Chilly February afternoons probably aren't most people's idea of an ideal day by the river. But for the Santa Fe Watershed Association's Love Your River Day, Santa Feans came out to pick up trash around the Santa Fe River.

This sleepy event took place Feb. 12. Small bunches of helpers were scattered along the dry riverbed, placing detritus in garbage bags for pickup, and Mayor David Coss was in attendance to show his support. The clean-up effort, which SFWA organizes annually, is especially important this year, event coordinator Robin Hillard says, in preparation for the river's water release "hydrograph" this coming spring [Briefs, Feb. 9: "Wet ’n’ Wild"].

Although volunteers were spread over a wide area and many were hidden from the street by the decline, they were spread out over several miles of the river, working south from San Isidro Crossing. For those who missed the event, remember that pitching in to help the river is a year-round opportunity. The upcoming hydrograph is a result of locals' conservation efforts paying off, but don't stop there. If you have a free afternoon, grab some trash bags and a few friends and head down to help clear out the river.