The cascading waterfall in the wooded Hayden Falls Park at the Griggs Nature Preserve is picturesque.

But the litter a group of DeSales High School students found at the water's edge yesterday was ruining the view: A discarded sock here, a lost flip-flop there, a tennis ball and an empty wine bottle from out of nowhere.

"A lot of Styrofoam," said Danielle Santos, a senior at DeSales.

"I would never have expected it at a nature preserve."

Santos and four of her classmates were among those picking up trash in and around the Griggs Reservoir yesterday. The volunteer cleanup was part of Central Ohio River Pride Month.

The students from DeSales are members of the school's environmental club, and three of them participated in the cleanup as part of a project for a government class.

It was the seventh year the Scioto Boat Club has been involved in the annual spring cleanup.

"It is our day to do good things for Mother Earth," said Sara Willien, a boat-club member.

Heavy rains tend to bring high waters that carry litter and trash to the shores.

"Spring is the worst," said Jim Montgomery, while picking up some loose paper on the east bank of the Scioto River.

"But we could probably do this on a monthly basis and still not stay ahead of it. . . It isn't a garbage dump. It isn't that bad. It is just litter you see in all our waterways, and so much of it is not biodegradable."

Griggs Reservoir is a popular location for rowing, water skiing, fishing and boating.

Cigarette butts, empty beer bottles and plastic containers are typical items collected. But over the years, some of the more unusual finds have included tires, a deer skull, a football helmet, a lamp shade and a piano.

One year, someone found a full keg of beer, said Ames Gardner, event coordinator and a member of the boat club. Nobody drank it.

"It was a little warm," he said.

Ed Sullivan, another boat-club member, picked up a piece of litter and made some inquiries before placing it in a trash bag.

"Does anyone like Red Baron Pizza? I just found a 50-cent off coupon," he said. "Oh no, it's expired."

By the end of the collection day, 37 volunteers had filled 45 plastic garbage bags with trash found around the waterway, Gardner said. That was down from the 95 bags that were filled last year.

"We were a little disappointed in the turnout," said Lorraine Winters, water protection coordinator for Columbus' Department of Public Utilities.

More advertising for the event and better weather might have helped.

"They said the river was a little higher this year and that may be why we didn't get as much," Winters said. "When the water is higher up on the banks of the river, it may be covering up some trash."

The Public Utilities Department sponsors the annual spring cleanup of trash and litter from area waterways.

tdoulin@dispatch.com

River cleanups

Missed yesterday's cleanup? There will be three more river cleanups this month.

• Saturday: 9 a.m., Adena Brook in the Clintonville area. Call 614-262-8655 to volunteer.

• May 19: 9:30 a.m., Olentangy River near Worthington. Call 614-267-3386 to volunteer.

• May 19: 9 a.m., Darby Creek at Battelle-Darby Creek Metro Park. Call 614-288-0313 to volunteer.

Source: Columbus Department of Public Utilities