City of Victorville Removes 51 Tons of Debris

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 7, 2025

VICTORVILLE, Calif. - The City of Victorville recently conducted an operation to beautify and protect two important ecosystems to the Victor Valley - the Mojave Riverbed and Oro Grande Wash. During this four-week operation aimed at promoting health and safety, 34 employees from three City departments banded together to remove 51 tons of debris across 3.15 linear miles. The team cleared and secured storm drains, cleaned up illegally dumped items, and removed dead vegetation to lessen fire risk.

Operations like this protect the community not only through the reduction of fire and flood risk, but they also protect our vital water resources. The Victorville Water District relies primarily on groundwater like that found under the surface of the Mojave Riverbed and Oro Grande Wash to provide residents with a safe and reliable drinking water supply. However, this groundwater can be adversely impacted by surface water flows in riverbeds and streambeds that overlie the groundwater basin-particularly if contaminants are introduced into these areas. Therefore, it is critical to protect these surface water corridors from activities and pollutants that could degrade this vital resource.

"It's extremely frustrating that people continue to dump unwanted items in our desert, despite the many free disposal services we provide like drop off centers, bulky item pick up, dump days, and more. We encourage community members to take advantage of our free services and dispose of unwanted items the right way," stated Victorville Mayor Liz Becerra.

City officials remind residents that while this cleanup operation will continue on a quarterly basis, it is essential that every member of the community does their part to protect this essential resource. Learn more about the City of Victorville's free disposal services at VictorvilleCA.gov/DumpItRightVV.

Located in Southern California at the high-point between Los Angeles and Las Vegas, Victorville is the leading city for both industry and retail in the High Desert region. Victorville is a growing, vibrant community that is home to more than 136,000 residents and some of the area's largest employers. Clean air, abundant mountain vistas, family-friendly recreational activities, spectacular sunsets and breathtaking night skies entice locals and visitors alike to fall in love with this city that is within a few hours of SoCal beaches, National Parks, mountain retreats, and other major attractions. Ontario International Airport is less than an hour away. Learn more about the City of Victorville at VictorvilleCA.gov.