$500 Green Grant Award Goes to Keep Suffolk Beautiful

Duck swimming in littered waterCongratulations to Keep Suffolk Beautiful for their Litter Prevention Award of $500!

Litter that is left in the landscape often washes into storm drains and waterways, causing clogged waterways and potential harm to aquatic wildlife and waterfowl.  In an effort to combat the problem, Keep Suffolk Beautiful will pilot a marine litter collection program that targets creeks in the City of Suffolk.  The creeks feed the Nansemond River, which subsequently flows into the James River, and then the Chesapeake Bay.

With the help of City Stormwater Specialists, the pilot program involves installing litter collecting booms across several sections of the Shingle Creek and Cedar Hill Creek. The creeks are both in the densely populated Downtown Suffolk, and installations will be located at sites that are on public land and placed close to urban drainage areas.

Waterway Boom Litter Collectors will skim the water and trap litter to one side while allowing the creek to flow naturally. Public Works employees will remove the litter on a regular schedule and record the data.  A digital record will be kept of the installation of the booms and the amount of litter collected.

Green Grant funds will be used to purchase 100 feet of boom, signage for each location, and other supplies needed for installation of the Waterway Boom Litter Collectors.

Keep Suffolk Beautiful LogoAfter the trial period, Keep Suffolk Beautiful plans to expand the program to more locations and partner with community organizations to help monitor and remove the trash.

Litter will be retrieved from the Boom Litter Collectors on a weekly or bi-weekly basis, depending on the flow and amounts of litter gathered by the collectors.  Measurements will be made, and the contents examined to determine the categories and possible sources of the litter that is collected.  This will provide vital information that can be used to disperse resources and plan future projects.

Thank you Keep Suffolk Beautiful, for the work you’re doing to improve our natural and scenic environment!