Cleaning up the St. Croix

• Items

Dive team members Crystal McDonnell and Josh Knutson with some of the items they recovered from the St. Croix River Wednesday. -- Photo by Jason Schulte

Talk about it

On training runs, Pierce County Dive Team members couldn’t help but notice the stuff floating in the rivers near Prescott.

Wednesday, they decided to do something about it.

In a span of two hours, members Josh Knutson and Crystal McDonnell pulled out batteries, jumper cables, wires, bicycles and even a safe along the St. Croix River, off the boat landing on the 100 block of Front Street.

The dive team was established in 2000 with its primary goal of providing rescue for those who fell in the water. Its headquarters were originally in Ellsworth, but then switched to Prescott due to its proximity to the river.

“Based on the river and the access, it was decided Prescott should have the dive team,” said Prescott Ambulance Chief Bill Dravis, where the dive team is headquartered.

Knutson said Wednesday’s run was used so the dive team could practice their skills in cleaning up the St. Croix.

“And we probably passed up three times the amount of stuff,” Knutson said, due to time and manpower.

For more please read the May 2 print version of the Herald.

Tags: communities, prescott, wisconsin