News

Long overdue rainfall has been welcome across the region over the last two weeks, as the Neuse and Tar-Pamlico river basin communities deal with lowering lake and rivers levels. However, the intense rainfall, as in like Smithfield, NC who received more than 7 inches in a day, has led to much higher trash levels collected by Sound Rivers trash traps in the region. Sound Rivers staff and volunteers were busy the past two weeks, removing debris from full traps and repairing minor damage due to high stream flows.

In Kinston, Volunteer Coordinator Emily Fritz and Program Director, Clay Barber, tackled a cleanup, removing over 25 pounds of trash from Adkin Branch. But was was even more exciting was the wildlife they caught glimpses of while working. Emily and Clay enjoyed catching glimpses of a beaver and red-tail hawk, as well as signs of a busy racoon family with footprints noted on the banks of the creek.

Sound Rivers Volunteer Coordinator, Emily Fritz, said, “It’s always really exciting to see the different wildlife while cleaning out the traps- its another very tangible reminder of why we’re working so hard to have Litter-Free Rivers!”

In Greenville this week, Pamlico-Tar Riverkeeper Katey Zimmerman worked with enthusiastic volunteers to remove over 75 pounds of trash from Green Mill Run trash trap.

There are currently 13 of these passive litter-collection devices on urban waterways across the Neuse and Tar-Pamlico: on Jack’s Creek in Washington, Greens Mill Run in Greenville, Duffyfield Canal in New Bern, Adkin Branch, East Tarboro Canal in Tarboro, Little Rock, Marsh and Walnut creeks in Raleigh, Little Creek in Clayton, Spring Branch in Smithfield and the most recently installed trap, on Walnut Creek near Lake Johnson, Raleigh.

Since Litter-Free Rivers launch in May of 2023, Sound Rivers’ staff and an army of volunteers have removed more than 6 tons of trash from your waterways.

Like Sound Rivers’ Litter-Free Rivers program? Donate today for litter-free rivers!

Find out how to volunteer for a cleanout near you or Adopt a Trash Trap for a month on our Litter-Free Rivers page!