A second litter boom and more float lines have been installed in Mile Branch to further clean up the Covington watershed and its water bodies, an ongoing initiative of the nonprofit Keep Covington Beautiful. The new devices will work in concert with the first boom and line previously installed as a demonstration project.
Both Osprey booms and two float lines were paid for by a pair of Healthy Communities Grants from Keep Louisiana Beautiful totaling about $17,000, clearly reflecting the mission of beautification groups to seriously tackle litter reduction on multiple levels.
Project directors say wildlife, canoes and kayaks are be able to navigate over or under the booms at both sites.
The newest boom and line were installed in late December on Mile Branch, a major tributary of the Tchefuncte River, at W. 22nd Avenue. The first boom and line went in about four years ago near N. Collins Boulevard and Pine View Middle School. Also in December, another float line was added at the Collins site.
The booms intercept and trap floating litter from stormwater runoff into Mile Branch, litter that would otherwise move downstream and into the river. Meanwhile, float lines help the collection process by slowing down fast-moving water during heavy rain, which is how most landside litter routinely lands into adjacent water bodies.
Litter and trash captured by the booms is periodically removed by project volunteers and Osprey personnel, thereby taking it out of the litter stream and keeping it away from the river and smaller outlets that feed into it.
In addition to the grants, Baldwin Subaru, through its “Subaru Loves the Earth” program, provided donations used to buy additional float lines, supplies for maintaining the booms, a tactical cleanup by Osprey personnel of areas that volunteers could not reach, and the proper recycling of collected materials removed from the waterway about twice each month.
During the December installation, Osprey and Keep Covington Beautiful volunteers on foot and in kayaks removed more than 300 pounds of litter and debris from Mile Branch.
“This funding will help us move forward with one of our most important litter prevention projects. Please do your part by disposing of trash responsibly so it does not end up in our waterways,” a Covington Beautification statement read.
“Keep Covington Beautiful is setting an example for the Covington community and the entire state of Louisiana,” said KLB Executive Director Susan Russell has said of the project. “We must take care of our waterways, as they are vital to the health of our people, land and wildlife. I hope the litter booms, float lines, and cleanups bring attention to the issue of litter and inspire people to do better.”
The Covington beautification group’s primary projects focus on beautification, litter prevention, recycling activities and environmental education. To become a member or volunteer, contact the group at info@keepcovingtonbeautiful.org or visit www.keepcovingtonbeautiful.org.
This story originally appeared on Nola.com by Sheila Grissett. You can read the original story online here.
