One giant trash can: Volunteers clean garbage-filled cave

By WILL STEWART / Staff Reporter for the Southern Standard (McMinnville, Tenn.)

Cavers, from left, Shane Stacey and Mark Murrell assist with the removal of an old washing machine dumped in Rocky River Cave. The cave cleanup was sponsored by the SERA Karst Task Force. (Will Stewart photo)

Cavers from across the Southeast descended on Rocky River Cave last weekend to initiate the cleanup of possibly the most polluted cave in Warren County.

The condition of Rocky River Cave, which has been used for decades as a dump for such trash as old tires, appliances and even gas tanks, has been a concern to cavers and environmentalists for some time. The cave serves as a window to the groundwater, meaning all rainwater falling around the cave will flow through it – and flow through the trash – before entering the local water supply.

The cleanup was undertaken by the Karst Task Force of SERA, the South Eastern Regional Association of the National Speleological Society, the world’s foremost caving organization. The cleanup was held in conjunction with the SERA’s annual Cave Carnival held last weekend near Rock Island.

Approximately 35 cavers took part in the cleanup, using vertical rope techniques to raise bulky items from the cave sink. Task force member Jim Wilbanks estimates the group was able to clean about 60 percent of the trash at the bottom of the sink, or enough trash to fill an entire recyclable metal bin provided by the county.

As a large amount of garbage remains in the sink, as well as the inside the cave itself, Wilbanks said the task force, with help from the local caving community, is hoping to come back and finish the job in the near future.