DeKALB | As winter approaches, the NIU grounds team faces the task of cleaning up the creek that runs near Neptune Hall.

Some may not know the creek actually starts north of Grant Towers and runs under Annie Glidden and Blackhawk roads and behind the Village Commons Book Store, said Darryl Grayson, support assistant for NIU grounds.

Because of the length of the creek, many of the debris students see collecting in the waters near Neptune Hall is actually garbage from up-creek that traveled to that location, Grayson said.

“I think most of the campus is kept up, but the creek isn’t,” said Shannon Harrison, a sophomore accountancy major. “I really don’t think it’s clean at all, and it’s kind of sad to see all the little ducks in it.”

Tristan Komadina, a freshman clinical laboratory sciences major, agreed with Harrison.

“I think the fountain is pretty dirty and unkept,” Komadina said. “It’s all pretty dirty.”

Other students, like Anthony Bernardi, a freshman electrical engineering major, said he thinks those who clean the creek do the best they can. The upkeep is good enough, but kids are inconsiderate and will throw trash in it anyway, Bernardi said.

In preparation for winter, the creek is cleaned to ensure trash is not frozen into the creek during winter.

“We just make sure all the trash and all the debris is taken out before a big rain or snow so that it is not blocking the water flow,” Grayson said.

Once spring arrives, the creek is cleaned again and surrounding grass and plants are burned to clear the area.

Carlene Eck is a Campus Reporter for the Northern Star.