February 22, 2021 - St. Louis, MO - Missouri Confluence Waterkeeper, Blue2Blue Conservation and Alderwoman Christine Ingrassia today announced the launch of the Trash Free St. Louis pilot project along River des Peres. Support for the project comes from the EPA Region 7 Trash Free Waters Initiative and a donation from the St. Louis Aquarium Foundation.
Missouri Confluence Waterkeeper is partnering with the Environmental Finance Center at Wichita State University and Blue2Blue Conservation to install and maintain three in-stream litter collection devices at key points throughout the River des Peres watershed - Deer Creek Park in Maplewood, Heman Park in University City, and in River des Peres Park in St. Louis City. The trash traps are composed of a floating boom that attaches easily to embankments, stormwater outfalls, canals, or creeks to divert trash from heading further downstream.
“St. Louis and the Missouri and Mississippi Confluence have an important responsibility as the fourth-largest watershed in the world,” said Missouri Confluence Waterkeeper Rachel Bartels. “With 80% of ocean pollution originating inland, we are in the right place to prevent large amounts from moving downstream and eventually reaching the Gulf. It’s our hope that through this program we’ll not only be able to clean up the trash, but also figure out where it’s originating and work to stop it at its source.”
The organizations will also pilot a monitoring program, the first of its kind in the region, to document the kinds and quantities of waterborne litter collected and map the flow of trash. “We are excited to work with Missouri Confluence Waterkeeper and other partners on this project,” said Tonya Brownlee of the Wichita State University Environmental Finance Center. “Our hope is that our analysis of the data collected from the trash traps will help St. Louis area leaders and organizations evaluate decisions regarding future water quality projects and their funding options.”
“After seeing firsthand the negative impacts of pollution on the ocean environment, we started Blue2Blue Conservation to work to remove pollution upstream before it reaches the ocean,” says founder Josh Wilson. “This pilot program is a significant step in doing exactly that, and we look forward to leading volunteer cleanups and engaging the community in this vision for clean waterways and healthy marine life.”
“This is a positive step in helping to keep River Des Peres – and the Mississippi River it flows into – cleaner for both the animals that live there and humans who rely on it,” said Diane Bauhof, executive director of the St. Louis Aquarium Foundation.
“The Trash-Free St. Louis Project is an excellent example of what we can accomplish for our region,” said Christine Ingrassia, Alderwoman for St. Louis’ 6th Ward. “I'm looking forward to monitoring the results and, hopefully, expanding trash traps into other waterways in the near future."
Partners on this pilot aim to create a model for other organizations to launch similar projects to facilitate cleaner rivers in their own watersheds. Join us on March 8th at 10am at Deer Creek Park as we install one of the trash traps. A clean up of the park led by Blue2Blue Conservation will follow.
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Missouri Confluence Waterkeeper: Missouri Confluence Waterkeeper is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization focused solely on clean water and dedicated to protecting the right to fishable, swimmable, drinkable water for all Missourians. To learn more please visit mowaterkeeper.org or @mowaterkeeper on social media.
Blue2Blue Conservation: Blue2Blue Conservation is committed to preventing downstream ocean pollution through inland waterway cleanup efforts, to increasing awareness of the dangers of pollution and over-consumption and to promoting small changes we can each make in our daily lives to positively impact on the world we live in. For more information, visit Blue2BlueConservation.com.
St. Louis Aquarium Foundation: The foundation serves as the nonprofit partner to the St. Louis Aquarium at Union Station and images the community through access and education programs, serving as the region’s recognized voice for water stewardship. For more information, visit stlaquariumfoundation.org.
