Case Study: TrashVeyor™ Intercepts Floating Debris Before Entering Lake Michigan

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Kinnickinnic River is 9.6 miles long and 93% urban land cover
Watershed covers about 25 square miles and is home to 145,000 people
Located in one of the most populated and poorest areas of the City of Milwaukee
Flows into Lake Michigan through the Milwaukee Estuary
Restoration efforts are underway to improve its ecosystem and address flood risks

Kinnickinnic River in Milwaukee is 9.6 miles long and 93% urban land cover

PROJECT CHALLENGE

Precipitation and wind deposit debris into storm drains, which then flow into the river
Watershed drainage carries runoff and trash into the water
Homeless encampments along the river contribute significantly to the debris problem
Urbanized area limits available space for equipment placement and operation
Water level varies daily by 2-3 feet with embankment to water level as low as 7 feet

THE SOLUTION

An 8-month pilot project on the Kinnickinnic River is successfully tackling the high volume of trash such as bottles, cans and sticks. After a rainfall in March, the TrashVeyor collected 3.2 tons of debris within hours.

The portable modular design of the Structural BMP is used to provide a solution to floating marine debris in urban and off- grid locations.

The TrashVeyor is a stationary, automated interceptor that removes floating debris using the natural flow of the waterway.

In October, a two-week test collected 1.5 tons of trash. Even when the system is temporarily shut down to replace the dumpster, the booms continue to act as an interceptor to trap debris, preventing it from flowing downstream.