Blog: City Blog

First Creek Along Broadway a Little Cleaner with Help from Adopt-a-Stream Program

- Communications intern Kenny Richmond

First Creek cleanup in June 2018

A local brewery, Crafty Bastard, recently adopted a half-mile section of First Creek through the City’s Adopt-a-Stream program. New signs hailing the brewery as having adopted a portion of First Creek may be seen when driving along Broadway between Grainger Avenue and Woodland Avenue.

The group held a cleanup in June as part of their adoption of First Creek. Over that half-mile stretch, 300 pounds of litter were collected by an estimated 15 volunteers.

Adopt a Stream Crew

Because litter is washed from streets to our waterways during heavy rains, the area adjacent to the creek, littered with cigarette butts, used cups, containers, food wrappers, plastic bags, and other improperly disposed materials, was also cleaned.

This man-made debris would have eventually made it into the creek, so this cleanup was more than a mere beautification effort.

First Creek before the June 2018 cleanup

First Creek before the June 2018 cleanup

Litter and cigarette butts on a sidewalk section of Broadway poised to eventually wash into First Creek below.

The City’s Stormwater Engineering Department coordinated this Adopt-a-Stream cleanup earlier this year. The program aims to significantly improve the water quality and overall health of the urban streams within the City.

In order to adopt a local stream, interested groups may select an accessible body of water located on public property (or private property with the owner’s written permission) and coordinate with City Stormwater Engineering to form a routine plan to keep their portion of the waterway clean. It always helps to entice volunteers with a celebratory incentive!

Following the cleanup event in June, for example, volunteers went on to Crafty Bastard and enjoyed a free beverage provided by the brewery.

Adopt a Stream signage

In exchange for doing their part to keep Knoxville’s creeks clean, groups will get their name and/or logo on a City “Adopt-a-Stream” sign that will be displayed at a minimum of two points along the adopted section.

First Creek after the June 2018 cleanup.

Interested in the Adopt-a-Stream program? Call 311 or e-mail [email protected].

Posted by On 12 July, 2018 at 11:31 AM