, which runs from Huntley Meadows through Hybla Valley and into the Potomac River north of Mount Vernon, is notorious for litter. Areas of the creek near Richmond Highway are a chronic problem due to variety of factors, Surovell said. 

“Little Hunting Creek is one of the most severely degraded streams in Fairfax County,” Surovell said, noting that the creek was named Fairfax County’s Trashiest Stream by the county in 2007.  “The area is impacted by substandard stormwater system, a significant retail presence, a large concentration of apartments with trash containment problems, and a large homeless population, which results in significant, litter dispersal throughout the watershed.”

Surovell says that in past years volunteers have collected at least 10,000 pounds of waste, 200 grocery carts, over 60 tires, a dozen bikes, multiple car seats and a .22 caliber rifle. 

The cleanup will run from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. You can RSVP to the event here.