In a partnership between the City of Savannah and Ogeechee Riverkeeper, efforts are underway to heal the Vernon watershed by collecting litter and mitigating flash flooding.
“These waterways are lifelines to Savannah’s environmental and economic health,” said Laura Walker, water resources environmental manager for the City of Savannah.
“We work hard every day to try and keep them fishable and swimmable. But we need everyone to treat the storm system with care. We need everyone to protect the storm drains, ditches, and creeks and keep them clean.”
Urban development highly impacts the canals and tributaries that feed the Vernon River. The Windsor Forest area drains into the Little Ogeechee River and the Vernon River, which flow out to the ocean.
The Vernon River receives a significant amount of the stormwater from the City of Savannah.
In 2021, the City of Savannah and Ogeechee Riverkeeper (ORK), set out to restore the waterways in the Vernon River basin.
Litter booms were recently deployed in an effort to catch litter before it reaches the river or the ocean. The booms are active in the Chippewa, Wilshire, and Harmon Canals.
These traps are regularly cleaned out. The litter is then sorted, analyzed, cataloged and then recycled or disposed of responsibly.
Since February, the litter booms have caught nearly 2,000 pounds of trash.
The most common material is polystyrene, with an average of 292 pieces per cleanup.
The Osprey Initiative managed the design and install of the blooms. Funding for the project came from a grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF).
ORK received the 5 Star grant from NFWF for its comprehensive plan involving multiple stakeholders in the area.
“We are so grateful for the broad group of stakeholders working with us to minimize the threats that urban runoff, and litter and plastic pollution pose to this special waterbody,” says Damon Mullis, riverkeeper and executive director of ORK.
Rain barrel giveaway
ORK and the City of Savannah will be partnering to lead another project aimed at protecting the water quality and ecology of the Vernon River.
As part of that effort, ORK and the City are holding their second rain barrel giveaway. Area residents can pick up a free rain barrel from 5 to 7 p.m at Joseph Tribble Park on Wednesday, Oct. 19. The address of the park is 12517 Largo Dr., Savannah, GA, 31419.
The barrels collect rainwater for later use. They can also mitigate flash flooding by slowing water runoff from roofs. Barrels will be provided on a first-come basis.
Get involved
“Local residents are encouraged to volunteer for litter cleanups, citizen science programs, educational events, and more in the coming months.” added Mullis.
Click here to sign up to volunteer, view data, watch an installation video, and view the successes to date.
