The city of Santa Clarita officials hosted the 19th Annual River Rally on Saturday.

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“Be a part of the solution for a better environment by helping to preserve the river’s natural beauty and variety of wildlife,” said the city of Santa Clarita’s website.

More than a thousand people came to the event to help clean up the longest free-flowing river in Southern California.

According to the Los Angeles County Sanitary District’s website, the Santa Clara river was first settled by the Chumash and Tataviam Indians in the 18th century.  Over time, European settlers used the land for agriculture and ranching. Urban development eventually led to the decline of agriculture and ranching.

“River Rally is a great opportunity for clubs, organizations, students, scout troops and families to volunteer and help preserve the beauty of the Santa Clara River and the diverse wildlife that inhabit it,” said Mayor Bob Kellar. “Since 1994, volunteers have helped remove more than 377,000 pounds of trash from the riverbed and its tributaries as part of River Rally, and I know this year will be one of our best yet.”

River Rally Clean-up annually brings together thousands of Santa Clarita residents. Almost half of the Santa Clarita Valley’s water supply comes through the Santa Clara River, which is home to 14 endangered bird species, six endangered plant species, 57 archeological sites and 12 historical landmarks.

There was also an Environmental Expo at the Newhall Community Center.

“Visit the Environmental Expo, with over 20 vendors, to learn about recycling, air quality, pollution prevention, water quality, open space preservation, wildlife conservation, and much more,” according the city of Santa clarita’s website.

For more information about this event, all the River Rally Hotline at (661) 284-1415 or visit the volunteer registration page to express interest.

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