Marine Debris Prevention Safeguarding Our Bays
Project Overview
Safeguarding Our Bays is a project led by the St. Andrew and St. Joseph Bays Estuary Program to stop trash and other debris from reaching our bays as water runs over land and through stormwater systems. Thanks to over $677,000 in grant funding from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Marine Debris Program, the project has installed 32 Enviropod LittaTraps™ in storm drains throughout the cities of Parker, Lynn Haven, Panama City, and Panama City Beach. These devices will catch trash before it enters waterways and help protect important habitats like seagrass beds and wetlands, which support wildlife and our local economy.
Safeguarding Our Bays includes collaboration with local governments, volunteers, and artists to involve the community in protecting our bays. The grant funding will support the creation of outreach materials in English and Spanish, marking storm drains, and organizing cleanups. By using a two-pronged approach that focuses on prevention and awareness strategies, Safeguarding Our Bays will improve stormwater systems, reduce pollution, and maintain cleaner and healthier waterways.
What is Stormwater?
Stormwater is rainwater or melted snow that flows over the ground instead of soaking into the soil. As it moves, it can pick up trash, dirt, chemicals, and other pollutants from streets, parking lots, rooftops, and lawns. This water often travels through storm drains and pipes, which carry it directly into rivers, bays, and other water bodies. This stormwater is not always filtered before entering water bodies and can be a major source of debris entering coastal ecosystems.
Common Types of Debris
- Plastic bottles and bags
- Food wrappers and packaging
- Cigarette butts
- Foam containers
- Metal cans
Impacts
- Reduces habitat quality
- Affects wildlife health
- Pollutes waterways
- Creates microplastics
- Strains local economies
What is a LittaTrap™?
A LittaTrap™ is a basket-like device that fits inside a storm drain inlet (i.e. under the grate) to capture trash and debris before it washes into waterways or clogs structures. It works by capturing items like plastic bottles, food wrappers, cigarette butts, and other litter including organic debris while still allowing water to flow through the drain. These can then be easily cleaned out by hand or by using a vacuum truck. Because the pollutants are captured before entering waterways, LittaTraps™ can help prevent the impacts of trash and debris on coastal ecosystems.
Safeguarding Our Bays Data Viewer
The Safeguarding Our Bays Data Viewer lets you explore the results of our efforts to keep trash out of our waterways. We check the LittaTraps™ monthly by teaming up with each of the four participating cities (Panama City, Panama City Beach, Lynn Haven, and Parker) and also organize community clean-up events. The debris from each of these efforts is weighed, sorted, and recorded to track the amount of trash and organic debris prevented from entering our bays.
Instructions
On the map: To zoom to a specific area, LittaTrap™, or clean-up event, zoom using your mouse or the +/- buttons in the bottom right corner. The water drops are areas where LittaTraps™ are installed and actively monitored and trash cans represent community clean-ups. You can click on each icon to see the results from each LittaTrap™. Use the right-hand toolbar to view the legend, or search for an address. The charts in the top right will update as you explore the map.
On the charts: Two tabs display different information. The Debris Collected per LittaTrap™ will display information when you select a LittaTrap™ (water drop), and Debris Types Collected at clean-ups will display information per clean-up. Hover your cursor over the bars to view more details.
Use the Data Viewer to:
- See how much debris each trap collects.
- View the different types of debris found.
- Explore what was collected during cleanup events.
Get Involved
Help make a difference in your community!
Safeguarding Our Bays is a project supported by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Marine Debris Program.
