The Party for Socialism and Liberation is sponsoring its biannual Provo River Cleanup on Saturday, September 24th at 11 a.m. Participants are asked to meet at Alligator Park, 3899-3615, Boat Harbor Dr. Volunteers are encouraged to wear shoes and clothes that can get muddy, and water gear if available. A short discussion/study group about the river will proceed the activity. Pizza and refreshment will also be provided.
The Ute nation called the river Timpanoquint, or “water running over rocks.” White settlers changed the name to Provo, after trapper Etienne Provost, for whom the city of Provo is also named.
“The Provo River is central to life in Utah Valley,” says Jacob Sparks, a member of Provo’s PSL chapter. The party is concerned with restoring ecological life to the valley as it was prior to colonization, and keeping the river clean is paramount to meeting that goal.
Provo River originates in the west Uinta Mountains and drains southwest into Utah Lake, providing high quality water to 600,000 living in its watershed. One acre-foot is a unit of volume equal to 326,000 gallons, and Provo city alone utilizes some 30,000 acre-feet of water annually. The Provo River also supplements domestic supply to Salt Lake City, Orem, Pleasant Grove, Lindon, American Fork, and Lehi, and irrigates approximately 48,156 acres of farmland in Utah, Salt Lake, and Wasatch Counties.
The PSL is involved in the struggle for ecological justice, which directly affects the health and wellbeing of the community. Protecting Provo River and its diverse ecosystem is central to that cause.
“When the river is destroyed, it is oppressed and people of color who are primarily affected,” says Sparks. He further explains that ecological justice entails a respect for the land and water necessary to sustain and reproduce life. The Provo River supports not only the residents of Utah Valley, but also its abundant flora and fauna.
Local scientists, legislators, and the general public are involved in the discussion and development of effective river restoration projects. One of the major areas of concern is pollutants, and the need for trash removal. In 2021, local volunteers removed over six tons of garbage from the river waterway, but the problem of pollution and dumping is ongoing. PSL is just one of many environmentally conscious groups which host cleanups along the Provo River Parkway; a 15-mile trail spanning from Utah Lake to Vivian Park in Provo Canyon.
“We sponsor cleanups so often because we want to take a direct approach. Instead of just talking about river improvements, we’re doing it,” Sparks says.
Kaylee Wilkinson, also of PSL, believes that general awareness of the destructive nature of capitalism and its exploitation of natural resources will empower the people of Provo to develop more effective restoration strategies.
“We believe it is possible for working class people to make a direct change,” she says.
South Provo Prophet 