More than 1,000 dive and shoreline volunteers are expected to remove and recycle five tons of trash and debris from the waters and shoreline of Lake Travis this Sunday, Sept. 12.

The 16th Annual Lake Travis Underwater & Shoreline Cleanup takes place from 8 a.m.-1 p.m.
The Lake Travis Underwater & Shoreline Cleanup is the largest scuba diving and shoreline cleanup in Texas and helps to raise public awareness of the importance of Lake Travis and the Highland Lakes, as well as helping to keep the Lake healthy and clean.
“The event’s participants include several hundred certified scuba divers and shoreline volunteers, who help collect trash from the bottom of Lake Travis and the nine Travis County parks surrounding the lake,” according to a press release. “The cleanup is followed by a volunteer thank you party at Carlos ‘n Charlie’s on Lake Travis.”
For 16 years, the community has come together to help protect and preserve one of Central Texas’ vital resources. The Lake Travis Underwater & Shoreline Cleanup began in 1994 as an informal gathering of local dive shops and has grown dramatically each year. The event is now managed by a partnership among the Colorado River Foundation, Keep Austin Beautiful, Travis County Parks, and the Lower Colorado River Authority.
The event is made possible through the participation of local marinas, boat rental operations, community groups, and the following dive shops: Bay Area Divers, Deep Blue Scuba, Dive World Scuba, Eels on Wheels, Lake Travis Scuba, Oak Hill Scuba, Pisces Scuba Club, Scubaland Adventures, Shoe Krewe Dive Club, Tom’s Dive & Swim, Travis County Emergency Unit, and the University Scuba Club. Local area businesses also contribute through various sponsorships and donations. Community support and involvement has been the key to the continued success of the Cleanup.
Last year’s Cleanup was the most successful regarding the amount of trash and recyclable materials that were collected — over 35 tons of debris was gathered from the water and shoreline of Lake Travis. The large amount collected was due to last summer’s drought, one of the drought’s few benefits.
Volunteers are needed for both the underwater and shoreline cleanup and pre-registration is required. To register as a diver for the underwater cleanup or for the shoreline cleanup, contact Keep Austin Beautiful at391-0622 or visit www.keepaustinbeautiful.org.
Sponsors of the 16th Annual Lake Travis Underwater & Shoreline Cleanup include: REI, Carlos ‘N Charlie’s, Emerald Point Marina, Brown Distributing Co., LTD, Sail & Ski Center, Protect Lake Travis Association, Coca-Cola, Allied Waste, KLBJ, Junior League of Austin, Patagonia, Just for Fun, Daybreak Boat Rentals, Beach Front Boat Rentals, Aquaholics Watercraft Rental, Lakeway Marina, Blue Bell, Wandering River Recycling, Seafari Group, Bickerstaff Heath Delgado Acosta LLP, Eriksen Marine, Randalls, VIP Marina, Kerby Lane Café, Independent Bank of Austin, H20 Partners and Austin Lakeside Properties.