A Million-Pound Milestone

Keep the Tennessee River Beautiful

Ten years ago, with a barge and a dream to keep the region’s waters clean, Keep the Tennessee River Beautiful was born.

Many partners made it happen.

“If all of those crucial people had not said yes, we wouldn't be standing here today,” Kathleen Gibi, founder of Keep the Tennessee River Beautiful, said.

Gibi and her group’s many partners gathered in October at Volunteer Landing in downtown Knoxville to celebrate the kickoff of Keep the Tennessee River Watershed Beautiful Month.

This year, the partners have achieved a long-standing goal: 1 million pounds of trash collected.

“The river is the reason we're here,” Gibi said.

And it’s the river that brings partners together. TVA works with organizations across the Valley region to power the Tennessee Valley, create economic opportunities and steward the environment.

“You could see the perfect marriage here between Keep the Tennessee River Beautiful and TVA,” Michael McCall, TVA vice president of Environment and Stewardship, said.

Kathleen Gibi, founder of Keep the Tennessee River Beautiful, launches Keep the Tennessee River Watershed Beautiful Month in October in downtown Knoxville. (Photos by Susan Ehrenclou / TVA)

‘For Generations to Come’

Efforts to clean the river do more than create sparkling waters.

They’re investments in recreation, fish and aquatic species, local businesses and in communities themselves.

“This river is our drinking source and, for centuries now, it has influenced our culture and sports, cuisine and entertainment,” Gibi said. “It's the most biodiverse system in North America. It's the generator of our economy and job growth in the region, and it plays a big role in our nation's history.”

Since 1933, TVA’s system of dams has helped control floods, create navigable rivers and build strong regional economies.

“We're proud to work hard to protect (the river),” Gibi said.

Since 2018, TVA has served as a title sponsor for Keep the Tennessee River Watershed Beautiful Month, an initiative first announced by former Gov. Bill Haslam.

“TVA was founded a long time ago to do great things,” McCall said. “When I think about the reservoir system that TVA manages, it’s afforded us an opportunity to have the most reliable and resilient freshwater supply in the world. ... (This) is the most valuable work in front of us, making sure that this river’s clean and safe for generations to come.”

With support from TVA and other partners, Keep the Tennessee River Beautiful created a cigarette butt recycling program, installing receptacles in cities, at Dollywood and in every Tennessee state park.

By year’s end, the organization expects to hit a big milestone: 1 million cigarette butts recycled.

It has also launched a freshwater mussel conservation effort and, with TVA’s partnership, created a custom carrier to haul away discarded tires.

TVA employees help with logistics, and they often volunteer by the hundreds at river cleanups, Gibi said.

“They're truly people who live and breathe protecting the river,” she said.

Volunteer Christy Hobby kayaks to the mouth of First Creek in downtown Knoxville as part of Keep the Tennessee River Watershed Beautiful Month.

Boats, Lifejackets, Action!

Victoria Cooper, of the Tennessee Department of Transportation, joined Jason Smith, a national executive with Keep America Beautiful, in highlighting the importance of clean waterways and public lands.

“When we invest in beauty, we invest in health, safety and community,” Smith said.

Mayor Indya Kincannon, who grew up volunteering with Keep Loudoun Beautiful, lauded the thousands of river volunteers. She also presented a proclamation declaring October Keep the Tennessee River Watershed Beautiful Month in Knoxville.

“What happens here at the headwaters affects people downstream,” Kincannon said.

Missy Marshall, of Keep Tennessee Beautiful, also shared a message from Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee – who she described as a “fierce leader for conservation” – designating October as Keep the Tennessee River Watershed Beautiful Month across Tennessee.

It cited the 41,000 miles of rivers, lakes and streams in the Tennessee River watershed, the $12 billion created annually in the recreation industry and the 230-plus species of native fish that call it home.

“The Tennessee River brings us together as one watershed community,” Lee’s proclamation stated.

Later, volunteers boarded boats with partners from the Knoxville Rotary Club, Conservation Fisheries, RiverLine, Ijams Nature Center, Keep Knoxville Beautiful and Keep Blount Beautiful to kick off the cleanups along the banks in Knoxville.

“It is a lot of fun and it's many hands that make light work,” Gibi said. “We're really grateful to get to work with so many amazing people.”

McCall agreed.

“With partnerships like this, I really do believe the best is yet to come,” he said.

Photo Gallery

At the October event, from left to right: Jason Smith, Eastern Region director of Keep America Beautiful; Indya Kincannon, Knoxville Mayor; and Missy Marshall, executive director of Keep Tennessee Beautiful.

Smith came from Connecticut to celebrate the launch of Keep the Tennessee River Watershed Beautiful Month.  

Pat Rakes, founder of Conservation Fisheries, Jennifer Webster, of Tennessee RiverLine, and Brandy Cox, of Ijams Nature Center, partner to support Keep the Tennessee River Beautiful's efforts.

Pat Rakes, founder of Conservation Fisheries, Jennifer Webster, of Tennessee RiverLine, and Brandy Cox, of Ijams Nature Center, partner to support Keep the Tennessee River Beautiful's efforts.

A volunteer readies his kayak during cleanup activities.

Volunteer Ethan Crawford kayaks to help clean up litter.