Believe it or not, the snow is starting to melt. That's good news for anyone just about tired of being stuck inside since November without heavy coats, but it also means all that winter trash is about to be revealed.

There are local events like Stash the Trash planned to collect volunteers to tidy up our own backyard. If you're affiliated with a group, ask if there are plans to register for a cleanup area. If there aren't, make some.

Hurry, registration ends Monday. Go to veishea.iastate. edu and look for "Veishea Service Day" information.

If the cleanup bug really hits, a more intensive opportunity is ahead: Project AWARE.

The acronym in the name stands for "A Watershed Awareness River Expedition." The event is organized by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources and sponsored by a host of state business, service, university and advocacy groups.

For each of the past four years, a group of volunteers assembles on a stretch of the Iowa River and starts a week-long paddling expedition. Along the way, experts teach about river ecology, water quality issues and a little history along the way.

But this is more than just a fun, easy paddle through some pretty country. Project AWARE volunteers put their backs, arms, legs and boats into dragging garbage and whatnot out of the water along the way.

Last year's event was record setting. More than 175 people paddled 79 miles down the Iowa and English Rivers in southeast Iowa.

Along the way, they dragged out more than 24 tons (that's 66 big dump trucks) worth of junk. Not just trash, either. We're talking about electronic waste, metal, glass and household hazardous waste. They also snagged 194 tires.

I joined this group on the 2004 trip when there were less than 100 people involved. We worked down the Des Moines River watershed. We got rained out most of the time, but that didn't stop the cleanup. We just got more muddy.

Actually, most of the time volunteers are outside of the canoe wrestling some gnarly hunk of flotsam than perched inside with paddle in hand. It's a whole new way to see the state and take responsibility for our human impact on the land.

This year's project will focus on 100 miles of the Middle and North Raccoon rivers in south-central Iowa June 16 to 23. It costs $140 for the whole week's meals and camping fees (Cheap!), or you can drop in for a day or two along the way.

The fact that the group has grown so much in a short time is a good thing and speaks to an expanding number of folks who understand that the quality of water speaks volumes about quality of life.

It's also a little amazing. Here are people who spend their vacations knee-deep in mud picking up and learning about rivers.

It kind of warms the heart a little.

Matt Neznanski can be reached at mnez@iastate.edu