Revisiting Two Mile Branch on February 27th, I asked Valdosta City Engineer Ben O’Dowd whether the Lee Street trash trap he was considering as a model to go at Berkley Drive was his design. He said no, that was all Stormwater Division.

Imagine if Mayor and Council allocated funds to put more of these in creeks across the city. Lots of trash would be kept out of the Withlacoochee and other Rivers. And also out of creeks within the city that attract children to play, and in which wildlife currently eat styrofoam that cannot digest.

Upstream education and enforcement is still needed for Valdosta’s ordinances that require property owners not to let trash escape and to have a so many trash cans strategically placed per number of parking spaces. Maybe soon the city will set an example as the Mayor has long promised by putting trash cans in its own parking lots, starting with across from City Hall.

Lee Street trash trap, side view, City Engineer and Stormwater Manager, door

Stormwater Manager Angela Bray said she suggested the design, and her people took it from there and built the Lee Street trash trap.

Trash Trap, Lee Street Detention Pond, One Mile Branch, 15:01:59, 30.8464034, -83.2781604

The whole thing she said cost less than $5,000.

Closeup, Trash Trap, Lee St. Detention Pond, 15:01:31, 30.8468929, -83.2778807

The most expensive part being the concrete, she said.

Side view, Trash Trap, Lee St. Detention Pond, 15:01:42, 30.8464034, -83.2781604

I asked her if she had to get City Council approval for the funds. She said no, Stormwater had unused contractor funds which she repurposed.

Which is great. Also, when I reminded her that many months ago Valdosta City Council Tim Carroll said he had ideas on where to find funds for trash traps, she appeared to welcome that idea.

Two Mile Branch is mostly in Tim Carroll’s District 5, bordering Andy Gibb’s District 6 downstream, with some upstream parts in Eric Howard’s District 4. Three Mile Branch and Cherry Creek are in District 5.

The Lee Street detention pond and trash trap are in Sandra Tooley’s District 2, with some upstream parts of the One Mile Branch watershed in Vivian Miller-Cody’s District 1. Downstream One Mile Branch and Hightower Creek are in Thomas B. McIntyre’s District 3 and partly border Andy Gibbs’ District 3.

Downstream Sugar Creek is in Andy Gibb’s District 3.

In the Alapaha River watershed, Mud Swamp Creek is in Thomas B. McIntyre’s District 3, as is most of Dukes Bay Canal, with some upstream parts in Sandra Tooley’s District 2.

Knights Creek is in Vivian Miller-Cody’s District 1, with some far upstream bits in Eric Howard’s District 4.

Hinges, Trash Trap, Lee St. Detention Pond, 15:02:30, 30.8465410, -83.2781140

The Lee Street trash trap has a hinged door for cleaning it out.

Door, Trash Trap, Lee St. Detention Pond, 15:02:42, 30.8465870, -83.2780820

Here is where it is, at the ditch entrance from Lee Street to the detention pond that drains into One Mile Branch next to the Azalea City Trail:

Map: Lee Street Detention Pond Trash Trap in the WWALS map of the Withlacoochee and Little River Water Trail.

You can see trash upstream from the entrance culvert:

Upstream culvert, Lee Street, 14:45:41, 30.8626130, -83.3021740

If it does work, maybe not as many fast food containers from Zacadoo’s, Kentucky Fried Chicken, and others will float down One Mile Branch and Sugar Creek to the Withlacoochee River.

Map: Lee Street Detention Pond, One Mile Branch, Sugar Creek, Withlacoochee River in the WWALS map of the Withlacoochee and Little River Water Trail.

Wildlife and people will be happier and healthier.

Little Blue Heron in Lee Street Detention Pond, 15:03:21, 30.8465925, -83.2780633

This is the second model trash trap Stormwater Division has put at the Lee Street detention pond. The first one was much simpler.

Movie, Detention Pond, One Mile Branch, Sugar Creek

We all should thank Bobby McKenzie for keeping after this issue and this location in particular.

For much more about the trash situation, see:
https://wwals.net/issues/trash/

 -jsq, John S. Quarterman, Suwannee RIVERKEEPER®

You can help with clean, swimmable, fishable, drinkable, water in the 10,000-square-mile Suwannee River Basin in Florida and Georgia by becoming a WWALS member today!
https://wwals.net/donations/

Short Link: