Officers will patrol dunes to minimize littering

Two deputies will patrol waterway in different boats this weekend

ANDREA GONZALEZ, Evergreen reporter

Law enforcement will patrol specific areas along the Snake River this weekend following a major littering problem.

Whitman County Sheriff’s Sgt. Chris Chapman said officers will patrol the Dunes and Granite Point. He said a lot of trash has been found in the past years along the Snake River.

Chapman said the sheriff’s office has considered permanently closing the area from the public because of the severity of the pollution.

In recent years, the amount of pollution has increased. Littering has decreased by bringing awareness to the public. Social media has been a great help in noticing the problem, Chapman said.

“It was hundreds if not thousands, I think it was thousands of pounds of trash that was left behind,” Chapman said. “It’s been better in the past and I think that it’s due to the increase of patrols of law enforcement in the area to make sure it doesn’t happen.”

Two deputies will patrol the waterway from two different boats, he said.

Chapman said people should make sure to pick up after themselves and not bring glass out to the area because some people were injured recently.