Litter Traps Help Protect Water Headed to Lake Erie

GARRISON RUN, ERIE, PENNSYLVANIA

Funding to install two trash collection devices prevents 700 to 4,000 pounds of trash annually from reaching Presque Isle Bay and Lake Erie.

A critical asset to the region, Lake Erie provides clean drinking water to 11 million people and is home to half of the fish in all of the Great Lakes. For the health and safety of people and wildlife, it’s crucial that the water is clean and free of debris. That’s why, in October 2021, the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) granted $309,300 to the city of Erie, Pennsylvania, to help clean up Garrison Run, a heavily polluted tributary to Presque Isle Bay and Lake Erie.

Thanks to the Trash-Free Waters Grant under the GLRI, the city was able to install two types of collection devices to remove floating and submerged trash from the stream. Combined, the traps prevent 700 pounds to 4,000 pounds of trash per year from reaching the bay and Lake Erie. The project protects about 16,780 acres of Presque Isle Bay surface water area and 61,000 feet of shoreline. Ultimately, large-scale litter devices help protect our drinking water as well as native aquatic and terrestrial species important to the Great Lakes.

“Lake Erie is our region’s greatest asset,” said Erie’s Mayor Joseph V. Schember. “Keeping trash and other debris from entering the lake helps present and future generations as well as local wildlife have cleaner water to thrive and grow.”

Resource Challenges Addressed

• Trash contamination of waterways and lakes

Key Partners

City of Erie, Pennsylvania

Cost

$309,300

Results and Accomplishments

The City of Erie is able to protect roughly 16,780 acres of surface water area and 61,000 feet of shoreline by installing large-scale litter traps that prevents 700 pounds to 4,000 pounds of trash from reaching Presque Isle Bay and Lake Erie each year.

*This story is part of a GLRI success story packet that was used in the Coalition’s 2023 Great Lakes Days, with one story from each state in the region. Read the full packet

TRASH COLLECTION

Trash collection devices will help prevent hundreds of pounds of trash from entering Lake Erie. The photo above shows marine debris at Maumee Bay State Park on Lake Erie.

Credit: NOAA Marine Debris Program