SACO — For decades, the Bear Brook, an estuary of Goosefare Brook which runs through Old Orchard Beach Campground, was cluttered with tires and other debris.

“The tires have been here forever,” said John Daigle, who has owned the campground, which is situated in both Old Orchard Beach and Saco, for 41 years. He said the tires are believed to have traveled downstream years ago from a former dump site.

Ling Rao, an AmeriCorps volunteer working with the Maine Conservation Corps and the Maine Department of Environmental Protection, said environmental officials became aware of the tires in Bear Brook after the brook was tested as part of water quality study of the Goosefare Brook and water- shed area.

Rao hosted a cleanup of the brook on Friday and about 10 to 15 people, including other staff from the DEP, Conservation Corps and volunteers who responded to an online posting, teamed up with campground staff to haul out the tires.

Donning waders and gloves, the crew trudged through the water and hauled out close to 60 tires, including a huge tractor tire weighed down with sediment that took several people to heft out, and other debris.

The tires were going to be disposed of by the City of Saco, said Ling. Sediment from the tires was also collected and the best way to dispose of it will be determined later, said Ling.

Daigle said he had always wanted to have the tires removed, but it was an overwhelming task and he didn’t know if he needed any environmental approvals before proceeding.

Daigle, who is involved in local efforts to improve water quality in the Goosefare Brook and watershed area, was very happy to have the tires removed from the brook.

“Nobody wants to go to a brook and see tires sticking out,” he said. “On an aesthetic level it’s great, but on an environmental level it’s even better.”

—Staff Writer Liz Gotthelf can be contacted at 282-1535, ext. 325 or [email protected].