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First phase of Stormwater Litter Management Plan initiated for Capitol Lake

Tactical cleanup at Capitol Lake as a team from Osprey Initiative removes litter and collects data for pollution traps. Photo by Malorey Uzee/LSU AgCenter

BATON ROUGE, La. — The first phase of a stormwater litter management plan for Capitol Lake was launched on Oct. 7, marking a significant step in addressing plastic pollution in one of Baton Rouge’s critical water systems.

Capitol Lake, a 70-acre, man-made, retention basin, has been plagued by severe litter and sediment accumulation due to stormwater runoff. While local volunteers have worked to manage the litter, the installation of specialized stormwater pollution-trap systems is expected to provide a more efficient solution by capturing litter and flood-causing sediments.

Capitol Lake is one of four demonstration sites selected for the implementation of innovative stormwater pollution-trap systems designed to capture and remove litter. The first phase of the project involves a tactical cleanup to remove all litter from the lake. This effort will also include an evaluation of the types and flow of litter—data that will be used to determine the most effective pollution-trap systems and their locations.

Phase two of the project, which includes the installation of the pollution traps, is slated to begin in early 2025. The insights gained from Capitol Lake and the other demonstration sites will contribute to the creation of a statewide manual for litter remediation, which aims to combat plastic pollution and other pollutants across Louisiana’s water systems.

This project is led by the Louisiana Stormwater Coalition and implemented by the LSU AgCenter Botanic Gardens, in collaboration with the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality, the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development, the Louisiana Department of Culture, Recreation, and Tourism, the Governor’s Office and the City of Baton Rouge.

For more information on the Capitol Lake Stormwater Project, please contact Jeff Kuehny at jkuehny@agcenter.lsu.eduor 225-763-3990.

You can view the original story on the LSU AgCenter website here.

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The patented Litter Gitter is a tactical in-stream litter collection device used to intercept floating litter from stormwater runoff. The Osprey team handles all aspects of installing and maintaining these “trash traps” and compiles data on the items caught in them, recycling as much of the litter as possible.