Mud bogging on Pollett River in New Brunswick raising concerns

A yearly event along the Pollett River is raising concerns among many environmental groups, as well as the mayor of the village of Petitcodiac.

Each year, people participate in the Pollett River Run where people go down the river on homemade vessels and at the end of the run, drive around in off-road vehicles just next to the river. This year’s event took place two weeks ago.

READ MORE: More than 5000 pounds of trash litters landscape following Pollet River Run

But the last part of the run is where the mayor and other groups take issue.

Petitcodiac Mayor Gerry Gogan said the concern is over potential damage caused by the last stretch of the yearly event, called mud bogging.

“They get in there, they stir the mud all up, and people tell me they don’t go in the river, but we’ve had rain for a whole week, where do you think that mud goes? In the river. You cant keep it out of the river,”Gogan said.

Christine McLaughlan of the Petitcodiac Watershed Alliance agrees.

“If there’s mud that enters this clean river, it can settle over the cobbly bottom that salmon need, and if there is salmon eggs, where they’re nesting, which is about this time, that mud can settle over the salmon eggs and smother them,” McLaughlan said.

Every year McLaughlan and her team take a few days to help clean up after the river run. In years past, they removed thousands of pounds of debris left behind from partiers, and though things are getting better through awareness campaigns on social media, she thinks the mud bogging is still a concern.

WATCH: The annual Pollett River Run always draws a huge crowd. Alex Abdelwahab looks at the event and why its original purpose may have been lost.

“It’s not an eco-friendly event by any means, cause you’ve got trucks and ATVs and all kinds of machinery going through water, being immersed in water and no doubt leaving vehicle fluids behind right next to this river,” McLaughlan added

Gogan said he hopes to get a group together before next year’s run to help explain how damaging the mud bogging can be and offer an alternative.

“We’re even looking at perhaps offering the mud-boggers an optional site, away from the river. If they want to mud bog, then mud bog, but do it in a place where it won’t affect the river.”