Hundreds Unite to Clean Santa Fe and Ichetucknee Rivers in Major Conservation Effort

Fort White, FL – On Sunday, March 8, 2026, over 300 volunteers dedicated six hours to a large-scale cleanup of 30 miles of shoreline along the Lower Santa Fe River and the Ichetucknee Spring run. The event, hosted by Rum 138 and Our Santa Fe River, focused on removing trash from the banks and shallows of the waterways.

Addressing Historic Low River Levels

Organizers intentionally scheduled the cleanup to coincide with historically low river levels and clear water conditions. These conditions allowed volunteers to access and remove debris that would typically be inaccessible when the river is at normal levels. The event also served as an opportunity to “map” areas where trash accumulates, helping to identify stretches of the river requiring future attention.

Community Collaboration and Organization

Merrillee Jipson, co-owner of Rum 138, emphasized the importance of community involvement in river conservation. “Our Santa Fe River has been doing river cleanups since its inception—it’s very important that somebody picks up the trash…. Anybody! We build it a point to really explore that hard, and invite the community to do that, because it feels really decent after you’re done,” she shared. Our Santa Fe River, a long-time advocate for river health, has been organizing cleanups since 2007 and has also played a role in removing four water bottling plants along the Santa Fe River.

Team-Based Cleanup Efforts

The cleanup was structured around teams assigned to specific segments and mile markers of the river:

• Team 129 to Butler Landing: U.S. 129 Bridge to Butler Landing, Mile Markers 1–3
• Team Iche to 129: Ichetucknee to U.S. 129 Bridge, Mile Markers 4–6
• Team Iche: Ichetucknee, Mile Marker 7 and up the spring run
• Team 47 to Iche: SR 47 Bridge to TREPO Columbia Boat Ramp, Mile Markers 8–16
• Team Rum to 47: Rum Island Park to SR 47 Bridge, Mile Markers 17–21
• Team 27 to Rum: U.S. 27 Bridge to Rum Island Park, Mile Markers 22–24
• Team 41/441 to 27: U.S. 41/441 Bridge to U.S. 27 Bridge, Mile Markers 25–27
• Team River Rise to 41/441: U.S. 41/441 Bridge up to River Rise, Mile Markers 28–30

Celebration and Continued Conservation

Following the cleanup, Rum 138 hosted an after-party from 2 p.m. To 6 p.m., featuring live music by the In The Moment band, food, drinks, and river-themed art and merchandise. Volunteers weighed the collected trash, providing a visual representation of the day’s impact. Prizes were awarded for the most unusual items recovered from the river.

Those interested in participating in future cleanup projects can uncover more information at Our Santa Fe River.