News

Tropical Storm Idalia put the Adkin Branch trash trap in Kinston to its first test last week, and, according to Sound Rivers Volunteer Coordinator Emily Fritz, it weathered its first storm just fine.

“It adjusted well with the changing water levels and did a great job collecting the trash passing through,” Emily said.

After the storm, Emily met up with volunteers Lee Albritton, Liz Hengst, Jacquelyn Braxton and Reaby Gilchrist to remove the trash accumulated during high water from Idalia’s rains.

In New Bern, the water level at the Duffyfield Canal trash trap was back to normal six days after the storm.

“We could see a lot of trash stuck higher up in the banks, so that is a good indicator that the water level had risen,” Emily said. “The trap definitely functioned well during the storm. We could see a clear delineation of trash and debris from in front of the trap versus behind it. We checked on all of our trash traps before and after the storm, and in some cases had folks checking on them during the storm, to ensure that they were functioning properly.”

Emily and Sound Rivers Water Quality Specialist Taylor Register had a special guest assist with the New Bern trash trap clean-out this week: Ryan Shaffer, a reporter from Public Radio East.

And in Raleigh, Neuse Riverkeeper Samantha Krop teamed up with Preston Ross III to clean out the trash trap on Little Rock Creek. Preston is one of the founders of the Great Raleigh Cleanup and has been a dedicated trash trap volunteer since this one was installed on the grounds of the Walnut Creek Wetland Center in November of 2022.