What are trash booms?
Trash booms are structures designed to be placed across streams to capture floating trash and other debris. Recently, KLRB partnered with LR Parks and Recreation and Friends of Fourche Creek to install two 100-foot trash booms in Fourche Creek at Benny Craig Park. These new trash booms replaced two older booms that had fallen into disrepair after having been in place for many years.
Why do we need trash booms?
The 4.4 mile section of Fourche Creek between Benny Craig Park and Interstate Park is a designated Urban Water Trail. This same area of Fourche Creek is where over 70% of Little Rock streets and surface area drain. Unfortunately, street litter and other debris wash into Fourche Creek every time it rains.
How effective are trash booms?
Litter from these booms is removed monthly by volunteers from Central Arkansas Master Naturalists, KLRB, and Friends of Fourche Creek. From January 2021 to August 2023, the amount of trash extracted from Fourche Creek and Bottoms totaled 24,351 pounds.
- 33 trash extractions from the booms, tree snags – 15,064 pounds (63%)
- 7 Fourche Bottoms (landscape) trash extractions – 9,287 pounds (37%)
How can you help?
You can make a big difference in helping to clean up Fourche creek!
Please consider:
- Making a donation to help pay for the cost and maintenance of the booms at www.klrb.org/support-klrb
- Volunteering on the 2nd Saturday of the month Boom Blast to remove litter from trash booms
Want more information about litter prevention in Fourche Creek?
Check out this presentation by UA Little Rock student Tristyn Perrin during her semester as a KLRB student intern.
Trash Boom Flyer – please download & share.
KAB video from August 2022THV 11 Video May 2023