VANDALISM and litter have become an issue along the Yarrowee River Trail.
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Leigh Catchment Group is investigating a complaint made by a resident about the deterioration of the track in the past couple of years.
Empty fireworks boxes, tagging and broken tree limbs were cited as problems by the resident.
Yarrowee River project officer Kate Constance said vandalism had occurred in the area for at least four months.
"There is an issue, a lot of signs have been vandalised," Ms Constance said.
She said this was the first time she had been notified of fireworks packaging along the Yarrowee Trail.
"You don't want people being scared about using the river or trail," she said.
"People will avoid the area."
The Yarrowee River is one of the main river systems travelling through Ballarat.
Ms Constance has held rubbish clean-up days and educational sessions to remind people about the importance of the river.
She is planning to hold a community working bee in the coming weeks.
"We just want to ask people to respect the river," Ms Constance said.
"What people do in the city affects the farmers downstream."
Corangamite Catchment Management Authority and the City of Ballarat received a $1million state government grant to launch the Breathing Life Back into the Yarrowee project in July last year.
The project aims to improve the natural environment surrounding the river system.
Residents can provide their feedback on the state of the Yarrowee River via https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/7ZRLJBS
kara.irving@fairfaxmedia.com.au